<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The essential oils of the five indigenous myrtaceous species of Lord Howe Island have been examined.<jats:italic>Leptospermum polygalifolium</jats:italic>Salisb. subsp.<jats:italic>howense J</jats:italic>. Thompson produced an oil in 0.9–1% yield in which the major compounds were the α‐, β‐ and γ‐eudesmols. These three compounds accounted for over 75% of the oil.<jats:italic>Melaleuca howeana</jats:italic>Cheel yielded an oil in approximately 0.1% yield in which the major compounds were 1,8‐cineole (5–40%) and globulol (8–18%).<jats:italic>Cleistocalyx fullageri</jats:italic>(F. Muell.) Merr. & Perry gave an oil, in approximately 0.1% yield, in which the major compound was α‐pinene.<jats:italic>Metrosideros sclerocarpa</jats:italic>Dawson ex P. S. Green produced an oil in at most 0.05% yield in which the major compound was<jats:italic>allo</jats:italic>‐aromadendrene (75%), while<jats:italic>Metrosideros nervulosa</jats:italic>C. Moore & F. Muell. gave an oil in approximately 0.01% yield in which the major compounds were sesquiterpene alcohols together with<jats:italic>n</jats:italic>‐hexadecanol.