A volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea holds the world's most southerly coral reef.

Countries & Cities · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Rising from the ocean floor, the Lord Howe Island Group is a spectacular volcanic relic. Home to the world's largest stick insect and the southernmost true coral reef, this isolated ecosystem serves as a living laboratory for independent evolution, showcasing rare species that exist nowhere else on our planet.

Located approximately 570 kilometres east of Port Macquarie, the Lord Howe Island Group represents the remnants of a massive shield volcano that erupted more than 2,000 metres below the sea. Today, this property covers 146,300 hectares, including marine areas and coral reefs, while the terrestrial portion spans about 1,540 hectares. The landscape is defined by dramatic topography, featuring sheer mountain slopes and the iconic Balls Pyramid, a volcanic spire rising abruptly from the Tasman Sea.

The islands are a critical sanctuary for biodiversity, hosting unique assemblages of tropical and temperate species. Among its most famous inhabitants is the flightless Lord Howe Woodhen, once considered one of the rarest birds globally, and the Lord Howe Island Phasmid, a massive stick insect previously feared extinct until its rediscovery on Balls Pyramid. These species highlight the islands' role as a site of independent evolutionary processes, where flora and fauna have adapted to an isolated environment over time.

Human impact has been significant but relatively brief. Since the arrival of settlers, several endemic species disappeared due to introduced animals, though modern conservation efforts have seen the successful eradication of feral pigs and cats. Today, the area is managed under a comprehensive framework, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which ensures that the islands' World Heritage values are protected from development, invasive species, and the ongoing challenges of anthropogenic climate change.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The world's tallest volcanic stack is a fortress for an insect thought long dead.
• Macquarie Island is a rare piece of Earth's mantle pushed above the ocean surface
• The Last Paradise: Australia’s remote sanctuary of rare biodiversity
• A remote subantarctic island hosts the world's loneliest tree and a history of extremes.
• The world's largest raised coral atoll is a living laboratory in the Pacific
• The Arctic Archipelago That Is Slowly Vanishing Into The Sea
• Lombok: The Indonesian island that sits on a biological fault line of evolution
• From Spanish ranchos to a shifting demographic mosaic in the Los Angeles Basin
• Why this Arctic archipelago experiences one of the world's largest temperature anomalies
• The Atlantic's Fortunate Isles: A Volcanic Time Capsule of Ancient Mediterranean Forests
• Australia's third tier of government exists entirely outside its Constitution
• Madeira is not just an island; it is the peak of a massive underwater volcano.

More in Islands · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics