A speck in the ocean, 600 kilometres east of Port Macquarie, Lord Howe Island is UNESCO World Heritage-listed to protect its precious forests, coral reefs and diverse animal and plant life.  Often called Australia's Galapagos, Lord Howe (scheduled to reopen to visitors this spring) is a naturalist’s dream. There are more than 200 recorded types of birds and 1600 terrestrial insect species to be discovered on long walks and challenging hikes.