Welcome to 2026! This time of year holds a special kind of magic on Lady Elliot Island.
Baby birds and baby turtles are everywhere. We’ve been blessed with good weather and some decent down pours, so the island is looking very green, and the forest is looking super lush.
The water is warm, but thankfully I have seen no sign of coral bleaching so far this summer. Despite snorkelling here for over 40 years, the island continues to surprise me. I’ve seen more mantas than usual at this time of year and within a few minutes of being in the water near the Lighthouse quay way I saw three octopus including a tiny baby octopus which was a new experience for me. On a night snorkel in the lagoon, I saw blue spotted lagoon rays, countless turtles and even baby turtle hatchlings!
Island restoration and revegetation work will continue across the island with a focus on native grasses, which we have begun planting in the Northeast of the island to the delight of the migratory crested terns (I refer to them as ‘punk-rockers’) that prefer to nest there than near the airstrip. Our plan is working as more of them have chosen to nest in that area this season than I’ve seen ever before.
Several enhancements are in the pipeline to streamline and enrich your island experience including the construction of a new storeroom behind reception which will allow us to create a more spacious Departure Lounge and Day Guest area in the future.
Seeing first-time visitors, return guests, multi-generational families and even past Lighthouse Keepers and their families on the island over the Christmas and New Year period was truly heart warming.
Here's to another year of discovery and connection with the Southern Great Barrier Reef. We can't wait to welcome you to Lady Elliot Island.
P.S. If you're ready to discover the heart of Australia from the skies check out the new tours from Lady Elliot Island’s sister company, Seair Touring (read more below).
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