Sir David Attenborough’s 'Great Barrier Reef' series (and last ever documentary) aired last night on the ABC. It is a three-part series featuring the spectacular Great Barrier Reef in all it's glory! Lady Elliot Island and our resident Manta Rays are fortunate enough to be featured in the second episode being televised this Sunday, 17th April at 7:40pm on the ABC Australia. 

Make sure to set a reminder, take the evening off and bring the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef into your living room!

We're proud to be the first resort on the Great Barrier Reef to stock Great Barrier Beer, a beer which helps protect the reef for future generations.

Great Barrier Beer is the first beer that gives back from Australia's first social enterprise beer company, The Good Beer Co. Brewed by environmentally responsible Queensland craft brewer, Bargara Brewing Company, in Bundaberg, the beer helps fund the Australian Marine Conservation Society to protect the Great Barrier Reef by working with local communities and tourism operators to protect critical habitats for turtles, dugongs, dolphins and Reef fish and to tackle the biggest threats to the Reef today - warming waters and pollution. 

We're very excited that our guests can now enjoy a good beer and give back to a cause they care about - protecting the Great Barrier Reef for future generations. Find out more about Great Barrier Beer at www.thegoodbeerco.com.au

We would love to share a drink with you, so hashtag ‪#‎GreatBarrierBeer‬‬‬‬‬‬ and we’ll see you on Instagram!

Photo by FunTravelTV

Don Adams is often described as a pioneer aviator, innovator, conservationist, successful businessman and a man of vision but most of all he is the man who gave Lady Elliot Island a new beginning! Lady Elliot was a desolate and barren place before his arrival with the removal of all vegetation for Guano mining back in 1863-1873.

In 1969, Don commenced tourism and conservation on Lady Elliot Island and under an agreement with the Commonwealth Government, his company built the airstrip and established modest tourist accommodation. Don combined his passion for flying to transport tourists to Lady Elliot Island where they could experience the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef (just beyond their doorstep). 

During this time Don commenced a revegetation program of the Islands flora. His efforts led him to collecting coconuts from Dunk Island and Pandanus, Casuarinas and shrubs from the mainland that he planted on Lady Elliot Island. Gradually as the trees began to grow, the Island once again became a haven for seabirds. In recognition for his conservation efforts, the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland presented Don with a Conservation Award in 1974.

Having recently celebrated his 90th birthday, Don made his 302nd flight to the Island, for the first 300 Don was in the pilot’s seat. We are very proud to introduce you to the man who established tourism operations on Lady Elliot Island and showcase the beauty it has to offer today!

It has been a quieter turtle season on Lady Elliot Island, however, we are expecting a bumper nesting season ahead in late 2016/2017! A total of 294 tracks were counted (218 Green Turtle and 76 Loggerhead), 24 marked nests (15 Green Turtle and 9 Loggerhead) and 10 turtles were recorded with tags (6 Green Turtles and 2 Loggerhead). Our Activities team tag the turtles to determine nesting patterns, movements, individual identification and to work out more about the life history of turtles.

Here are some of our favourite turtle shots from the season!

In September 2015, two cute and cuddly koalas at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast were named by Member for Currumbin Jann Stuckey MP and LEIER's Managing Director, Peter Gash. The koalas were named after they both attended a fundraiser for the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Hospital and bid for the naming rights for two koala joeys. Jann and Peter felt it was fitting to name the koalas “Little Lady” and “Elliot” after Lady Elliot Island.

After a recent visit to the sanctuary in the lead up to the upcoming Gala Dinner, Jann and Peter were excited to see the Koalas in perfect health and cuddly as ever, weighing just over 3kg each. 

The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Gala Dinner will take place again this year on Saturday 7th May and both Jann and Peter will be attending. For more information on the Gala Dinner please visit the CWHF website. 

“At Lady Elliot we are always looking for ways to protect the environment, its wildlife and marine life, so to be able to help these koalas at Currumbin Wildlife by supporting the sanctuary and the great work done under the guidance of Dr. Michael Pyne, is very much in line with our philosophy and culture” - Peter Gash

Sunset drinks at the lighthouse is a great way to end a beautiful day on the reef. Guests can now enjoy the sunset with a cold drink in hand. Drinks and sunset platters can be ordered at the bar and guests can meet at the Dive Shop for a lift down to the lighthouse.  Make sure to join in the fun next time you’re on the Island!

As one of the biggest marine mammals to grace our oceans are soon to make their way to our tiny Island, we couldn’t be more excited! From June to October Humpback Whales make their annual migration past Lady Elliot Island north to the warmer waters. Sightings are becoming more regular during the scenic flight north along the coastline, from the glass bottom boat, whilst snorkelling or diving and from the Island’s beaches. Almost daily during the season, whale songs can be heard under the water while swimming, snorkelling and diving around the Island. With the water visibility during these months averaging 30+ meters and combined with the beautiful Manta Rays, this is a time of year not too be missed!

Photo by Skye Newman

Project Manta is a trailblazer in public participation via citizen science, using photographs and volunteer contributions from the recreational dive and fishing industry. Project Manta loves a good gadget and they have been tapping into the latest technology to get a greater understanding of the movement and behaviour of manta rays. One of their latest research innovations was introduced by an amazing Earthwatch volunteer and citizen scientist, Kent Fry, who provided Project Manta with the funds to set up camera traps for the mantas at their regularly visited cleaning stations. Using an array of GoPro cameras, they can collect photo-IDs and behaviours while there are no divers in the water. With this technology, they have been able to collect more ID photos than ever before and they have started to untangle the complex relationships between manta rays and cleaner fish.

Please visit Project Manta's Facebook page or email [email protected] with any sighting information and photographs (especially of the manta rays bellies!) REMEMBER: if a manta ray is new to their database, you get to name it!

February may have Valentines Day but March was the 'month of love' on Lady Elliot Island with several proposals and a beautiful wedding at the lighthouse. 

If the New Year has bought the prospect of love into your life, Lady Elliot Island might be the perfect place to tie the knot. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the crystal clear water of the Pacific Ocean and the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island is the perfect location to celebrate your special day. With restricted visitor numbers, you will have a private and intimate affair on one of the most pristine Islands in the world.

Check out our Pinterest page for some beautiful wedding images to provide some inspiration!

Below are a collaboration of images from our Instagram account. Thank you for sharing these amazing images! Don’t forget to keep posting your favourite snaps, we all enjoy seeing them.

If you are happy for us to use any of your images for marketing purposes, please email them to [email protected].

We currently have three specials on offer between May and August 2016.

Eco Escape – Three Nights

Manta Migration Stay 5 Pay 4 – One Night Free

Dive the SGBR Stay 7 Pay 5 – Two Nights Free