Lady Elliot Island, Queensland © Tourism and Events Queensland
Guide to Lady Elliot Island
Lady Elliot Island is an easy-to-reach paradise on the Great Barrier Reef, famous for its manta ray population.
Lady Elliot Island has extraordinary marine life and glittering white beaches made entirely of crushed coral. Walk around the island and take in the lush surroundings, or go diving or snorkelling just off the beach. Lady Elliot Island is a sanctuary to over 1,200 species of marine life and known for its large populations of giant manta rays and turtles. It’s also known for a commitment to sustainability through its use of renewable energy, invasive species eradication and other notable initiatives.
Lady Elliot Island is only accessible by a small chartered aircraft from Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast), Bundaberg, Brisbane or the Gold Coast. Your flight will be arranged by the reservations team at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort when you book your accommodation.
- Flights from Brisbane depart from Redcliffe Aerodrome (RCL) and take about 80 minutes
- Flights from the Gold Coast depart from the Seair Pacific hangar, 1.5km (1mi) north of the Gold Coast Airport (OOL) and take just under two hours
- Flights from Hervey Bay Airport (HVB) take about 40 minutes
- Flights from Bundaberg Regional Airport (BDB) take about 30 minutes
You can’t drive on the island, so your activities and experiences can be arranged through Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort.
Lady Elliot Island experiences a range of wildlife events throughout the year, so when you decide to go will depend on what you want to see. Manta ray numbers are at their highest between June and September, while seabird nesting season begins in September. Large sea turtles come to the sand to nest between November and February.
- High season: Summer (December to February)
- Low season: Winter (June to August)
- Don’t miss: Thousands of baby turtles hatching along the beaches from February to April
