What is it?
Lady Elliot Island is the southernmost coral cay of Queensland’s World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. The 45-hectare island lies within a highly-protected Marine National Park 'Green Zone' and flourishes with a diverse range of flora and fauna, including manta rays, turtles, humpback whales and red-tailed tropicbirds.
The island is also home to an award-winning eco-retreat that hosts up to 100 day guests and 150 overnight guests, offering units, tents and cabins. Overnight stays also include a full buffet breakfast and dinner, snorkel hire and lessons, a glass bottom boat and guided snorkel tour, and a range of other free activities. Wifi on the island is limited, but that’s all part of Lady Elliot's charm.
Is Lady Elliot Island worth visiting?
Dubbed the ‘home of the manta ray’, Lady Elliot Island is one of the only places on Earth where you can swim with manta rays and turtles in their natural habitat. You can live your best Little Mermaid fantasy here, making friends with the island’s residents, including more than 1,200 species of marine life and up to 1,000 manta rays during peak season during peak season (May to July). Keep your eyes peeled for humpback whales, which you might spot from the sky or while swimming in the crystal-clear waters.
How to get to Lady Elliot Island?
You can reach Lady Elliot Island by incredibly scenic flights from Bundaberg (30 minutes), Hervey Bay (40 minutes), Brisbane (80 minutes) and the Gold Coast (100 minutes). Seair Pacific operates multiple flights daily, with seats for 13–15 people per plane.