Lady Elliot Island
Lady Elliot Island is the most southerly island within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, making it the closest reef island to all southern capitals. The island lies 80 Kilometres north east of Bundaberg. Lady Elliot Island is a popular destination for families and leisure groups with an interest in the Great Barrier Reef.
Accommodation ranges from beach front suites overlooking a coral lagoon to tent cabins. Turtle nesting and hatching occur seasonally in front of Island Suites. Anabundance of nature including nesting seabirds and humpback whales, also seasonal, brings nature to your doorstep.
Lady Elliot Island’s natural beauty and unique environment has earned its place as part of a World Heritage listed area. Guided nature and reef walks allows you to explore the island, while snorkelling, diving and glass bottom boat tours let you discover the magic of the sea. Scuba divers may come face to face with a manta ray or moray eel and snorkellers can see the giant rainbow coloured parrot fish or the beautiful coral trout.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Lady Elliot Island is the most southerly island within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It lies 85 kilometres north- east of Bundaberg and is an unspoilt coral cay which is actually part of the reef.
Formed over a three thousand year period, you can learn all about the marine wonderland that is Lady Elliot Island on a guided reef walk. Bird watchers also flock here to observe 57 species of birds. More than 200,000 birds nest here during summer. Sea turtles also nest on Lady Elliot.
The diving here is fantastic with 10 dive sites including Lighthouse Bommie, Coral Gardens, Moiri and Shark Pool. The visibility is excellent and ranges from 25 to 50 metres. Explore the many shipwrecks in the waters off the Island.
Unwind in Lady Elliot Island. This laid-back island paradise. With casual accommodation and a limited number of guests allowed on the island at any one time, Lady Elliot Island is an ideal getaway destination. Choose from four styles of accommodation (rated two and a half stars) – all without phone, radio, or television, so you’ll really relax! When the sun sets, enjoy a tropical cocktail in our bar or grab a torch and join a spotlight reef walk.
It’s a nature-lover’s dream! Just meters from the island’s fringing reef and coral lagoon, Humpback whales breach and frolic in the water. On the beaches, visitors gather around Loggerhead hand Green turtles as they nest in the sand dunes. Weeks later, watch as turtle hatchlings make their hurried journey to the water’s edge. A birdwatcher’s paradise, Lady Elliot Island plays host to over 50,000 seabirds every summer, including the rare Red Tailed Tropic Bird.
This 42 hectare Coral Cay has its own airport and being on the southern tip of the reef, it’s also the most accessible to holiday-makers from the mainland capital cities. Forget about costly trips to explore the outer reef; once you are on the island, the reef is just meters away!
