Lady Musgrave Island is an uninhabited coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s greatest natural phenomenons and a World Heritage Listed Marine Park. Lady Musgrave Lagoon’s amazing colours and beauty are unsurpassed anywhere in the world, boasting an abundance of coral, fish and turtles.
There are tour operators offer fulled guided tours of the reef and give you the opportunity to slip into the warm tropical waters – perfect any time of year for diving, swimming and snorkelling.
Book A Day Trip
Day Tour to Lady Musgrave Island from Town of 1770
8-9 Hours (approx.) – Cruise from 1770 to Lady Musgrave Island for snorkeling in the natural reef lagoon. Encounter stunning coral cays, turtles, and more both underwater and above.
Booking quick links: GetYourGuide Operator
Day Tour to Lady Musgrave Island from Bundaberg
10 Hours (approx.) – Cruise from Burnett Heads to uncover the Great Barrier Reef & Lady Musgrave Island. Indulge in local lunch, snorkeling gear, & guided island walk.
Booking quick links: Operator
As a part of Capricornia Cays National Park, there is camping on the island for most of the year.
Lady Musgrave Island cruises are one of the best ways to pack in as much action as possible into a day trip to the island. Cruise boats moor alongside afloating pontoon known as ‘Reef Santuary’, a stone’s throw from the island. Cruises include such great activities as snorkelling in the lagoon, glass-bottom boat trips, guided walks, turtle and manta ray discovery, reef fishing and much more.
Wildlife
Playing host to an awesome variety of birdlife is a central forest of Pisonia trees, Lady Musgrave Island’s primary vegetation, with She-Oaks and Pandanus trees also featuring prominently in the island’s makeup.
White-capped Noddy Terns can be found nesting in the Pisonia Trees while the Silver Gulls, Bridled Terns, and Black-naped Terns nest nearer the beach on more open ground areas. Wedge-tailed shearwaters (Mutton Birds) also call the interior of the island home during the summer months, nesting in burrows.
Wading birds can be seen foraging on the reef from September to March. These migratory shorebirds include Ruddy Turnstones, Mongolian Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrels, and Grey-tailed Tattlers to name but a few.
Most notable of the non-birdlife are the Green and Loggerhead turtles, which nest on Lady Musgrave Island between November and February. The island is closed to campers from February to March to protect turtle hatchlings.
Leopard sharks and Whitetip Reef sharks hunt in the shallows around the island but aren’t a danger to humans.
Snorkelling enthusiasts will find Lady Musgrave Island one of the most rewarding destinations in the Great Barrier Reef, with a diverse variety of fish and coral species creating the perfect underwater setting.