The Joy of a Hit on Lord Howe Island

The Joy of a Hit on Lord Howe Island

A Passport Called Tennis

I never thought I’d play tennis in the middle of the Tasman Sea — but there Pam and I were, on idyllic Lord Howe Island, 420 miles northeast of Sydney, with a court tucked away among the palms.

Legend has it that the court at Palm Trees Resort was laid by JC himself (no, not that JC, but the Manly one). That Sunday afternoon, we borrowed a pair of old Prince rackets, scraped together a few dead balls, and had what I can only describe as the pure joy of a hit.

Apparently, a fresh case of new balls had yet to arrive on the Island Trader — a supply ship whose name needs no translation — but we made do.

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First Lessons on the Island

Soon, a couple of staff, Chiara and Rosi, wandered over, curious to try. With Coach Pam’s encouragement, we found ourselves giving what may have been the first-ever tennis lesson on LHI.

Watching newcomers laugh their way through their first rallies, framed by mountains and sea, was as memorable as any tournament win.

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The Island Champion

Every April, the island hosts its annual LHI Championships, fiercely contested but always in good spirit. The reigning champ is Fran, a warm-hearted Chilean and now a two-time winner.

I had the joy of hitting with him two days later. By island standards, Fran is still a “newbie” — he’s only been here six years — but his game and generosity have already made him part of the island’s fabric.

Just as much a part of that fabric is Dillis, his partner — a charming English lady with a quick wit and kind heart. Together, Fran and Dillis embody the spirit of the island: Fran with his energy on the court, and Dillis with her warmth off it.

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An Island of Stories

Lord Howe has a fascinating history. The first settlers arrived in 1834 — George Ashdown, James Bishop, and Chapman, along with their Māori families. A few years later, men like Owen Poole, Richard Dawson, and John Foulis expanded the settlement, while the Andrews family became known for cultivating the island’s famous Lord Howe Red Onion. Their legacy still lingers in the island’s character today.

Owning property here? Harder than a Manly real estate auction. Leaseholds are rare treasures.

But the people make the island. Friendly, welcoming, country-town kind of warm. Our little United Nations of friends at Pine Trees — Lindy, Chloe, Caroline, Abbie, Ellie, Chiara, Greta, Fran, Rosi, Dillis, Michael, Aleks, Julia, Rosalie, and more — turned a casual tennis hit into a gathering of cultures, laughter, and stories.

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Why It Mattered

In the end, it wasn’t about strokes, serves, or who won the points. It was about connection. A mismatched group of locals, travelers, and staff, bound by a shared love of the game, on one of the most beautiful islands on Earth.

Sometimes tennis is about tournaments, strategy, and footwork drills. But sometimes, it’s simply about the joy of a hit — especially when you find it somewhere you least expect.

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Wrap

Tennis is more than a sport. It’s a passport — one that opens doors to places, friendships, and experiences you could never plan.

Lord Howe Island is now stamped in my tennis passport — not for the scores or the strokes, but for the laughter, the people, and the pure joy of a hit in the middle of the Tasman Sea.