Lord Howe Island Palm Forrest

[Patrick Sheehan]

I was looking at Lord Howe Island google maps and found that there was a large Palm Forest with hundreds, maybe even a couple thousand Kentia Palms near a place called Ned's Beach. Ive never been there and most of the trees on the island looked to be pine trees. anyone have any idea why this palm Forest is here???

 

 

pics:

 

 

Edited December 6, 2021 by Patrick Sheehan
accidentally spelled forest with 2 r's

[Tyrone]

Hi Patrick. Lord Howe Island is home to the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) There’s probably a hundreds of thousands of palms there. They’re everywhere. It’s also home to 3 other endemic palms, Howea belmoreana, Hedyscepe canterburyana, and Leppidorrachis mooreana. The last two are really quite rare in cultivation especially the last one. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Patrick, since these palms are native to the region, they are there for the same reason any other native plants are there. There are hundreds of thousands of Howea on the island. Gorgeous palms indeed. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by Jim in Los Altos

[Tyrone]

That area at Ned’s beach is remnant forest. I’ve been there myself and walked through that exact piece of forest. Further behind that is a cleared area for paddocks that had cows in them when I was there in 2018. That cleared area extends down to old settlement beach on the other side. They are trying to replant pieces of this with more Kentias. This was the first part of the island colonised in the early 1800s. The paddocks are very hilly and extremely windy but as you enter the forest at Ned’s beach from the paddock, the wind drops right off and you’re in a different world. It was quite an inspiring contrast for me, as I’m trying to convert my place which is essentially paddocks, and turn it into more of a protected forest complete with canopy.  I can’t wait to get back to Lord Howe Island. Every palm fanatic needs to go there on a pilgrimage. 

[Darold Petty]

Ned's beach is also the only place where it is allowed to feed the small reef fish.  They are habituated to feeding and will swim right up to persons wading in the shallow surf.

Here is the view from the surf back to the beach.

[Darold Petty]

Patrick, please read this,   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Howe_Island

LHI is a most special place, and  not just for the palm world.  

Here are a few more images.  A view from the northern, tourist area,   the beginning of the Mt. gower hike with Mt. Lidgbird in the background,  and a Lepidorrhachis atop Mt. Gower.

[greysrigging]

I worked on Lord Howe Is.  back in 2003. Didn't have a lot of spare time to do the tourist stuff unfortunately, but certainly took in the low elevation species.
Finished our job a day and a half early before flying back to Sydney, used the spare time to go snorkling in the Bay rather than climb those huge moubtains...haha
 

[Hilo Jason]

A truly magical place!  I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to go there in November 2019, before the world would change due to Covid.  

I am hoping to return for a longer trip as 1 week was not long enough.  

[sipalms]

Here's a view from inside the palm forest at Ned's beach. Beautiful.

https://goo.gl/maps/4yVb6hMSKsYvTurZA

The whole island - rock types, vegetation, terrain etc is so much like New Zealand, feels just like home. (Well - Australia and New Zealand are pretty much best mates and either place feels like home!)

Edited December 9, 2021 by sipalms

[Tyrone]

9 hours ago, sipalms said:

Here's a view from inside the palm forest at Ned's beach. Beautiful.

https://goo.gl/maps/4yVb6hMSKsYvTurZA

The whole island - rock types, vegetation, terrain etc is so much like New Zealand, feels just like home. (Well - Australia and New Zealand are pretty much best mates and either place feels like home!)

It’s interesting that you mention this because I didn’t think it felt like Australia due to the lack of Eucalypts and poisonous snakes. You can walk through deep thick grass there with no fear at all, which you wouldn’t do in Australia unless you were mad. I haven’t been to NZ so I definitely want to get there now. 

The place is so photogenic. You could close your eyes and aim at anything and virtually have a postcard picture. Pictures don’t do it any justice either. It’s an exhilarating beautiful place to visit. 

[sipalms]

5 hours ago, Tyrone said:

It’s interesting that you mention this because I didn’t think it felt like Australia due to the lack of Eucalypts and poisonous snakes. You can walk through deep thick grass there with no fear at all, which you wouldn’t do in Australia unless you were mad. I haven’t been to NZ so I definitely want to get there now. 

The place is so photogenic. You could close your eyes and aim at anything and virtually have a postcard picture. Pictures don’t do it any justice either. It’s an exhilarating beautiful place to visit. 

That's interesting, you're right.

Compare it to the areas around Whangārei heads/Mt Manaia or other volcanic areas of Northland, the vegetation, terrain etc is remarkably similar. Only Nikau instead of Kentia!

[Patrick Sheehan]

What is the climate like there? I have never been but I hope to go sometime in the future. I'm guessing it must be a bit humid since its in the middle of the Tasman Sea

[greysrigging]

49 minutes ago, Patrick Sheehan said:

What is the climate like there? I have never been but I hope to go sometime in the future. I'm guessing it must be a bit humid since its in the middle of the Tasman Sea

" Lord Howe Island has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa under the Köppen climate classification).

In general, the summers are warm and humid with erratic rainfall, but occasionally heavy, while in winter it is very mild with rainfall more or less uniform. There is a gradual transition from summer to winter conditions and vice versa. Winds are frequent and salt-laden, being moderate easterlies in the summer and fresh to strong westerlies in the winter. July is the windiest month, and the winter months are subject to frequent gales and strong winds. The island has 67.8 clear days, annually.

Storms and occasional cyclones also affect the island. Rainfall records are maintained in the north, where rainfall is less than in the frequently cloud-shrouded mountains of the south. Wide variation in rainfall can occur from year to year. July and August are the coldest months with average minimum temperatures around 13 °C (55 °F) and no frost. Average maximum temperatures range from 17–20 °C (63–68 °F) in the winter to 24–27 °C (75–81 °F) in the summer. The humidity averages in the 60–70% range year round, becoming more noticeable on warmer summer days than in the cooler winter months.

The average temperature of the sea ranges from 20.0 °C (68.0 °F) in July, August, and September to 25.3 °C (77.5 °F) in March.

[Darold Petty]

Patrick, I have visited perhaps 40 countries in both hemispheres, and LHI is about the most comfortable and sensual microclimates I have ever experienced.  My error was to  schedule only 3 nights stay on my first visit.   For my second visit I will need to upgrade my cardiovascular conditioning,... as I wish to do the Mt. Gower hike twice while on the island for at least a week !   

  I fly the flag at my home each Discovery Day,  February 17th.

 

 

[Cindy Adair]

This topic has made me move Lord Howe Island higher on my places to visit list. Excellent photos, first hand information and anecdotes. Thanks so much!

[palmfriend]

When something comes up about LHI, I am always hooked - great photos!

This is definitely a place I want to visit at least once in my life!

 

Lars

 

[Tassie_Troy1971]

On 12/8/2021 at 5:07 AM, Darold Petty said:

Ned's beach is also the only place where it is allowed to feed the small reef fish.  They are habituated to feeding and will swim right up to persons wading in the shallow surf.

Here is the view from the surf back to the beach.

Ah Darold I remember that day well 

[Darren Michael]

I'm very late to this thread but though I'd add that this is my favorite place on earth! Though it was only for 5 days back in 2009. (The image is Hedyscepe canterburyana in the Mt. Gower mist forest.)

[Darold Petty]

Darren, if this image is from the top of Mt. Gower, then it is Lepidorrhachis.   (The brown scurf on the leafbase gives it away.)

Invite yourself over for a visit and you can see all four species in my garden.   

[Darren Michael]

Darold thanks for the correction - I was never totally sure I had that right 🙂 Are these (below) the same then?

You might remember I paid you a visit many years ago, maybe 2012? I'd love to see the garden again though! 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Darren Michael

[Darold Petty]

Yes, those are Lepis, that looks like the lunch spot on top.  

[Darren Michael]

Yeah that's the top - though lunch was along a stream (also with a view) lower down...I remember some nice large Dracophyllum at that spot.