Lord Howe Island Group, Australia

Abstract

Lord Howe Island Group is in the South Pacific, 800 km from Sidney. The islands are a remarkable example of an isolated oceanic island born of volcanic activity and demonstrating the nearly complete stage in the destruction of a shield volcano. They have a grand topographic relief, with spectacular and scenic landscapes within a small area, characterized by the presence of sheer mountain slopes rising abruptly from the ocean and a broad arc of hills enclosing a lagoon, where the world’s most southerly true coral reef exists. The islands support extensive colonies of nesting seabirds, and iconic species include endemics such as the world’s largest stick insect. Many species are at their ecological limits, and unique assemblages of temperate and tropical forms cohabit.