Unpolluted and untouched Lord Howe Island is the ultimate eco-destination. There is only one road, and everyone tends to get around by bicycle, boat or on foot. Just 11 km long this boomerang shaped beauty is topped by rainforest-clad Moun Gower and Mount Lidgbird and dips down into the cool Tasman Sea. Born of a volcanic eruption, it has the southernmost coral reef in the world – safe heaven for 500 species of fish and 90 species of corals.

The locals are laidback and often barefoot, and set the tone for any visit. On the more popular northern end of the island, there are endless walks and lookouts, an ideal places for a picnic along Old Settlement Beach. Bushwalking apart, there are fabulous swimming, snorkelling and diving spots. The insanely beautiful island never appears crowded – and if it is, with exotic flora and fauna not humman life.

Lord Howe Island was discovered in 1788 by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball of HMS Supply, while on his way from Botany Bay to Norfolk Island with convicts on board. Many government ships, whaling and trading vessels stopped there but a permanent settlement wasn’t established until 1834, at an area now known as Old Settlement. Photo by: gregba1

When to go: Cheapest to get there out of season but it can be wetter and windier and some places may be closed. From September to April huge numbers of exotic seabirds nest here. Population: 300. How to get there: By air from Sydney or Brisbane. You should know: Some rare mushrooms on the island grow in the dark. These growing mushrooms appear after heavy rain in the palm forests. If picked they glow for a number of days. The glow is so brigt that you can read by it in the dark.

Photos by: dexodexo