Tweed Heads & Cook Island Byron Bay Ballina Coff's Harbour
South West Rocks Port Macquarie Norfolk Island
North Haven Forster-Seal Rocks Port Stephens
Newcastle-Swansea Central Coast - Terrigal Sydney North
Sydney South Wollongong to Kiama Jervis Bay Uladulla
Bateman's Bay Narooma-Montague Island Tathra Merimbula
Located 770 km northeast of Sydney, Lord Howe Island is one of the most beautiful islands in the world and inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1982.
The crystal clear waters provide some of the most exciting scuba diving, snorkeling and underwater photography diving in the South Pacific, with a huge number of unique and rare species of marine life.
Two small mountains, Mt Gower and Mt Lidgbird, tower over the island, the remains of a large volcano, thought to be seven million years old. Many unique plants and animals have evolved here, including the endangered Lord Howe Island wood hen and the endemic Kentia palm. The island was first settled in 1830 and today has a local population of 300 that earns a living mainly from the tourism industry. A good range of accommodation is available.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
All the accomodation at Lord Howe Island is maintained by personalised guest houses. Some like 'Somerset Holiday Accomodation" are self contained, whils others maintain full room and board. With only a few hundred visitors allowed on the island at any one time the beaches often appear deserted and traffic is comprised of push bikes and a few smaller vehicles of residents and hire cars.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
About 50 species of coral have been identified on the surrounding coral reefs (the most southern in the world) most of which are located in the large lagoon on the western side of the island. These reefs maintain vigorous populations of invertebrates and over 500 species of fish, including 13 that are endemic to this area. In recognition of these outstanding natural features, Lord Howe Island was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1982.
This huge rock at 30 metres off Roach Island, Lord Howe Island was found to have over 70 species of marine life on it. This is only a fraction of the wonder and beauty that can be seen by underwater explorers. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Visitors to Lord Howe can participate in snorkeling the lagoon or Neds Beach (where hundreds of fish gather to be fed), enjoy bushwalks or mountain treks (for wonderful views), observe the native wildlife (especially the nesting sea birds) or explore the island on bike
(the Main form of transport on this wonderful island).
First discovered at Lord Howe Island in 1999 Tomsmith's Glossodoris Glossodoris tomsmithi was one of the highlights of my many fauna surveys of the islands and reefs. Although it was known from Hawaii and Guam it was a new record for lord Howe and Australia. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Many divers return year after year, and prefer to book package deals which include diving and accommodation. The local dive shop is Pro Dive, which runs two boat dives daily to any of the 28 islands around Lord Howe, and has close to 100 dive sites to choose from.
The red dots apply the areas I have surveyed during my many years of visiting the island and accumulating a photographic index of images, many of which were later represented in the my book.
Violet Sweep Scorpis violaceus are generally seen in schools around Roach Island where they feed on plankton brought by with the currents. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
One of the many new species I discovered over the years, Coleman's Janolus Janolus sp. has also been found at new Caledonia. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Roach Island
Huge boulders encrusted with soft and hard corals, sponges, ascidians, and gorgonians provide interesting dive sites at depths of 18-30 m. Although invertebrates are plentiful on the fringing reef, this area will be most remembered for its fish life. Angelfish, butterflyfish, rare Japanese boarfish, anemonefish, spangled emperor, painted morwong, striped catfish, mosaic moray eels, lionfish, sweetlips, parrotfish, drummer, double header wrasse and Galapagos sharks are just some of the species found at Roach Island, and at most dive sites around Lord Howe Island.
Endemic to the reefs around Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island the Double Header Wrasse Coris bulbifrons is a protected species and is often a constant companion when diving in the lagoon.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Malabar Reef
This large, rocky reef, located off Malabar Hill in 9-18 m of water, has endless gutters, ledges and small pinnacles, all covered in excellent coral growth. Have a look among the corals for nudibranchs (including Spanish dancers) anemonefish, flatworms, shrimp, hermit crabs, sea stars, feather stars, brittle stars, lionfish, hawkfish, gobies and painted morwong.
Lord Howe Island's huge shallow water lagoon is a magic place to learn to snorkel. Everybody can participate, the water is clear and the underwater wildlife is amazing. One never tires of watching the amazing life styles of the creatures. When snorkeling, always make sure that you cover up. Even if the breeze seems to cool everything off, remember....the sun never cools off.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Schools of Three - striped Butterflyfish Chaetodon tricinctus are seen regularly in the lagoon along with dozens of other species of butterflyfish flitting aroung the magnificent coral reefs.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Comets Hole, Erscotts Hole
These 7 m deep holes in the lagoon are usually filed with double-header wrasse, spangled emperor, butterflyfish, angelfish, morwong, wrasse, moral eels, lionfish and many more species. Nudibranchs, flatworms, crabs, shrimp, sea stars, tube worms and other invertebrate species inhabit the many hard coral formations also found in the lagoon.
One of the most significent discoveries of my career was this Coleman's Pygmy Sea Horse Hippocampus colemani. the amazing thing was that even though it was only the second species of Pygmy Sea Horse to be found in the world, it was discovered living in a sea grass meadow only a few yards from the dive boat mooring in only 3 metres of water in the lagoon.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The lagoon is very rich in species and it demonstrates that you do not have to dive deep to find spectacular species. this Souverby's Oxynoe Oxynoe souverbyi was photographed beneath the kids pontoon in the lagoon in only 2 metres of water, while the kids "bombed" me fom above.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Shark Reef
Many gutters, swim-throughs and ledges occur where the edge of the lagoon drops into 30 m. Macro-photographers will find many photogenic subjects here among the corals, shrimps, cowries, flatworms, nudibranchs, sea stars and abundant reef fish. The occasional school of pelagics and individual Galapagos sharks patrol the waters off the reef.
Galapagos Sharks Carcharhinus galapagos can be seen off and on at most dive sites around the island and out at the Admiralties and even more so at Ball's Pyramid. This image was taken in the lagoon in the early years of exploration. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
South Head
The southern end of Lord Howe Island, which drops steeply into 50 m of water, is rarely dived. Here you will see plenty of reef and pelagic fish around the walls and caves, and perhaps some fast Galapagos sharks.
Phillip Rock is a brilliant dive site, but can only be dived during periods of low swell. The offshore visibility often exceeds 40 metres and rarely drops to less than 20 metres. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Balls Pyramid
This spectacular blade of rock rises 551 m above the surface of the water and drops to 37 m below. Located 23 km south-east of Lord Howe Island, Balls Pyramid is occasionally dived but only when conditions are good. The walls and the sea bottom at the base of the monolith are sprinkled with a sparse covering of black coral trees, gorgonians, soft corals and sponges. Reef fish dart among the corals and sponges, while schools of trevally, surgeonfish, drummer and kingfish swarm in midwater. Grey reef and Galapagos sharks are very common, and will often come in close to inspect divers.
The waters and reefs around Ball's Pyramid have species not so far located on the reefs nearer the island. The currents here are somewhat stronger and there are huge Black Coral 'trees' up to 3 metres in height. The diving is nothing short of absolutely spectacular. Its huge country with an underwater terrain comprised of giant boulders and caves and crevasses and giant sea whips and everything is huge. The schools of trevally, kingfish, sweep and drummers wheel and turn and trying to stay focussed was my most difficult task.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The reefs adjacent to Ball's Pyramid are swept by huge swells that roll up the rockfaces and fall away into a malestrom of white water, BUT beneath those same swells lives one of the most sought after fishes.
The Ballina Angelfish Chaetodontoplus ballinae is a rather rare species that is only located on a few deeper water reefs in the vicinity of Lord Howe Island and the adjacent coast of New South Wales.
The first one was caught in a fishtrap and pulled up from 80 metres of water. For many years it remained a much desired species for photographers, but was thought to be confined to deep water beyond diving. However, they were rediscovered by NSW Fisheries employees who poached several for the aquarium market. This species is now fully protected. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs
Located 190 km north of Lord Howe Island, these Coral Sea reefs have claimed many ships. Reef fish, kingfish, sweetlips, Japanese boarfish, double-header wrasse, black cod, drummer, trevally and particularly sharks are abundant in this area. Dozens of grey ref and Galapagos sharks are seen on ever dive, and even a few tiger sharks have been sighted. These reefs are only occasionally visited by live-aboard boats operating from Lord Howe Island.
Lord Howe Island “Deemed as Australia’s most beautiful island ... more
Tweed Heads & Cook Island Byron Bay Ballina Coff's Harbour
South West Rocks Port Macquarie Lord Howe Island Norfolk Island
North Haven Forster-Seal Rocks Port Stephens
Newcastle-Swansea Central Coast - Terrigal Sydney North
Sydney South Wollongong to Kiama Jervis Bay Uladulla
Bateman's Bay Narooma-Montague Island Tathra Merimbula
Neville Coleman's diving expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys and marine life identification courses include every major group of marine life.
Neville Coleman's expertise in living taxonomy and marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Rock Lobsters, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Marine Fish, Sharks, Marine Reptiles, and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters around Lord Howe Island and Ball's Pyramid.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
