HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We wish our valued guests and readers a happy and safe festive season with this, our last newsletter before we welcome in 2023. We warm-heartedly thank everyone for their continued support over the last year and are greatly looking forward to a prosperous 2023! 

As 2022 comes to an end, we’re taking this time to reflect on some of the amazing achievements and challenges we’ve faced throughout the year.

Covid was still prominent during the beginning of the year, bringing with it the same challenges we’ve experienced over the last 2 years, border closures, vaccine mandates, snap lockdowns and face mask mandates. Now that we’re on the other side, we wish to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge everyone who supported our little island during this time by staying local and exploring your backyard! We know that Covid is still very real in our community, and we understand the challenges that remain when travelling, we do however highly recommend all guests invest in travel insurance for their upcoming stay.

Welcome back to our international guests! After almost 2 years of international border closures, we are excited to have you back and we look forward to showcasing you the beautiful Great Barrier Reef here on Lady Elliot Island.

This year our Maintenance and Renovation team managed to complete a full upgrade on 2 blocks of Garden Units. We’re excited that 1 of these blocks feature an access ramp for a more accessible accommodation option, as well as redesigned bathrooms and showers, more suited to guests who may need assistance walking, using stairs, or who use a wheelchair. This is an exciting new addition for our accommodation and we’re proud to provide an inclusive option for our guests leading into the year of Accessible Tourism in 2023.

2022 has seen some of the highest rainfalls ever recorded out here, which to date sits at 1395mm for the year. This has really lent a helping hand for our revegetation program! A big thank you to all of our dedicated team and volunteers that have assisted with the program throughout the year.

This year we are proud to have been awarded Gold at the Queensland Tourism Awards in the ‘Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism’ and after winning 3 years in a row we’ve now been inducted into the Hall of Fame! This is a very special award for our team, and we are thankful for everyone supporting us wherever possible to do our bit to make a difference.

As a family, we are all extremely proud of our daughter, Amy, for also winning the Young Achiever Award at the Queensland Tourism Awards for her contribution to the tourism industry.

Lastly, you may have noticed a change to our pricing structure after recently introducing dynamic rates for our accommodation. This decision did not come lightly for our team and one that has been introduced following the unprecedented increase in inflation and rising costs of operation for the resort. We thank you for your understanding during these changes and we appreciate your patience with our team as they navigate this new rate structure.

Our mission and purpose here every day is to leave Lady Elliot Island, the Great Barrier Reef and the Planet, better than we found them. We have already made a big impact with Lady Elliot Island and have no doubt our teamwork and amazing achievements together are setting the bar high for others to follow.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our dedicated team and silent supporters for their passion and efforts with making this mission a reality.

We would also wish to sincerely thank our guests and visitors who take the time to come out and share your holiday experience on this magnificent little coral cay paradise. Without your support we could never have achieved the incredible projects that Lady Elliot Island is now well-known for.

Please have a great holiday season and we look forward to welcoming you back on your next, or first visit!

Peter, Julie, Amy & Chloe Gash and the whole amazing Lady Elliot Island Team. 

GOLD FOR ECOTOURISM & HALL OF FAME

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort has been awarded GOLD and inducted into the Hall of Fame for the "Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism" category at the annual Queensland Tourism Awards on the 4th November 2022 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.  

Custodian and daughter of Peter Gash, Amy, was also honoured during the event, awarded the Young Achiever Award for outstanding contribution to the tourism industry. The award showcases the dedication and commitment from the Gash family to tourism in the region! 

We are extremely honoured to be presented with both of these remarkable accolades in recognition of our contribution to sustainable tourism and wish to extend our gratitude to those who have supported Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort through our sustainability journey! 

Pictured from left to right: Daniel Lukritz, Peter Gash, Chloe Gash & Amy Gash 

Still stuck for Christmas gift ideas! Well, we've got you sorted! Give the gift of travel this holiday season with a Great Barrier Reef escape on Lady Elliot Island! Contact our friendly Reservations Team for more information on purchasing a gift voucher. 

IT'S A TURTELY AWESOME TIME OF YEAR!

From November to March, Loggerhead and Green turtles can be seen coming ashore to nest on
the beaches of Lady Elliot Island. Turtle Season is now in full swing with daily nesting sightings!  Each day the resort holds a "Turtle Update" Presentation in the Education Centre which we ask arriving guests to attend. The update provides guests with important information including the best time and places to go looking, and an explanation of our Eco Guidelines to follow to ensure our turtles nest successfully.

Image Credit: Jacinta Shackleton and David Jaeger 

YOUTUBE DOCUSERIES  'LIFE ON THE REEF'  

The "Life on the Reef" series delivers a unique insight into the scientific happenings behind the scenes on Lady Elliot Island, speaking directly to scientists and our Island Team about their research and what it's like to delve into what makes Lady Elliot Island tick! 

In Episode #12 airing on the 21st of December 2022, we wrap up the series for this year with a focus on the birdlife of Lady Elliot Island!

This docuseries has been in creation for 14 months and has been proudly produced by Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort and local production team @benanddi with the support of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

CHANNEL 9 MY WAY 

Season 5, episode 6 of Channel 9's 'My Way' program takes a look at some of the remarkable people working on the Great Barrier Reef. The episode features our own Jacinta Shackleton who has been working with the business for the past 5 years as part of the Activities and Watersports Team and is a passionate advocate for the reef! Click the link below to watch the entire episode.

Custodian, Peter Gash, was also featured in Season 4, episode 7 featuring the amazing Lady Elliot Island restoration story!  

60,000 INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS 

This month we hit 60,000 followers on Instagram! Head over to our page for real-time stories, videos of exciting encounters and recent updates!

A WHALEY GOOD SURPRISE! 

On the 16th of October 2022 we had an extremely surprising visitor to the island, a Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus). The spotty shark was seen during our Glass Bottom Boat and Snorkel Safari Tour and was sighted from the surface not far from the lighthouse bommies! This species is not a regular visitor to the island and has only been spotted around four times in the last 40 years! 

Image Credit: Jasmine Eeles 

Our latest island blog features a Q & A about the annual mass spawning event that occurs across the Great Barrier Reef. Upcoming blogs include a historical snapshot, a peek at the secret snorkelling spots on the island and a yearly overview of our revegetation work!

Image Credit: Jeremy Somerville

The DAY TOUR departing from the Gold Coast (Coolangatta) and Brisbane (Redcliffe) is on special with a saving of up to $300 per adult!

This offer is only available for travel between the 1 February - 31 March 2023. 

Experience the pristine beauty of the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy low level flying up the east coast of Australia taking in aerial views of the Gold Coast skyline, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island (K’gari) and landing on the only coral cay Island with an airstrip! Spending 5 hours exploring the natural environment of Lady Elliot Island, you’ll snorkel with friendly turtles and an array of amazing marine life. Sit back and enjoy a hot and cold buffet lunch with a complimentary sparkling wine or beer whilst overlooking the Great Barrier Reef. Feel free to join in on one of the many educational activities available and learn how the fully self-sufficient resort operates on renewable energy technologies!

Our basic but comfortable 44 room eco-resort will offer you an opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and explore the pristine Southern Great Barrier Reef.  

  The resort is heavily booked over the next twelve months with very limited availability and high demand. To secure your stay at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort we highly recommend you check our online availability calendar on our website first.  

If your intended travel dates are available on the calendar and you are ready to make a booking, we recommend to contact our reservations team via phone on 1800 072 200 to confirm the dates are still available as availability can change rapidly at this time.  

Alternatively, once you have checked the availability calendar and you would like to arrange a booking or would like a quote, please email our friendly reservations team on [email protected]

Travelling in a Seair Touring Cessna Caravan Aircraft, your group will be flown to some of the most iconic places in Queensland and Australia. Guided by your knowledgable pilot, expert commentary and local knowledge will bring Outback Australia and its rich history to life. 

Click below for more information or contact the Seair Touring reservations team via email [email protected] or call +61 7 5599 4509 to reserve your seat now!