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A UNESCO-listed natural landscape in the Tasman Sea, Lord Howe Island Lagoon and Mount Gower pairs a sheltered coral lagoon with one of Australia’s most demanding day walks. Lord Howe Island lies roughly two hours by air from Sydney. The island is a crescent of volcanic rock, and visitor numbers are capped to protect it.

On the western shore, the lagoon is shallow and clear, with sandy bays and the southernmost coral reef in the world. Snorkellers drift over coral gardens and tropical fish at close range. Glass-bottom boats and kayaks cover the same water at a gentler pace.

To the south, Mount Gower rises 875 metres. Its summit is reached on a full-day guided trek that is steep, rope-assisted in places and strictly for fit walkers. The route crosses ridgelines and passes through mossy cloud forest known as the Mount Gower Plateau, a habitat for endemic plants and birds. The reward at the top is a wide view of the lagoon, the neighbouring peak of Mount Lidgbird and open ocean in every direction.

Together the two places show the island at its extremes: a calm, bright shallow sea below and a cloud-wrapped peak above.