Lady Elliot Island
The Reef's Southernmost Coral Cay
On the lands of the Bailai, Gurang, Gooreng Gooreng and Taribelang Bunda people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026
The southernmost coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, accessible only by light aircraft. Lady Elliot Island is a strict eco-resort and one of the best places on the entire reef to swim with manta rays and nesting turtles.
Lady Elliot Island is a 45 hectare coral cay at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The island sits inside a Green Zone (highest level of marine protection), which means no fishing or commercial collecting and a much higher density of marine life than reef areas further north.
Manta rays are present year-round but most reliable from May to August. Sea turtles nest from November to January and the hatchlings emerge from January to April. The reef wall starts just off the beach, making this one of the few reef destinations where you can snorkel into deep coral directly from the sand.
Access is by light aircraft only, with daily flights from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane. Day trips are possible but most travellers stay 2 to 4 nights at the eco-resort.
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- Lady Elliot Island.jpg · LordDimwit at English Wikipedia · Public domain
- Lady Elliot Island Lighthouse.jpg · Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort · Public domain
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