Lord Howe Island

The Lord Howe Island (English: Lord Howe Iceland ) is an island belonging to Australia in the Tasman Sea. With some smaller islands, it forms the same Lord Howe Island Group (English: Lord Howe Iceland Group).

• 2.1 Flora and Fauna
• 2.2 Contiguous Sea
• 2.3 Conservation

• 6.1 traffic
• 6.2 Tourism

Geography

Location

The Lord Howe Island is located 581 km east of the town of Port Macquarie on the coast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is located in the middle of the Tasman Sea ( a marginal sea of the Pacific), at the transition from the Lord Howe threshold for Ostaustralischen pool ( also called Tasmanbecken ). The island is, with the smaller surrounding islands, the only mainland within several hundred kilometers is (apart from the Ball's Pyramid, see below).

Topography

The Lord Howe Island has a crescent-shaped plan and is about 11 km long and up to 2 km wide. Their total area is about 14.6 km ². The west coast of the island is a large semi-circular bay with shallow waters and long sandy beaches represent the majority of which is completed by a coral reef and thereby forms a lagoon. The east coast is less structured, but also has some smaller sandy coves on. Two towering mountains, Mount Lidgbird ( 777 m) and Mount Gower ( 875 m), dominate the southern end of the island; here you will find high cliffs. The central and northern part of the island, characterized by hills of medium height, some of which also form cliffs. In the northern center is a low-lying level. From the sea off the coast of Lord Howe rise to some small islands and rocks.

Geology

The Lord Howe Island is of volcanic origin. It is a remnant of a formed about 6.9 million years shield volcano and is part of a 1000 km long undersea mountain chain that breaks through the sea here. It is believed that the earth's crust has been broken time and again by a hot spot in the earth's interior, resulting in an active volcanism resulted. However, the former Lord Howe Island volcano is extinct for millions of years and thus has severely eroded. The two highest peaks, Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower, consist of basalt rock that is made ​​of lava that has solidified in the crater of Lord Howe volcano, emerged. The exterior of the volcano - so the actual mountain - is, however, long since demolished. Another volcanic rocks occur tuffs and breccias.

Climate

The Lord Howe Island is located in the subtropical climate zone. The climate is humid ( moist) and maritime, with an average temperature of 16 ° C in August and 23 ° C in February. As the temperature differences between the seasons are also those between day and night, also with only about 7 ° C low. This is due to the temperature compensation effect of the sea. The island knows accordingly any frost ( even though was on the summit of Mount Gower, a temperature of 0 ° C measured).

Also in precipitation, there are significant differences between the lowlands and the highlands of the island. In the deeper layers of the average annual rainfall is just under 1700 mm, with it being most abundant rains in the ( southern) winter, during the ( southern) summer is dry. The southern part of the Lord Howe Island is more humid, as the local mountains cause clouds and rain down to be stowed there. The average relative humidity is high 75 to 78 %.

Environment

In the area of ​​Lord Howe threshold the sea is up to 2,000 m deep, in the west of the Lord Howe Island located Ostaustralischen pool even up to 4,000 m. As the island is part of an approximately 65 km long and 24 km wide massif rising from the seabed of extinct volcanoes, the water depth in a radius of several kilometers, is significantly lower and is usually less than 50 m. In the lagoon formed by the coral reef off the west coast the water is even more prevalent only about one to two meters deep. Consequently, the Lord Howe Island has a number of smaller, uninhabited neighboring islands. The most important are Roach Iceland and the group of Admiralty Islets off the northeast coast and the location in the lagoon Blackburn Iceland. About 25 km south-east of Lord Howe is the uninhabited islet of Ball's Pyramid.

Nature

Flora and Fauna

According to its many different landscape types (including lowlands, hills and mountains, valleys, dunes, beach and rocky shores ), the Lord Howe Island a great variety of vegetation types. Altitude, sun and wind exposure and the influence of salt water are factors that determine which plants occur in which locations. Overall, scientists have determined on the island 241 native vascular plant species, 105 of which are endemic, ie occur anywhere else in the world. Especially great biodiversity is among the ferns. In addition to the indigenous approximately 160 introduced plant species occur, which are mainly concentrated in the lowlands around the settlement; some of them could displace native plants. The vegetation of Lord Howe Island was most similar to the sub-tropical or temperate rain forests and has the most common species with Australia, New Caledonia and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand on. In addition to the forests there are, among others, also palm groves and bush and grasslands. In the lowlands, the natural vegetation has been partially replaced by plantations. The well-known as a houseplant with us Kentia Palms ( Howea ) are located here. They are drawn in greenhouses for export to protect the seed pods and young shoots of rats.

The fauna of the island is marked by at least 129 species of birds. Even among them there are endemic species such as the flightless Woodhen ( Gallirallus sylvestris ) and the extinct Lord Howe Purple Gallinule ( Porphyrio albus). In large numbers breed different petrel species on Lord Howe Island. On the island there is also the southernmost breeding colony of native to tropical waters mask lout. Two land reptiles, the Skink ( Leiolopisma lichenigera ) and Gecko ( Phyllodactylus guentheri ), are native to the main island and the surrounding islands. Only one species of mammal, the bat Eptesicus sagittula originally ago on Lord Howe; however, were introduced by settlers, among other mice, rats and goats. Also among the molluscs, insects and crustaceans there are a number of endemic species, some of which are still poorly understood.

The tree lobster ( a stick insect ) was thought to be extinct since the 1930s, but was rediscovered on the offshore rock island Ball's Pyramid in 2001. The well-known from Finding Nemo clown fish is not as usual in the waters of the island orange with white stripes, but black -and-white patterned. A species that lived on Lord Howe Iceland to extinction, was the Pleistocene giant tortoise Meiolania platyceps, which reached a length of 2.5 m and struck particularly by their large horn-like outgrowths of bone in the skull and the mace - like tail. The youngest fossils found there of this type are dated to an age of 20,000 years.

Contiguous sea

The waters around the Lord Howe Island are distinguished first by its exceptionally wide variety of marine animals, and on the other by the fact that they harbor the southernmost true coral reef. Species diversity was possible because the sea is suitable here for both organisms from tropical and temperate waters as a habitat. These waters are considered one of the few on earth, where cold and hot water- loving sea creatures constantly encounter. Scientists have identified around the Lord Howe Island, among other things 477 species of fish, over 300 species of algae and more than 80 species of coral.

Conservation

Since 1 January 1982 about 75 % of the area of Lord Howe Island and the total area of ​​the smaller surrounding islands and of Ball 's Pyramid by the Parliament of New South Wales as a nature reserve (Lord Howe Iceland Permanent Park Preserve ) are reported. In the same year, UNESCO placed the entire archipelago under the name Lord Howe Iceland Group ( reference number 186 ) on the list of World Heritage.

The sea around the island group is not part of the nature reserve yet of world heritage. It is (480 km ²) protected separately by the appointed on 26 February 1999 Marine Protected Area Lord Howe Iceland Marine Park.

On the Lord Howe Island is a maximum of 400 visitors are allowed to stay at the same time.

History

Probably the first sighting of the island was done in February 1788, when the British sailing ship HMS Supply discovered under Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird ball on the way from Sydney to Norfolk Island. Ball named the uninhabited and previously unknown island known in the English fleet Admiral Richard Howe (1726-1799), then as Lord Howe. The first permanent settlers, three white men with Māori wives, until 1833 settled on the remote island. They provided passing by sailing ships with drinking water and food. Over the following decades, the island's population increased. To 1878, the cultivation of palm trees began. In 1893 a steamship line was set up, the Sydney to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and the New Hebrides joined regularly.

Evidence of any previous human presence - such as Polynesians - were not found on Lord Howe Island.

Population

On the Lord Howe Island live about 380 permanent residents. They all live in the only settlement in the plane in the northern central part of the island. The smaller surrounding islands are uninhabited.

Management

The island and its smaller surrounding islands are part of the Australian state of New South Wales. A special state law, the Lord Howe Iceland Act governs the administration of the island, which is exerted on the ground by the Lord Howe Iceland Board.

Economy and infrastructure

By far the most important industry of the island is tourism today. There is also on Lord Howe Island several small retail and service businesses (including two banks and a post office ) that meet the daily needs of locals and tourists. Due to the long transport routes, the price level is generally higher than on the mainland.

Traffic

The Lord Howe Island has a small airport with regular connections to cities of mainland Australia. It can also be started by private boat marina on the island. Approximately every two weeks running on a supply ship from Australia Lord Howe Iceland. On the island, the bike is an important means of transport. There are relatively few motor vehicles ( the speed limit is 25 km / h); public transportation is not necessary due to the short distances.

Tourism

In the Lord Howe Iceland Tourism Association, the tourism industry of the island are organized. It operates the tourism advertising and provides holiday makers and interested parties with information. Around 20, mostly small, privately operated, inns and lodges of different price ranges, a range of restaurants and cafes as well as a small conference center are available to visitors. In order not to burden the already disturbed balance of nature by human intervention on the island can be visited by only about 400 people. Camping is not allowed on Lord Howe Island.

Attractions

• This opened in 1978, Lord Howe Iceland museum is maintained by the Historical Society of the island. It shows on the one exhibition pieces from the island's history and historic photographs, on the other hand, it provides comprehensive information on the unique nature of Lord Howe Island and its surroundings.