Lord Howe Island naturally attracts outdoor types.Credit:Luke Hanson
THE ONE HIKE
Almost 600 kilometres off the NSW coast,out in the Tasman Sea,lies a crescent remnant of an extinct shield volcano hundreds of millions of years old. With its subtropical forests,migratory bird colonies,craggy outcrops,sandy and pebbled beaches and deep circular rock pools,Lord Howe Island naturally attracts outdoor types. Although the island's main walking trails are adequately marked for independent exploration,it's advisable to tackle the magnificent yet merciless 875-metre Mount Gower as a guided daytrip. Seelordhoweislandtours.com
THE ONE LAGOON
.Credit:Pro Dive Lord Howe Island
The island's western side is protected by the world's most southerly coral reef which,in turn,protects temperate and tropical fish,hard and soft coral,reef sharks,stingrays and turtles. Lord Howe Environmental Tours'trusty glass-bottom boat,Coral Empress,has criss-crossed this lagoon countless times. LHET is owned and operated by a local family who are deeply passionate about the UNESCO World Heritage listed environment of their island home and will also take you kayaking on the lagoon and possibly even night snorkelling. Seelordhoweislandtours.com
THE ONE SEA STACK
The world's tallest sea stack,Ball's Pyramid,is a 563-metre islet positioned 23 kilometres south of Lord Howe. This outlying remnant of the shield volcano is shaped like a massive magnetic termite mound. Talk to Pro Dive about submerging in its marine sanctuary surrounds. Sea to Summit Expeditions and Reef N Beyond offer sightseeing boat tours when conditions are right. Seeprodivelordhoweisland.com.au;lordhoweislandtours.net;visitlordhowe.com.au
THE ONE INSECT
Lord Howe Island is a unique ecosystem supporting many endemic animals,birds and plants such as the Lord Howe Island Woodhen and Kentia palm. It's also home to hundreds of terrestrial insect species found nowhere else on the planet. One of those is the Lord Howe Island Phasmid. This giant flightless honey-brown coloured stick insect was thought to have become extinct after black rats were introduced to the island in 1918 when steamship SS Makambo ran aground on Ned's Beach. Almost a century later,in 2017,a Phasmid colony was found alive and thriving on Ball's Pyramid.