Applying for entry
All private and commercial vessels must apply to the Lord Howe Island Board for entry to Lord Howe Island.
Lord Howe Island is a World Heritage-listed location. Over 75% of the island is designated as a permanent park preserve, surrounded by the Lord Howe Island Marine Park which includes the world’s southernmost coral reef.
Effective environmental protection assists with achieving Lord Howe Island’s overarching environmental vision of protecting the island’s world heritage values, biodiversity, and threatened species.
On-island environmental goals and undertakings are underpinned by the Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan and supported by legislation including the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015, Lord Howe Island Regulation 2014, and the Lord Howe Island Act 1984.
Moorings
After lodging your Entry Application Form, your vessel will be assigned a suitable mooring based on the vessels draft, length-over-all and tonnage. A conditional approval subject to the completion of all required biosecurity actions will be issued to you. This approval is to be presented to the Port Operations Manager on arrival to the Island.
The LHIB maintains 16 Public Temporary Moorings in the Lord Howe Island lagoon. There are two types of mooring systems on the Island — Mark 1 Danforth Anchors and Mark 2 Danforth Anchors.
Biosecurity
All vessels must complete specific biosecurity actions, and meet specific biosecurity requirements. The Master of each vessel should be familiar with these requirements before lodging an entry application form (see above) as the biosecurity actions must be completed prior to departure.
These measures are in place to help protect the World Heritage values of Lord Howe Island. All mooring approvals are conditional and subject to the vessel meeting the biosecurity requirements. Failure to complete or provide evidence of having completed the required actions may result in refusal to enter the Lord Howe Island lagoon and/or refusal to attach to a mooring.
Entering Australia via Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is not a First Point of Entry.