Yes, I went again! When a few guesthouses on the island told me they needed some new imagery, I couldn’t resist. So I hope you don’t mind revisiting this little piece of paradise, with its magnificent volcanic remnant mountains that tower over an enormous lagoon filled with the clearest turquoise water, fish, turtles, rays and the world’s most southern coral reef?!

Unlike last time when it took me almost a year to post about my trip there, this was just over a week ago.

The first thing I did on arrival was peruse a map to determine my game plan for the week; aside from my work, what else would I explore and photograph?

after arriving on the tiny Dash-8 turbo prop plane

Slightly overwhelmed – Lord Howe isn’t big but there’s a lot to explore – I decided to abandon any sort of decision making and throw myself into the lagoon. A ritual dunking, to help the mind and body transition from city hustle to island time – unhurried, uneventful but full of possibilities.

Dunking complete, I lay on the sand to take in the scene. I’m a little obsessed with the pontoon that floats on the lagoon’s turquoise water – I love how it provides a stage with that stunning backdrop of the mountains and would return to photograph it many times over the next week. Some days it was a scene of tranquility, with adults lazing about like seals. Other times, it turned into a floating playground, crowded with local kids larking it up after school.

peaceful perch

One morning I met a lovely couple, Emily and Cameron, having a dip in the lagoon. Aside from it happening to be Valentine’s Day, their swimmers were the colour of the island – I had to photograph them.

below

snorkelling out on the reef

I’m not a hiker but I decided to do one of the easier walks to the top of Transit Hill. It was unusually hot and humid that day, and after 30 minutes of uphill slog, carrying 10 kg of camera equipment on my back, I was drenched in sweat and slightly exhausted by the time I climbed the final few steps up the elevated viewing platform. And crazily I did the hike twice in one afternoon because I wanted to capture golden hour up there. It was worth it though because it gave you a 360 degree view of the island and its setting in the middle of the ocean. As the light lowered close to the horizon, I took my shots then descended quickly – it would be dark soon and as much as it’s a relief to know that any rustles you hear in the bush are just bird and not snakes, I still found it hard to shake my city-girl paranoia that something out there might want a piece of me!

golden hour on Transit Hill looking towards Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower

the only sailing boat moored off the island

All the hiking, swimming and snorkelling leaves you pretty hungry at the end of the day, and I enjoyed revisiting the same places I’d discovered on my previous visit – uber tasty Driftwood and the cool little bar called The Crooked Post, as well as the classics, including sunset-blessed Golf Club, Anchorage and Coral Cafe. I never got around to cooking my own food on one of the handful of bbq’s around the island but it always looked so inviting.

fish curry, yum!

Anchorage Restaurant

So the two guesthouses that I shot interiors for were Ebbtide Apartments and Bowker Beach House, both run by the loveliest people. While Ebbtide is up the hill towards Ned’s Beach and away from the ‘bustle’, Bowker is down lagoon side.

set in a sub-tropical oasis

an apartment at Ebbtide with a view of the Admiralty Islands

luxury lagoon-side

On my last morning on the island, just before I flew out, I headed down to Ned’s Beach on the eastern side of the island. The swell had calmed down a little but I wasn’t interested in swimming – I was there for the beautiful morning light as the sun crept over the top of the headland.

white terns circling around near the cliff’s edge

every morning firewood is magically replenished at the island’s bbqs

before cycling back to his guesthouse for brekky

Like I said, I’ve been back for over a week now and I intended to post this sooner. But just as it takes a while for your mind to arrive on Lord Howe Island, it’s taken me a while to ‘return’. Even now I can still feel the pristine, turquoise water lapping around me, the weight of my camera bag on my back as I cycle along gentle, quiet roads.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this second journey to one of my favourite places in the whole wide world. I love it for its dramatic scenery and impressive variety of creatures but also for its simplicity – the empty beaches, bikes instead of cars, a modest number of places to eat, not endless choices. And no ugly, awful development, just low-key luxury.

It must be one of the few remaining corners of the world that we humans haven’t buggered up – may it always be thus!