Lord Howe Island Tourism Association News
Pia Funch and Trina Shepherd. Our next busy season has already kicked off with a bang. We have some great opportunities coming up in the next little while, starting with the inaugural LHITA Annual General Meeting ... Sustainable tourism goals can only be achieved through local expertise and collaboration. The AGM provides a great opportunity to share and discuss ideas including sustainable tourism goals for this new season.
Biosecurity update
Following the detection of a rodent on the MV Island Trader on 8th September, the ship was placed into quarantine for 7 days. This unfortunately meant that it missed the tide window and caused a 14-day delay to freight transport at the beginning of the tourist season ... Our newest recruit, Willow, is underway with her training. She visited the children of the LHI Central School ...
A sketchy history of Blackburn Island
When English historian, Derek Neville, was researching letters written by David Blackburn, navigator and ‘master’ of the First Fleet vessel Supply, he was disappointed to discover that the small island in the Lagoon at Lord Howe had lost its original name – ‘Blackburn Isle’. This name had been given to it by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball in March, 1788, when the very first landing was made at Lord Howe.
Friends of Lord Howe Island
The Friends of Lord Howe Island ran their 93rd weeding ecotour 20 to 27 August. Twenty-two people came from Sydney, Brisbane and Victoria to participate. On this trip, the Friends again assisted the Lord Howe Island Board weed team with projects. One was a visit to Blackburn Island to plant out more small trees as part of the revegetation program there.
Are underground fungi responsible for Lord Howe Island’s amazing plant diversity?
Vincent Savolainen. Professor Vincent Savolainen has come back to Lord Howe Island to set up new research about the role that underground fungi may play in generating and maintaining plant diversity ... Our understanding of how species originate has changed considerably since Darwin's seminal work. One aspect, however, that has been totally ignored is the role that microbes can play in driving plant and animal diversity.
Welcome Willow
Suzie Christensen. Meet Willow, the newest potential recruit to the LHIB’s Biosecurity detection dog team. Arriving on island from Perth at 13 weeks old, this little Cocker Spaniel is being evaluated for her suitability to island life, and if all goes well she will begin her training in detecting invasive species.
Rare white bird specimen
Ian Hutton. As Curator of the museum, I get a lot of requests via email ... However, in May of this year, I received a most unusual email. A journalist from New Zealand contacted me asking if I considered the photo of a stuffed white bird seen in an antique shop there was the long-extinct flightless White gallinule of Lord Howe Island.
Exotic fern – alert
Holly Fern found at the Lower Road. Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum is an exotic introduction to LHI. It is a fast-growing fern that produces high spore load, propagates easily and loves rock face nooks and crannies. It is targeted for eradication on LHI.
