I’ll be honest – before last year, I’d never heard of Lady Elliot Island. It was only on a trip to K’gari that I came across this breathtaking coral cay, and boy, am I glad I did. Hidden in the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, this magical island is one of the only places on Earth where you can swim with manta rays and turtles in their natural habitat. But it’s got so much more going for it – the island is fully sustainable, home to a wholesome family-run eco-retreat, and is more beautiful than photos could ever show.
The journey to Lady Elliot Island is one of the best parts about visiting. Given that the 45-hectare island only hosts up to 100 day guests and 150 overnight guests at any one time, the flight over feels as exclusive as the destination itself.
I couldn’t peel myself away from the window during the entire 40-minute trip from Hervey Bay, aka the 'whale-watching capital of Australia'. Spotting these gentle giants from above is almost guaranteed during peak season (May to October), and I was lucky to see a few flapping their tails in the deep blue below. But the real showstopper was yet to come... As we neared the island, our pilot pointed out a squadron of manta rays swimming near the shore – a clear sign that we’d arrived at the ‘home of the manta ray’. Fun fact: Lady Elliot accounts for roughly 70 per cent of the sightings along Australia’s east coast, with more than 700 manta rays known to frequent the surrounding waters from May to July.
After jumping off the plane, the 12 other passengers and I were welcomed with a quick tour and a bite-sized history lesson about the island. Lady Elliot is the Great Barrier Reef’s southernmost coral cay and lies within a highly protected Marine National Park ‘Green Zone’. As someone who considers themselves quite eco-conscious, I was genuinely impressed by the island’s sustainability initiatives. Almost 900 solar panels power the island, seawater is turned into drinking water via a desalination plant, and all food waste and plastics are either composted or repurposed. It’s all designed to minimise the ecological impact on the surrounding reef, which is a sanctuary for more than 1,200 species of marine life.
Among the locals are manta rays and turtles – and Lady Elliot Island is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with both in the wild. Every visitor begins their adventure here with a guided snorkel tour, where they can make friends with the underwater residents. For me, that included schools of tropical fish, one non-threatening reef shark and an unusually friendly turtle.
Despite visiting in June, the water was still in the low 20s, so comfortable enough to snorkel in a wetsuit for almost an hour. I was also given a pair of quirky reef Crocs, which came in handy when scrambling to the boat across sand made entirely of crushed coral.
I’ve been lucky to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef a few times, departing from popular spots like Port Douglas and Cairns. However, my favourite part of this experience was just how calm and quiet it was. As I mentioned, no more than 250 guests are on the island at once, so it’s not uncommon to go exploring and feel like you have the place entirely to yourself. I recommend taking a stroll to the island’s 150-year-old lighthouse, visiting the nursery to learn about its native tree revegetation project, and joining a free bird-watching tour where you might even spot the rare red-tailed tropicbirds.
So, is Lady Elliot Island worth visiting? Absolutely! You can walk a lap of the entire island in 45 minutes – but that forces you to slow down and actually relax. Sure, Wi-Fi on the island is limited – but that’s all part of Lady Elliot's charm. And yes, it’s a little more expensive than your average getaway – but you’re supporting a destination that’s setting new standards for sustainable travel. Do yourself a favour and stay at least two nights to soak it all in.
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