UPDATE: NSW Health has repealed the Public Health Order restricting travel to COVID-19 free Lord Howe Island. QantasLink have scheduled flights from Sydney starting 3 October and fares are around $1,092 return for selected dates until mid-December.
9 MAY 2020: Lord Howe Island is my current answer when people ask where they should visit next.
People are keen to travel once coronavirus travel restrictions are lifted, and that will almost certainly be within states and territories first. Domestic travel will then again be possible, and eventually a travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.
Below are my top three reasons why Lord Howe Island is the perfect next holiday.
In this post:
Lord Howe Island Is ‘In’ New South Wales
The Lord Howe Island Group is part of the state of New South Wales, and the local government reports to the NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage.
Located 600 kilometers directly east of Port Macquarie, the island is an easy 2 hour direct flight from Sydney.
Given travel restrictions within states will be the first to be relaxed, it means that Lord Howe will be one of the first islands that residents of NSW can visit.
Lord Howe Is UNESCO World Heritage Listed
The iconic naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough describes Lord Howe Island as “So extraordinary, it is almost unbelievable… few islands, surely, can be so accessible, so remarkable, yet so unspoilt.”.
The UNESCO World Heritage listing is equally enthusiastic, making specific mention of the world’s most southerly coral reef:
The Lord Howe Island Group is an outstanding example of oceanic islands of volcanic origin containing a unique biota of plants and animals, as well as the world’s most southerly true coral reef. It is an area of spectacular and scenic landscapes encapsulated within a small land area, and provides important breeding grounds for colonies of seabirds as well as significant natural habitat for the conservation of threatened species.
With a maximum of 400 guests on the island at any time, it is the perfect nature retreat.
Exceptional Use Of Qantas Points
Qantas is the only airline that flies to Lord Howe Island and tickets for the 2 hour flight start at A$480 each way. Given the short distance from Sydney, award seats are a bargain at 8,000 points (plus A$87 in taxes) each way.
Normally these flights are some of the hardest to come by, rivalling premium seats on the flagship QF1 service to London and the US services. Not even the premium award magic trick works for LDH.
Below is the generous award availability calendar for 2 passengers in August.
Visit Lord Howe Island Summary
Once travel restrictions start to be eased, there are few destinations within NSW and Australia that rival Lord Howe Island. It’s a world class island right on our doorstep and one that I loved visiting over 20 years ago in 1998.
