🐢 3 Magical Nights on Lady Elliot Island - Turtles, Reef & Starry Skies

Rsvp by 9 August : 🐢 Three magical nights on Lady Elliott Island turtles coming ashore after dark, a lagoon full of colour, and some of the starriest skies we'll ever stand beneath.
(as at 27 July we have 2 own bedroom places in a 2 bedroom unit with shared lounge, kitchenette, bathroom available)
🔆 Key Booking Information (please read first)
- $500 deposit - due with your RSVP to secure your spot
- Balance of $3440 - due by 9 August (when RSVPs close)
- Our group bookings must be finalised in full with the resort
by 10 August 2026

🤿Three nights on Lady Elliot Island - a coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef where the mumma turtles haul ashore after dark to lay, and the
lagoon shimmers with colourful fish and coral. This is one I've been
longing to put together. Turtle season is the window everyone wants, and rooms on the island are scarce - and we've got ours!

Lady Elliot lies around 80 kms north-east of Bundaberg, at the
southern tip of the reef - which makes it the closest reef island to us
here in SEQ. It's so small we can stroll the whole way around it in under
an hour. No cars, no shops - just us, the reef, the seabirds wheeling
overhead, and turtles in numbers most of us will never have seen.
We'll fly out from the Gold Coast in one of the operator's purpose built
island aircraft, skimming low along the coastline and out across the
water to the cay, watching for marine life in the shallows below.
Reef shoes on the moment we land, and straight into the wonder of
this remarkable little island.

🐢 The Turtles
This is the heart of the trip, and the very reason we're going when we're going. Lady Elliot is one of the great turtle rookeries of the reef, and we've timed our nights to the high tide, when the mothers come ashore. Out of the dark water a mum turtle emerges and begins her slow, determined haul up the sand. She chooses her spot, digs out a body ppit and egg chamber and settles into lay her clutch - often more than a hundred eggs - before covering and camouflaging the nest and making
her way back to the sea. The whole journey can take well over an hour,
and we'll be there in the hush of the evening to witness it. Through the
nesting season the island stays dark after sunset - no torches on the
beach, curtains drawn in the rooms - so nothing disturbs the turtles as
they go - one of nature's oldest rituals.

🤿 The Snorkelling - and Plenty for the Non-Swimmers
The lagoon is shallow, calm and sheltered, and we can wade in straight
from the sand into a world of colourful fish, gentle marine life and
colourful coral. We also have a guided glass bottom boat and snorkel
tour included (snorkel lesson on offer for any who'd like one) or simply
enjoy the views from the boat.

🚶‍♀️ Reef Walks & Island Wanders
Each day, when the tide draws back, the island guides lead us out across the exposed reef flat with walking poles and viewing scopes,
pointing out the starfish, sea cucumbers, clams and little crabs sheltering in the coral pools. There are gentle guided walks too - the island's history, the old lighthouse, and the nesting seabirds.

🌅 Easy Days
Outside of the guided daily walks, reef talks and snorkels on offer,
we've leisure time too drift back into the lagoon for another snorkel,
settle beside the saltwater pool with a book, or take a slow walk
around the cay. There's a table tennis and a billiard table for a bit of
fun too. After dinner, the sky fills with stars in the dark night sky - before we head down to the beach for the turtles.

🍽️ Where We're Staying
Comfortable, low key beachfront eco accommodation, run entirely on
solar. Every breakfast, lunch and dinner is included on the island, served
looking out over the lagoon. A nice way to enjoy our meals together -
that'll do us nicely!

Weather on LEI in November : between 22-27C with comfy ocean breezes. Water temp is a lovely 25C :-)

🚐 Getting There - Our Relaxed Run Down
Our flight leaves bright and early, so rather than face a pre-dawn dash, we'll head down to the Gold Coast together the afternoon before - pickups from midday along the way at Nudgee Station, Eagleby, Beenleigh Station, and Helensvale Station, then a comfortable
motel close to the airport for the night, and we're only a short stroll
from the Airport the next morning.
(Parking at our Eagleby option while we're away? Please have $35 ready for our kind member who provides the off-street parking -address will
be shared with attendees closer to event date).

✔ HIGHLIGHTS & INCLUSIONS
✔ Return scenic flights from the Gold Coast, low over the reef
✔ Pre-flight overnight motel stay near the Gold Coast Airport
✔ 3 nights beachfront eco accommodation on the island
✔ All breakfasts, lunches and dinners daily on the island
✔ Free use of snorkel gear - mask, snorkel, fins
✔ Snorkel lesson for anyone who'd like one
✔ Glass bottom boat/guided snorkel tour for every person
✔ Guided reef walks daily (tides permitting)
✔ Guided island, history and bird walks
✔ Reef talks - turtles, manta rays, reef sharks
✔ Seasonal turtle nesting watch
✔ Stargazing under completely dark skies
✔ Use of the saltwater pool
✔ The best part - a fun, friendly group to share it all with

💰 PRICE & ROOMING SCHEDULE
A quick note on how the island prices their accommodation. Lady Elliot charges per person, not per room. In the two-bedroom beachfront units, the second bedroom has two single beds - so it can take two members who are happy to share that room. Everyone pays the same per-person rate whether they're in their own bedroom or sharing the twin room, as the island prices by the head rather than by the room.

$3940 per person - covering everything in the inclusions above.

Queen bedrooms go to the first deposits in - once they're taken, the
remaining spots are in the twin share rooms. So if having your own
bedroom matters to you, getting your deposit across early is the way
to lock it in.
Gentlemen, please RSVP to hold your spot - and message me as I've a room option set up for the gents and I'll share the details.

** PAYMENT IS REQUIRED with your RSVP to secure your spot.
Account : Natalie Stewart
National Bank BSB : 084-961
Account Number : 308470164
Reference LE:your name
$3940
*** Travel insurance is strongly recommended - please have a read
through the Refunds & Conditions below for details

REFUNDS & CONDITIONS
- A moderate level of fitness is required.
- All meals on the island are included. Anything purchased at the
Gold Coast pre-night is at your own expense.
- The $500 deposit is non-refundable from the moment it's paid.
- The balance is due by 9 August 2026. To confirm our pre-booked
rooms, the resort requires our group booking finalised with full payment by 10 August 2026. No balances can be accepted after 9 August 2026.
- RSVP's close on 9 August 2026 or when all spots are filled, whichever
comes first.
- Minimum RSVP's 8 Maximum RSVP's 10 once the balance is paid to the resort, the full amount is committed and is no longer held by myself to refund. From that point, a refund is only
possible if you spot is taken by another member - names can be changed
up to 5 days before we fly.
Flight luggage limit is 15kg max allowed and should not be larger than 70cm x 40cm x 30cm (soft bags are preferred.
- Travel Insurance is strongly recommended!
Please have a comprehensive policy with cancellation cover in place at
the time you pay your deposit (or very soon after) - so you're protected if something unexpected stops you travelling.
- the adventure goes ahead in all weather. Lady Elliot flights run on
small aircraft and can be delayed or grounded by weather and
conditions on the day, which is outside our control. Should weather affect a flight, the operator will advise and reschedule as conditions allow - another reason travel insurance is a must.
- Lady Elliot Island discourages smoking on the island. No lighters or matches are permitted on the aircraft for safety reasons
- As always, on our events - please spread kindness, courtesy and friendship - not only within our group, but to the resort staff, fellow travellers and everyone we meet along the way.

TURTLES, REEF & CORAL CAY MAGIC 🐢

WORLD's #1 SNORKELLING AWAITS 🐠

NEVER TRAVEL ALONE AGAIN ✈️

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