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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Cod Hole location page.
Overview
A 45 hectare coral cay at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, 80 km off Bundaberg, ringed by fringing reef that drops onto bommies, ledges and sand channels in 5 to 25 m. Lady Elliot is the largest known reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) aggregation in eastern Australia, accounting for roughly 70 percent of east coast sightings. The signature dive is Lighthouse Bommie on the eastern reef — coral heads in 14 to 16 m where mantas queue at cleaner wrasse stations from May through September. Green and loggerhead turtles rest in the soft coral beds, leopard sharks pulse over the sand in summer, and humpback whales pass through the offshore channel on the southern migration. The Blowhole on the east side is an L shaped cave entering at 14 m and dropping out the wall around 22 m.
Briefing note
Inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Green Zone. No flash photography or strobes at manta cleaning stations; maintain 3 m distance and stay below the mantas, never above them. Daily visitor numbers are capped. Loggerhead nesting on the beach November through February, hatchlings emerge January through April — no torches on the beach at night during these months.
What you'll see
6 species curated- year-roundReef manta rayPeak: May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- year-roundGreen turtlePeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- seasonalLoggerhead turtlePeak: Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
- seasonalLeopard sharkPeak: Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr
- seasonalHumpback whalePeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- year-roundGrey reef sharkPeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26–28 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Feb | 26–28 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Mar | 25–27 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Apr | 24–26 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| May | 22–25 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Jun | 21–23 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Jul | 19–22 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Aug | 19–22 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Sep | 20–23 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Oct | 22–25 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Nov | 24–26 °C | 20–25 m | mild |
| Dec | 25–27 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- 5mm or 7mm wetsuit — Water drops to 19 C in July and August during the peak manta season; the resort hires 5 mm suits but a 7 mm is more comfortable on repetitive dives.
- Reef hook (optional) — Not allowed at the manta cleaning stations — divers must stay flat on the sand and observe from a distance to avoid disturbing the queue.
Next step
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