Lady Musgrave Island

Lady Musgrave Island is a 14 ha coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef, with a 1192 ha surrounding reef. The island is the second island in the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands (with the first being Lady Elliot Island), and is most easily reached from the town of 1770, Queensland, located on approximately 5 hours north of Brisbane.Lady Musgrave Island, and the immediate surrounds, is a national park and can be reached by excursion boat from the Town of 1770.

The island is named for the wife of Sir Anthony Musgrave, a colonial governor of Queensland.

Environmental aspects

The island has no fresh water supply, so visitors need to bring all fresh drinking water. A composting toilet is available on the island.

Pisonia ("Pisonia grandis") trees are the primary vegetation, with She-Oaks and Pandanus ("Pandanus tectorius") trees forming most of the remaining percentage.

Camping is allowed for up to 40 people at a time, with some restrictions (eg: no open fires), and must be booked. Camping can be booked up to 11 months in advance and is recommended that you do so, especially during school holidays. The island is closed to all campers in the months of February and March to protect turtle hatchlings. More information can be found at https://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks/iaparks/gds/IAGDS030.do#Lady%20Musgrave%20Island%20campground. Camping permits can be obtained for a small fee online. Campers can bring their own dive compressors (can only be run from 9 am to 6 pm). Generators are NOT allowed.

The daily (subject to weather) tourist boat from 1770 can resupply campers with prearranged supplies.

As the island is well outside the light cone of coastal cities, the stargazing is spectacular, with nightly meteor showers not uncommon.

The extreme edges of the coral lagoon should generally be avoided during tidal inflow and outflow, as the pull can be quite strong. There is an old legend involving a legless man and a widow who died there. It is rumored to be haunted by their ghosts.

Wildlife

There are an enormous number of birds on the island. White-capped Noddy Terns nest in abundance in the Pisonia trees whilst Bridled Terns, Black-naped Terns and Silver Gulls nest on the ground in more open areas nearer the beach. The carcasses of Noddy Tern chicks that fall out of nests or adults that become tangled in the sticky Pisonia seeds are quickly devoured by centipedes and the nutrients eventually returned to the soil. From December to May, migratory Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, colloquially known as 'mutton birds', nest in burrows in the interior of the island and their mournful wails can be heard at night. These birds are readily seen along the forest walk at night and precaution must be taken to not stray from the path as the burrows easily collapse under the weight of a person. From September to March, migratory shorebirds such as Ruddy Turnstone, Grey-tailed Tattler, Wandering Tattler, Bar-tailed Godwit, Pacific Golden Plover and Lesser Sand Plover can be seen foraging on the reef flat at low tide. Buff-banded Rails, white and grey phases of the Eastern Reef Egret, Pied Oystercatchers, Sooty Oystercatchers and silvereyes are resident on the island year-round.

The island is a nesting place for Green and Loggerhead turtles, and there is usually a turtle-research representative camping on the island during nesting and hatching times.

Small Whitetip reef sharks and Leopard sharks can often be found hunting in the shallows around the island. These species are not dangerous to humans, and are fascinating to watch.

Green and leatherback turtles can be spotted resting on coral bommies, and the coral lagoon is a haven for a multitude of fish and coral species, and a spectacular destination for anyone interested in snorkeling.