Explore Lord Howe Island
New South Wales lies just over 600km to the northwest. There is nothing in sight but Pacific Ocean. This is the marine park of Lord Howe Island and it will fulfill all your desert island dreams.
With tourist numbers limited to 400 at any time, the islands population is kept under 1000...really. There are only two dive centres on the island and no dive resorts or liveaboards. One centre offers beginner dive courses, but online learning must be completed before arrival due to internet limitations.
Diving here not only offers paradisiacal lagoon diving but the chance to dive on steep volcano walls, in an area where you might discover a new species amongst the luxuriant corals.
Top Lord Howe Island Dive SItes
1. Ball’s Pyramid
Located 26 km offshore, this advanced dive features dramatic walls, caves, and strong drifts. Divers may encounter massive schools of kingfish, amberjack, sweep, dolphins, and the rare ballerina angelfish. Best suited for experienced scuba divers.
2. Comet’s Hole
At a shallow 7–8m, this crater-like site is perfect for macro lovers and underwater photography. Spanish dancers, stingrays, and vibrant reef fish are commonly seen. Ideal for beginners and a relaxed freediving experience.
3. Admiralty Islands (Ned’s Beach area)
A cluster of sites just minutes by boat. Ned’s Beach is famous for hand-fed fish and schooling species. Great for all levels of scuba divers with colorful reef life and calm conditions in a marine-protected area.
4. Erscott’s Hole
A calm, lagoon-based site with exceptional visibility and lots of macro life including nudibranchs and juvenile fish. Accessible in most weather, this is a top choice for new divers, snorkelers, and macro photographers.
5. North Rock
A deeper site featuring swim-throughs and coral-covered ledges. Expect sightings of Galapagos whalers, trevally, and tuna. Depths range from 15–30m, making it ideal for intermediate to advanced scuba divers
The best Months to dive in Lord Howe Island
Diving on Lord Howe Island is possible 9 months of the year. The season (September - May) has daytime temperatures between 21 - 27oC and water temperatures between 19 and 26oC, dropping as low as 17oC in June - August. During the winter months, rainfall is heaviest and fierce winds batter the islands making air travel impossible - hence the islands are closed to tourists from June - August.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Lord Howe Island
The combination of cooler waters and tropical currents engender huge biodiversity here. Almost 500 fish species are recorded here, with more being found. On many sites, huge volumes of fish are found due to the lack of commercial fishing and nutrient rich waters.
Cetaceans are common, with bottlenose dolphins and other species being found in large pods. Specimens unique to Lord Howe diving include the ballerina angelfish at Ball’s Pyramid, the only place in the world where it is (known) to be found above 100m. Galapagos whaler sharks and double headed wrasse are also incredibly rare and are seen here.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
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Total number of species approx.: 200
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Moray Eel
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Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
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Alamy-Christian Zappel
Scalloped Hammerhead
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Total number of species approx.: 25
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Eagle Ray
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Total number of species approx.: 27
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Barracuda
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Total number of species approx.: 85
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Surgeonfish
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Total number of species approx.: 100
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Parrotfish
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish
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Total number of species approx.: 130
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Pufferfish
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