The only way to and from Lady Elliot is by air, aboard a 19 passenger twin-engine Otter. Flights leave from Bundaberg or Hervey Bay and there are morning and afternoon flights. There is no boat access to the Island because of the delicate coral reef. We were met by a member of the resort staff for an orientation.
Leaving all our luggage on the plane for someone else to worry about, we walked through the main part of the resort and learned where everything was located. We passed the dive shop, the Resort Store, Registration, the pool and the Bistro; walked through the Education Center, the Dining Room and the Bar. Then, as a group, proceeded to the accommodations area where we were each shown our "new home" and given a time to register.
By the time we made our way back to Registration, then back to our unit, our luggage had been delivered and placed inside for us. We were invited to the bar that evening before dinner for a "Welcome Drink".
The Island is divided down the middle by the grass airstrip. All resort facilities are located in one corner, the lighthouse and staff accommodations opposite corner and the balance of the island remains natural.
The capacity of the Resort is limited to 105 guests and is supported by 22 staff members, most are extremely knowledgeable about the island and the creatures of the air and the sea.
The Education Center is a large classroom facility, with wonderful plant and wildlife displays all around, a large television and video tapes on Australia, and its wildlife, plant life, and the creatures of the sea. There were scheduled movies in the afternoons, a popular place for families with younger children. No one seemed to miss the absence of video or computer games, even the kids.
Included in the resort fee was snorkeling equipment for our entire stay and a ride on the glass-bottom boat. There was a charge to go out on the snorkeling boat of $5.00 per person; however, you can snorkel right off the shore.
Each day, a list of the events was posted in the Education Center. It included nature walks with the experts, movies times, departures for the diving and snorkeling boats, lectures, happy hour or social events, such as trivia night, fish feeding times-everything you need to plan your day.
One evening after dinner, we wanted to check out the night sky and walked out to the center of the runway. Standing on the grass runway, with the resort at our back, we could look to up and down the runway and see the beach and water on both ends, emphasizing the size of the island. Looking up, with no lights to interfere with the natural star-lit sky, we located the Southern Cross and experienced the sense of knowing exactly where on the planet we were. It was a beautiful site - trees, sand, waves and stars.