A spiritual encounter on Mt Gower!

0 comments

Posted on 14th May 2010 by capella in Uncategorized

, ,

From Lodge manager Libby Grant
Who says staying on Lord Howe and at Capella Lodge is not a spiritual experience?! If you look south from Restaurant or from the Gower’s Terrce at Capella, towards the peaks of Mounts Gower and Lidgbird you will see what looks like a giant cross that extends across the entire face of Mt Lidgbird. This is a naturally occurring formation that becomes even more distinct during autumn and winter. Once you spot it for the first time, it’s hard not to see it everytime you look towards the mountains. It’s quite appropriate as the mountains do have an almost other-worldly presence, a sense of magnedtism, of something great, powerful and mystical.

Lord Howe does have three churches to service the community the largest being the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Local islanders Ken (who just celebrated his 86th Birthday with us) and Dorothy Ryan are the lay priests for the Catholic Church. They can be found at Capella every second morning and greet all guests as they supply us with the most beautiful hibiscus flowers from their garden for the Lodge.
I am even lucky enough to have one named after me, ‘The Liberty’.

Mount Gower's blessing

Mount Gower's blessing

Minister for Tourism gives Lord Howe Island the ‘Thumbs up’!

0 comments

Posted on 4th May 2010 by capella in General

Lord Howe Island has achieved a ’number one’ ranking  for visitor satisfaction across 62 regions of Australia in a Tourism Research Australia Visitor Profile Satisfaction Report released today by the Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP and the Member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek MP.

The Lord Howe survey stated that 94% of visitors were satisfied with their visit, with 82% ‘very satisfied’. Some of the criteria where visitors’ expectations were exceeded included ‘nature-based experiences’; ‘something the kids would enjoy’; a place to spend quality time with partner/family/friends’; ‘an adventure’; and ‘the opportunity to discover or learn something new’.

“The tourism industry on Lord Howe is mostly made up of family-run businesses, so as a community, we’re extremely proud to be recognised as number one in the country – and proud that we’ve been able to deliver wonderful holiday experiences for so many visitors, many of whom return year after year,” said Pixie Rourke, Chair of the Lord Howe Island Tourism Association.

See the Minister’s release at:

 http://minister.ret.gov.au/TheHonMartinFergusonMP/Pages/THUMBSUPFORLORDHOWEISLAND.aspx.html

and view Visitor Profile and Satisfaction (VPS) Reports at  http://www.ret.gov.au/tourism/tra/regional/destinations/Pages/default.aspx

Capella Images – ’side order’ from chef Isaac Bennett

0 comments

Posted on 4th May 2010 by capella in Images

When he’s not in the kitchen at Capella Lodge, talented chef Isaac Bennett is roving the tiny, picturesque island of Lord Howe, camera at -the-ready. We love these new images!