Learn about Lady Musgrave Island and Lagoon in the Great Barrier Reef

Day cruise passengers will travel in Airconditioned Comfort
onboard our 17 metre Jetboat MV Discovereef
Scuba Diving, Afternoon Reef Fishing and Camping Transfers are currently unavailable.

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Lady Musgrave Island & Lagoon

Lady Musgrave Island & Unique Coral Lagoon - HAS IT ALL!! Great Barrier Reef & Island, Colourful Corals, Marine Life, Turtles, Flora & Fauna
It's where the reef begins.

Lady Musgrave Island is certainly one of the most beautiful coral cays and lagoons of the Great Barrier Reef. Its colourful underwater world is a haven for snorkeling and scuba divers. Even for those not so familiar with the aquatic environment, a trip with our glass bottom boat to the island itself is an unforgettable experience.

Lady Musgrave Island is located just 52m north of Bundaberg, and is the second southern most islands on the Great Barrier Reef. With The Spirit of 1770 you can cruise in sheer comfort aboard our new purpose built 22 meter Catamaran which provides an excellent ride in aircraft style seating on the main deck and upper decks. Our vessel is fully air-conditioned with forced fresh air vents for passenger comfort while traveling at sea.

Lady Musgrave Island & Lagoon is a true coral cay with an unspoiled island and unique coral lagoon on the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Lady Musgrave National Park is a tropical paradise abundant in Pisonia forests and bird life. The island is set on 3000 acres of living reef with a deep water coral lagoon which is unique to the entire Great Barrier Reef Region.

The Spirit of 1770 enters the calm waters of the coral lagoon to moor only 200 meters from the island. This provides a protected haven for all age groups to explore the wonders of a living reef eco-system and the colourful variety of marine life - all in one great day!

We have been operating day cruises for over 16 years and take pride in offering a value for money product, good food and great service.

Snorkeling is one of the best ways to view the incredible underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef!

Lady Musgrave Island is the second southern most island on the Great Barrier Reef, so the fish and corals you will see are amazing. Snorkeling in the safe and calm waters enables you to experience the magic and beauty of the colourful underwater life. Lady Musgrave Island offers some of the best snorkeling in Queensland.

The clear blue water is filled with over 1200 varieties of brilliantly coloured marine fish and over 200 species of both hard and soft corals. The lagoon of Lady Musgrave Island is unique to the Great Barrier Reef. It is formed by a huge - 8 nautical miles circle of coral wall which protects the inner lagoon.

History

Lady Musgrave Island was chartered in 1843, though its location was known earlier from the explorations of a Captain Bunker who gave its name to this part of the reef. The island was named after Janine, the American born wife of a Queensland Governor, Sir Anthony Musgrave.

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Early Mining History about Lady Musgrave

Stan Bells impression of Lady Musgrave Island after an absence of 45 1/2 years

Story about Lady Musgrave Island

Nesting Turtles

Lady Musgrave is an important nesting site for both green and loggerhead turtles, with green turtles being more common. Nesting usually occurs at night during high tide, with the main season from late November to January. Hatchlings emerge from nests in the sand from about mid - January until late March, mostly from late afternoon to midnight.

Green turtles are under threat throughout the world. The rookeries of Queensland are some of the few protected areas left for these gentle animals to nest. They and their nests are fully protected by law.

Vegetation

Around the cay’s edge exposed to wind and salt spray grows a fringe vegetation of plants such as casuarinas, pandanus, argusia and scaevola. They protect the shady pisonia forest on the inner part of the island. Pisonia Grandis, the islands most common tree, can be recognised by its broad light green leaves and soft wood. Pisonias are well adapted for island life, with an ability to regenerate from fallen trunks or limbs. During summer they
produce large numbers of sticky seed clusters, which stick to birds feathers and are thus transported between islands.