The world's tallest volcanic sea stack, a 562-meter spike of rock where scientists in 2001 found 24 Lord Howe Island Stick Insects under a single shrub, 80 years after the species was declared extinct. This population may have descended from a single pregnant female.
A Geological Ghost
Ball's Pyramid is a spire of basalt rock that appears abruptly from the Pacific Ocean, 20 kilometers (12 mi) southeast of Lord Howe Island. It is the world's tallest volcanic sea stack, rising 562 meters (1,844 ft) from the waves. This structure is not an island but the erosional remnant of a shield volcano that formed approximately 6.4 million years ago. It is the volcano's hardened lava plug, a durable core that has outlasted the surrounding softer rock after millions of years of weathering.
The pyramid was first documented by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball in 1788 during a voyage to Norfolk Island. Landing on the sheer rock face is exceptionally difficult due to rough seas. The first known person to go ashore was geologist Henry Wilkinson in 1882. For decades, the summit remained untouched. A 1964 attempt by a team including adventurer Dick Smith had to turn back. Success came on February 14, 1965, when a team from the Sydney Rock Climbing Club, led by Bryden Allen, finally reached the top. Today, climbing is banned without a specific permit, which is rarely granted.
The Lazarus Lobster
For eighty years, the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Dryococelus australis) was believed to be extinct. Once so common on Lord Howe Island that fishermen used them for bait, the insects vanished after the shipwreck of the S.S. Makambo in 1918 introduced black rats (Rattus rattus) to the island. By 1920, the large, flightless insect, sometimes called a "tree lobster," was gone.
In 2001, a team of scientists including David Priddel and Nicholas Carlile traveled to Ball's Pyramid to investigate rumors of the insect's survival. After scaling the rock, they discovered a tiny, viable population of 24 insects. They were clustered beneath a single Melaleuca howeana shrub, clinging to a precarious existence on the steep rock face.
This rediscovery made the insect a "Lazarus taxon," a species that reappears after being considered extinct. Two breeding pairs were collected and taken to the Melbourne Zoo to establish a captive breeding program. From one founding pair nicknamed "Adam and Eve," the zoo has since bred thousands of individuals, securing the species from immediate extinction. The long-term goal is to reintroduce the stick insect to its native Lord Howe Island, following a comprehensive rat eradication program that began in 2019.
💡Fun Facts
The Lord Howe Island Stick Insect is also called a "tree lobster" due to its large, up to 15-centimeter-long body and hard exoskeleton.
Genetic analysis confirmed the Ball's Pyramid insects are the same species as the original Lord Howe Island specimens, with less than a 1% DNA sequence difference.
The captive breeding program at Melbourne Zoo has hatched over 14,000 nymphs since it began in 2003.
Ball's Pyramid is part of the Lord Howe Island Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Access to land on the pyramid is forbidden. Viewing is possible 24/7 from the water, weather permitting.
Admission
Viewing is only possible via licensed boat tours from Lord Howe Island, which must be booked in advance. Prices vary by operator, but sightseeing tours cost approximately $120 AUD per person.
Accessibility
The pyramid is only reachable by boat on the open ocean, and the journey can be rough. Landing is not permitted.