If you really want to get away from it all, Lord Howe Island, 600 km east of Port Macquarie, is the place to go. The island is only just over 10 km long and 2 km wide, and lies way out in the Tasman Sea almost half way to New Zealand.

Lord Howe Island is named after an 18thC English admiral. Lord Howe played a major role in helping England lose its American colonies, but redeemed himself 20 years later by defeating the French in a battle of no great importance.

The coral reef at Lord Howe Island is said to be the southernmost in the world. For years the island’s main income was exporting seeds of the rare Kentia palm tree, which is indigenous to this remote spot. Lord Howe Island even has its own benevolent micro-climate, making it pleasantly warm in winter (never below 15°C) and not too hot in the summer (seldom rising above 25°C).

As you would expect, the place is a paradise. You can swim in the lagoon, surf at Blinkey Beach, snorkel the reef, feed the fish by hand at Ned’s Bay, or take a cruise around the island for a view of its two mountains, whose wooded slopes rise sheer from the sea to more than 800 m. For the energetic there are even climbing expeditions to the top of the highest (southern) peak – Mount Gower (875 m). Others may prefer to hire a bike and try to break the island’s speed limit (25 kph). You can also hire a motorbike, and there are just a few cars on the island (some of which can be hired). Another mixed blessing comes in the form of the golf course.

Of course there’s a snag. Most of us will find it difficult to gain admittance to any paradise, but where earthly paradises are concerned, money always helps. Expect the flight alone from Port Macquarie, the nearest point on the Australian mainland, to set you back well over A$500. Your best bet is a package deal, including accommodation, from Sydney or Brisbane.