MANTA RAY RESEARCHERS MAKE A SPLASH! 

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort and Ballistic Beer Co. have partnered to support critical manta ray research on the Southern Great Barrier Reef! Ten cents from each can of 'reef' beer has been donated to Project Manta and has enabled the purchase of a SPLASH satellite tag which was deployed on a pregnant manta ray in late June! 

Track 'Mia' the manta ray on Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef 'Reef Tracks'. 

“Since 2007, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort has supported the Project Manta research team and over this time they have identified over 1,000 individual manta rays. Lady Elliot Island has proven to be a prime site for manta ray activity and is integral to the important research undertaken. We are excited by this partnership with Ballistic Beer Co. and the local community! This type of collaboration helps in creating public awareness about manta rays and their fragile reef environment. In doing so, we hope that future generations can continue to enjoy viewing these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat" 

- Peter Gash, Managing Director/Custodian

Pictured Below (Left to Right): Asia Haines-Armstrong (Leaf to Reef/Project Manta ), Peter Gash (Lady Elliot Island), David Kitchen (Ballistic Beer Co.) and Christine Dudgeon (Leaf to Reef/Project Manta)

Image Credit: Ben and Di.

NEW DOCUSERIES  'LIFE ON THE REEF'  FOR NATURE AND WILDLIFE LOVERS! 

‘Life on the Reef’ showcases the untold stories and behind the scenes footage of the critical research taking place on Lady Elliot Island, Australia.  You’ll meet Master Reef Guides and research teams who are passionate about protecting and better understanding our beautiful Great Barrier Reef! Each episode will delve into the unique wildlife that call our reef home; it will provide an insight into the technologies used to assist with wildlife research and how together, this is helping to better understand climate change.  

This docuseries has been in creation for 14 months and has been proudly produced by Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort and @benanddi with the support of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. It contains 12 exciting episodes. Episode #1 launched on Wednesday 20^th July 2022 on the Lady Elliot Island YouTube with following episodes airing every second Wednesday. 

In the first episode we delve into the magical world of manta rays with the Project Manta research team!  If you missed it, check it out below!

Lady Elliot Island is part of the Reef Islands Initiative’s network of climate change refuges, established to protect critical habitats and save vulnerable species on Great Barrier Reef Islands. Pioneered by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Reef Islands Initiative is supported by funding from Lendlease, the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, the Queensland Government and the Fitzgerald Family Foundation. 

 BETTER BUTTER 

Just in time for Plastic-Free July, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort is excited to announce that we trailing Canary Squeeze butter by Canary foods. A world first single serve butter portion packaged in compostable films! This is just one of many steps the organisation has taken in the journey to minimise plastic use on Lady Elliot Island! 

Image Credit: Canary Foods

THE NEW NORMAL: AMY GASH KEYNOTE SPEAKER 

On June 16th, Amy Gash delivered a keynote speech during the 80 TWENTY Hotel conference in Brisbane.  Amy's speech was a moving story for the audience and focused on the incredible success journey of her families business. An article was written about Amy's speech which is linked below. 

LEAF TO REEF: THE BIODIVERSITY OF LADY ELLIOT ISLAND 

JUNE FIELD TRIP 

The Leaf to Reef team have concluded their latest field work on the island for 2022 with a strong focus on the red-tailed tropicbirds and manta rays. Red-tailed tropicbird data included health assessments and blood samples while satellite tagging took place on several manta rays. The team has additionally utilised drone surveys of manta rays for the first time and even encountered a humpback whale while on a dive! 

Image Credit: Leaf to Reef and Kathy Townsend 

JAPANESE TRADE UPDATE 

On 17^th June Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort presented an update to Japanese Agents at the Destination Gold Coast Japan Trade Event Seminar and Dinner.  The event was held at Hilton Surfers Paradise and gave our team the opportunity to update the Japanese market on our exciting new resort refurbishments and sustainability projects.  With flights returning from Japan to the Gold Coast on 1^st August 2022, we look forward to welcoming our international guests back to the island in the near future.

FINDER GREEN AWARDS 2022

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort has been awarded the 'Green Hotel of the Year'! 

 Entrants were judged on broad environmental metrics including greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy usage and waste avoiding landfill, as well as a selection of industry-specific criteria to showcase how they’re paving the way for sustainability in their field over the last 12 months.We thank you for your support and also congratulate runners up Holiday Inn Express in Newcastle and the Swell Lodge on Christmas Island.

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Our latest blog is a highly requested topic here on Lady Elliot Island which explores the most popular snorkelling locations! Click the link below to find out which snorkelling spots you should check out during your visit to the island and to learn about where we source many of our products from and why its beneficial to shop locally! 

Shop our latest range of T-shirts, souvenirs, drink bottles and other goods featuring the work of local artists inspired by Lady Elliot Island. 

Escape to the Southern Great Barrier Reef for an immersive Day Tour from the Gold Coast or Brisbane (Redcliffe)  that you won't soon forget!  Be sure to keep your eyes peeled from the second you take off as there is much to see on the flight, especially as you approach the Island. 

VALID FROM 1 APRIL 2022 - 31 MARCH 2023

Gold Coast and Brisbane (Redcliffe) Day Tour Includes: 

• Scenic flight to Lady Elliot Island 
• 5 hours to explore Lady Elliot Island
• Island orientation tour and welcome drink 
• Combined Glass bottom boat/guided snorkel tour
• Snorkel equipment (mask, snorkel & fins) and short wetsuits (long wetsuit available on request)
• Hot & Cold buffet lunch including fresh prawns, wine, beer and soft drink
• Fish feeding in the Lagoon Fish Pool 
• Fully guided tour 
• Hotel transfers (limited areas apply) 
• Towels, sunscreen and reef walking shoes provided
• Use of day guest facilities
• BONUS $20 per adult gift shop voucher (valid until the 16th Dec 2022)

PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Explore one of the best kept secrets of the Great Barrier Reef on a day trip from Hervey Bay/Fraser Coast, Bundaberg or Agnes Water/1770! Before you know it you will be experiencing the incredible underwater world of Lady Elliot Island and meeting some of our friendly reef inhabitants! 

VALID FROM 1 APRIL 2022 - 31 MARCH 2023

Hervey Bay, Bundaberg and Agnes Water/1770 Day Trips Include: 

• Scenic flight to Lady Elliot Island 
• 6-7 hours to explore Lady Elliot Island 
• Island tours and activities
• Island orientation tour and welcome drink 
• Combined Glass bottom boat/guided snorkel tour
• Snorkel equipment (mask, snorkel & fins) and short wetsuits included (long wetsuit available on request)
• Hot & Cold full buffet lunch
• Towels, sunscreen and reef walking shoes provided
• Use of day guest facilities
• Fish Feeding in the lagoon Fish Pool 

PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

MEET LAURIE! Laurie has been working on the island for the last 16 years in maintenance, and is one of our longest standing employees! You may have met Laurie on a Behind the Scenes tour. 

What attracted you to working on the island and what do you enjoy about your job? 

I love a challenge and some variety, and I could see that great work was being done on the island with a strong focus on the environment. With these things in mind, I thought it would be a great place to work! 

What requires the most maintenance on the island? 

The construction work on the island requires extensive planning and input so this is a large component of the maintenance teams workload. Rust is another consideration as we are surrounded by salt water so it must be kept in check! The team also maintains the infrastructure, power generation, waste water treatment, kitchen appliance operation, electrical aspects, boats and other equipment in addition to complying with regulations in place from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

What has been the biggest challenge?

The Solar Power Station was a big challenge which started prior to its actual construction. Planning was intensive and we did encounter hiccups once the building was complete, which took the combined work of myself, Rob and the team to get through in order to now have a completely operational and thriving Solar Power Station. 

Overall, I find this job very enjoyable because of its challenges in addition to working with Peter Gash. Pete has incredible vision for this island and follows through with his ideas, bringing them to life frequently. I have found that initiative and hard work are the key to seeing progress on the island! 

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 nine 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 reservations@ladyelliot.com.au

The Outback Tours for 2022 have kicked off with passengers strapping in for a glimpse into the Australian Outback like they have never seen before! 

3-DAY OUTBACK ADVENTURE 

Our outback charter started with a climb to overlook the Gold Coast as we bid farewell to the east coast scenery. We set a heading to the west and started to pass over cattle country and farmland, before touching down at Charleville where the tour enjoyed tea and coffee, followed by a look at the Royal Flying Doctors Service Museum. The next leg of the journey included salt lakes, river systems and channel country before landing in Birdsville for a meal at the famous Birdsville pub with some local outback hospitality. Guests boarded a guided bus tour around town where they heard about significant local sites including the 24-hour Artesian bore, the bakery and the race track, home to the annual Birdsville races. The bus then took guests to the Big Red sand dune where we enjoyed sundowners while watching a palette of colours unfold in the amazing sunset over the red desert, before dinner at our hotel.

The next morning we overflew Lake Eyre with its stunning birdlife and started to track south via the river systems after entering South Australia. William Creek was the next destination, home to the most remote pub in Australia where we enjoyed a morning tea break followed by views of the Marree man from the plane.  We then landed at the Dig Tree where the story of Burke and Wills was shared and the guests stayed locally at Innamincka for the night before exploring Charlotte Plains the next morning. Hosts at Charlotte Plains provided a historical background of the region and guests then took a swim in the renowned Charlotte Plains baths (a trip highlight for many!). After lunch we boarded the plane and made the trip home after an action-packed three days! 

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. 

We have just released the departure dates for 2023 and seats are selling quickly! 

Click below for more information or contact the Seair Touring reservations team via email reservations@seairpacific.com.au or call +61 7 5599 4509 to reserve your seat now!