Lord Howe Island's sandy beaches are on the western lagoon shore and in three limited sections on the eastern side. The fringing reef about one kilometre offshore protects the beaches from the ocean swell.
Sandy beaches are naturally dynamic, changing seasonally as winter storms remove sand from the beach and summer weather returns it.
Sandy beach shallows are important nursery and feeding areas for fish and invertebrate species.
Beaches are key feeding and roosting sites for seabirds and migratory wading birds.
Estuaries Soldiers Creek, Cobbys Creek and Old Settlement Creek border the lagoon. They contain two species of mangrove and small saltmash stands on the fringes.
The lagoon has a diverse range of habitats and species, with distinct habitats including intertidal reefs, subtidal reefs, lagoonal holes, subtidal sand, intertidal sand (beaches) and seagrass.
These habitats are important nursery and feeding areas for birds, fish and invertebrates.
North Bay contains one of the park's most extensive seagrass beds. The beds are located in the sheltered area of the bay, and provide:
The intertidal flats of the seagrass habitats:
Subtidal reef habitats dominate the Lord Howe Island coastline, Balls Pyramid and the smaller islands and islets.
The inshore reef systems include:
The lagoon contains world's most southerly true coral reefs.