Imagine an island dominated by dramatic volcanic peaks, with verdant
rainforests plus a crystal clear lagoon ringed with beaches of
white sand. Imagine bushwalking in palm forests, reefwalking and
beachcombing, snorkelling, swimming or hand-feeding fish from secluded
beaches, or even playing golf surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. You
could only be on ….. Lord Howe Island – a whole world
away but actually less than two hours north east of Sydney.
Lord Howe is a unique, tranquil place; only settled for the last
150 years, there are just 350 residents and a tourist population
that cannot exceed 400 at any one time. In the north of the island
is the quiet haven of Old Settlement Beach, and Arajilla Retreat – which
has the distinction of being the very first café on Lord
Howe, opened in 1988. Here Bill and Janne Shead ensure visitors
to the island enjoy everything Lord Howe has to offer including
a superb dining experience in their restaurant. The menu
at Arajilla is contemporary Australian, drawing on all the influences
of Asian and European cuisines, and the coffee they serve is Belaroma.
“We
installed the island’s first coffee machine back in 1988
and I was trained by an expert who exclusively endorsed Belaroma”,
explains Bill, “so the first coffee served here was Belaroma,
and it remains so today. Many guests react with grateful surprise
that we manage to serve them such high quality coffee in this isolated
environment ! In fact we have made serving great coffee an essential
hallmark of our restaurant.”
Belaroma coffee reaches Lord Howe aboard Bill’s boat,
Cutloose !
The Arajilla restaurant is open for breakfast from 08.30 to 10.00
daily (guests only) and for dinner from 6.30 pm daily (guests have
priority so bookings are advisable if you are staying elsewhere
on the island).
Check out their website – www.arajilla.com.au - and
consider making that very special trip to this world heritage listed
paradise where, as Bill says, “your time is your own, to
be as energetic or as enigmatic as you please”.
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Belaroma
Café of the Month - Arajilla Retreat, Lord Howe Island 
