COVID-19 Policy | Pinetrees Lodge

Lord Howe Island is an ideal destination to escape the worries of COVID-19. Our World Heritage listing caps the number of island-wide guests to 400 at any one time, and they scatter through two cafes, eight volcanic peaks, 10 square kilometres of lagoon, 18 surf spots, 20 beaches, 24 kilometres of coastline, and 45 kilometres of hiking track. In reality, you’ll feel like you have the place to yourself. The downside of this seclusion is that we’re 800km from Sydney via a Qantas flight, and you can’t fly home if you need to self-isolate.

Our COVID-19 arrangements are based on a careful balance of health and holiday considerations. Clearly, we want you to come if you’re well, and stay home if you’re unwell. During your travel to Lord Howe, we want you to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by wearing a mask in confined public spaces, such as planes and buses. Once you’re on the island, we want you to social distance, practice good hygiene and appreciate that our collective health is only as good as the weakest link. Lord Howe has a large number of elderly guests and residents, and it’s critical that we do everything possible to protect them.

Our primary goal is to prevent you from developing COVID-19. If you test positive to COVID-19, you’ll have to self-isolate for at least seven days. So, ideally, you’ll practice some sensible COVID-19 precautions during your stay and depart on time. Hopefully, you’ll feel relaxed, well-hosted, and blissfully unaware of all the extra things we’ll be doing to keep you safe.

Before You Travel

Our greatest risk comes from a guest travelling to Lord Howe with COVID-19 and infecting other guests during the flight, at restaurants or cafes, or during tours and group activities. If you’re directly affected by a NSW COVID-19 Health Order (or an equivalent COVID-19 Health Order, Direction or Regulation in QLD, VIC, TAS, SA, WA, NT or ACT) where you have tested positive to COVID-19 and are still in mandatory quarantine, or you are legally prevented from travelling outside of your local government area, then you must not come to Lord Howe. We’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023 – see the cancellation details below.
If you live in QLD, VIC, SA, TAS, WA, NT or ACT and decide not to travel to Lord Howe Island because your state has a COVID-19 border closure, or you’re subject to an Order, Direction or Regulation in your state to self-isolate for 14 days on return to your state, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023 – see the cancellation details below.
If you have cold and flu symptoms within three days of your arrival date, you must complete a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test. If your Rapid Antigen Test shows that you are COVID-19 positive, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023. The credit will be available for the person who is COVID-19 positive and his/her partner or dependent children – see the cancellation details below.
If you have cold and flu symptoms that are explained by another medical condition, then please carry a relevant medical certificate – issued within three days of your arrival date – that verifies your medical condition and clearly states that your symptoms are not from COVID-19.
If you are 13 years of age, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arrival on Lord Howe Island. We will not provide an accommodation credit or refund to unvaccinated guests – see the cancellation details below.
To give yourself the best chance of having the holiday you expect (and probably need), please lay low for seven days before you travel to Lord Howe and try to avoid social gatherings in indoor settings. You don’t want to develop COVID-19 during your stay.
To reduce the risk of you travelling with asymptomatic COVID-19 (i.e. you’re COVID-19 positive and don’t realise), you should do a Rapid Antigen Test on the morning of your departure. If your test is positive, then points 1 and 3 above will apply.
We STRONGLY encourage you to buy domestic travel insurance that covers COVID-19 cancellations. This insurance will cover losses from cancellations or extended stays if you or a member of your travel party develop COVID-19. Please refer to the Insurance Council of Australia or search ‘domestic travel insurance for COVID-19’ in Google.
The best way to minimise the risk to yourself and those around you during your travel, or in situations where you can’t maintain 1.5m of physical distancing, is to wear a face mask. You must purchase a face mask (or multiple disposable masks) and carry it for the duration of your holiday.
Before you travel, every guest in your group must complete a declaration, which confirms that you’re: 1. not directly affected by a NSW COVID-19 Health Order (or an equivalent COVID-19 Health Order, Direction or Regulation in QLD, VIC, TAS, SA, WA, NT or ACT); 2. not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms as per points 3-4 above; and 3. fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as per NSW Health regulations. We’ll email you the declaration, and instructions to complete it, up to seven days prior to travel.

During Your Trip

There’s a risk of COVID-19 transmission during your two-hour flight from Sydney to Lord Howe Island. While Qantas advises that the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard an aircraft is low, we require you to wear a face mask for the duration of the flight.
There’s a risk of COVID-19 transmission during your bus transfer from the airport to Pinetrees. To reduce this risk, we’ll require you to wear a face mask for the five-minute trip.

During Your Stay

We’ll ensure that all of our staff and guests over 13 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
We’ll actively encourage physical distancing of at least 1.5m between guests and staff.
All of our food service staff will wear masks while preparing and serving your meals.
All of our surfaces and soft furnishings will be treated with the Zoono antimicrobial shield.
All of our public spaces and high-touch surfaces will be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
We’ll provide hand sanitiser stations around the lodge, but we require you to bring enough hand sanitiser for your activities and adventures beyond the lodge.
We’ll ensure that Pinetrees buildings and grounds are restricted to Pinetrees guests only.

Health

If you develop cold and flu symptoms during your stay, you’ll need to phone our local GP to arrange a COVID-19 test. Do not visit the hospital in person. Depending on the GP’s advice, you may have to self-isolate in your room until you receive a negative result.
The Gower Wilson Memorial Hospital on Lord Howe has facilities to care for a small number of patients with serious COVID-19 symptoms, and Lord Howe is well-serviced by the NSW Air Ambulance should patients need to be evacuated for critical care.

Self-isolation

If you test positive to COVID-19 while staying with us, then you’ll be subject to a NSW Health Order and required to self-isolate at Pinetrees. In this scenario, we’ll move you to one of our dedicated quarantine rooms (which are away from other guests and staff, and equipped with Wi-Fi and a phone so you can maintain contact with family, friends and health officials). We’ll feed you and check on you, as best as we can for non-health professionals. You’ll be charged 80% of the Palm Room tariff per day to help cover the costs of your additional stay (only if you’re required to stay longer than your booking). Your travel insurance may cover these costs.
If you test positive to COVID-19 while staying with us, and our dedicated quarantine rooms are unavailable, then you’ll be required to self-isolate in your Pinetrees room or cottage. You’ll be charged 80% of your daily tariff per day to help cover the costs of your additional stay and the costs of any cancelled incoming guests. Your travel insurance may cover these costs.
If you’re a ‘household contact’ of a COVID-19 positive person (i.e. sharing your Pinetrees room or cottage), then we’ll require you to stay away from all public areas of the lodge and follow the specific advice of NSW Health. We’ll serve all of your meals on your private verandah. You’ll be charged 80% of your daily tariff per day to help cover the costs of your additional stay and the costs of any cancelled incoming guests. Your travel insurance may cover these costs.
If you’re subject to a NSW Health Order to ‘stay at home’ during your holiday at Pinetrees, then you’ll be required to self-isolate in your Pinetrees room or cottage. You’ll be charged 80% of your daily tariff per day to help cover the costs of your additional stay and the costs of any cancelled incoming guests. Your travel insurance may cover these costs.

Additional Cancellation Conditions

Our standard booking conditions apply.
Final payments are required 45 days prior to arrival.
If you cancel your booking with us, within three days of your arrival date, because you’re directly affected by a NSW COVID-19 Health Order (or an equivalent COVID-19 Health Order, Direction or Regulation in QLD, VIC, TAS, SA, WA, NT or ACT) where you have tested positive to COVID-19 and are still in mandatory quarantine, or you are legally prevented from travelling outside of you local government area, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023. The credit will be available for the person who is subject to the NSW COVID-19 Health Order (or equivalent) and his/her partner and dependent children. Written evidence from your state health department, doctor or police will be required before we issue a credit. Alternatively, you can provide evidence of your positive COVID-19 test result – it must be a photo that: 1. is date stamped on the day of travel; 2. clearly shows the Rapid Antigen Test result; and 3. includes the drivers license of the person who is COVID-19 positive. We will not provide an accommodation credit if the photo is incomplete or illegible.
If you live in QLD, VIC, SA, TAS, WA, NT or ACT and decide not to travel to Lord Howe Island, within three days of your arrival date, because your state has a COVID-19 border closure, or you’re subject to an Order, Direction or Regulation in your state to self-isolate for 14 days on return to your state, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023.
If you have cold and flu symptoms within three days of your arrival date, you must complete a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test. If your Rapid Antigen Test shows that you are COVID-19 positive, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023. The credit will be available for the person who is COVID-19 positive and his/her partner and dependent children. We require evidence of your COVID-19 test result – it must be a photo that: 1. is date stamped on one of the three days before your arrival date (inclusive); 2. clearly shows the Rapid Antigen Test result; and 3. includes the drivers license of the person who is COVID-19 positive. We will not provide an accommodation credit if the photo is incomplete or illegible.
If you are over 13 years of age and not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arrival on Lord Howe Island, then your booking will be cancelled. We will not cancel the bookings of fully vaccinated guests in the same travel party or associated travel parties. In this situation, we will not provide an accommodation credit or refund to unvaccinated guests. It is the responsibility of all guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to travel. To avoid the risk of disappointment, we strongly encourage guests not to pay the final balance for their stay at Pinetrees if they won’t be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arrival on Lord Howe Island. We will require proof of vaccination for all guests over 13 years of age when you pay your final balance 45 days prior to travel.
If an existing guest is required to self-isolate in the guest room that you’re booked into, and we’re unable to move you to another room, then we will have to cancel your booking. In this instance, we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use by 31 October 2023. The credit will be available for the person whose room is unavailable and his/her partner and dependent children.
Cancelled flights are subject to Qantas cancellation conditions and fees, and are outside of our control. We won’t pay any fees, charges or additional fares in relation to cancelled flights. Sorry! We encourage you to book refundable airfares.
This policy is subject to change at any time, without notice, due to NSW Government regulations or changing circumstances.