Imagine a stunning island destination just two hours from Brisbane, where the reef starts right from the beach, you can swim with turtles, manta rays and sharks, and you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing right outside your glamping tent. Sounds too good to be true, right? But that’s just what you’ll find at Lady Elliot Island, the southernmost island in the Great Barrier Reef, home to an award-winning eco-resort—and a quick flight from Redcliffe, 40 minutes north of the Brisbane CBD.
So close you can reach it on a day trip (but trust us, you’ll want to stay the night), the island is a mecca for keen scuba divers, snorkellers and ocean lovers, but you don’t need any experience in the water to visit—just a willingness to leave phone reception behind and immerse yourself in an underwater paradise.
The Island
Lady Elliot Island itself has a fascinating history, complete with ghost stories, shipwrecks, environmental destruction, and more, which you’ll learn on your strolls around the island. Currently under the stewardship of Peter Gash and his family, the eco-resort has come a long way since opening in the 1980s, and is now a fully self-sufficient community, running almost entirely on solar power, creating its own water through desalination, turning food scraps into soil for regeneration of the island and processing waste into the water that maintains the grass runway. It’s a master lesson in what a commitment to being environmentally conscious should look like, and we should all take note.
The Reef
The best part about Lady Elliot Island being perched on a coral cay fringed by reef is that once you arrive, you don’t need to go anywhere to find worldclass snorkelling and diving locations—you just need to wander down to the beach. On the western side of the island, you’ll find the larger reef, home to huge green turtles, gliding manta rays, black tipped reef sharks, octopus and more. On the other side, there’s the lagoon, a shallow reef area inhabited by starfish, giant clams and colourful fish, with bigger visitors when the tide is high. Whichever spot you choose, you’re almost guaranteed to spot ocean life from before you even get in the water—the reef is teeming with it, and isn’t at all shy.
Of course, if you’re not quite confident enough to just jump in the water, the resort offers introductory snorkelling lessons, guided tours, scuba diving trips and even nighttime glass bottom boat tours if you prefer to stay dry altogether. Best of all, snorkelling equipment, reef shoes, scuba gear, wet suits and anything else you’ll need can be hired from the reef shop in the resort, so no need to try and cram everything into your luggage.
The Accommodation
If you do decide to stay the night (or several), there’s multiple accommodation options to choose from, and all the amenities you could need. For the budget conscious, there’s Eco Cabins that make use of shared bathrooms for two to four people, or while the one or two-bedroom Garden or Reef Units feature ensuite bathrooms, a variety of sleeping arrangements for couples or families and breezy balconies.
Our pick thought, is one of two eco-glamping tents perched just steps from the shore. Fully enclosed and boasting their own ensuite bathroom, air conditioning and private balcony, the tents feel secluded and just a little bit luxe—and tend to be popular so make sure you book in advance.
All day and overnight trips include meals at the resort’s beachside buffet restaurant, which serves up a decadent breakfast, lunch and dinner, while coffee, drinks and snacks can be ordered at the bar. There’s also a pool, playground, education centre and plenty of free walks and activities to keep you occupied between reef explorations.
Best Time Of Year To Visit
Lady Elliot Island is an all-year round destination—yes, even in winter. In fact, water visibility is best during May and June, with manta rays seen mostly from June to September, so winter might even be the best time to go. However, sea turtles nest on the island between November and March, with hatchlings emerging from January to May, so really, it depends on what you want to see the most—there's no stingers to worry about here.
How To Get There
Flights to Lady Elliot Island go from Redcliffe, Coolangatta, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg on a small aircraft. If you’re coming from Brisbane, the Redcliffe Aerodrome is just 40 minutes drive north of the CBD, followed by an incredibly scenic hour and 10 flight—making your entire trip just two hours long. You can drive to the aerodrome and park right outside—how’s that for easy?
Find out more about the resort and start planning your trip here.
Image credit: Tourism & Events Queensland | Supplied