| THE REEF-AT-FIRST-LIGHT
LADY ELLIOT ISLAND, GREAT BARRIER REEF
| A CORAL CAY ALIVE WITH DAWN-LIT MARINE MAGIC
There’s a moment just before the island wakes, when the water is glassy, the light is soft, and the reef feels entirely your own. This is Lady Elliot Island at first light, a remote coral cay on the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef where manta rays glide through the shallows and turtles patrol the reef before the day begins. From the moment your aircraft skims low over the reef and touches down, it’s clear this is not a standard island escape, but an experience shaped around rare access and perfect timing.
Through long-standing relationships with the island custodians, your forum quietly steps into spaces and moments that others never reach. Early-morning snorkelling unfolds before the day arrives, time stretches between coral gardens and open water, and evenings settle into stillness under one of Australia’s clearest night skies. It’s raw Great Barrier Reef immersion delivered with ease and quiet spaciousness, deeply natural and meticulously curated.
2-3 nights | Perfectly paced immersion
Year-round access | Chosen for conditions, not crowds
$4,000–$5,000 per person | All-inclusive
Low to moderate | Designed to be accessible
| WHAT’S TAKEN CARE OF
| PRIVATE ACCESS & CONNECTION
Private low-level Cessna Caravan flight to and from the island
Single-occupancy reefside accommodation
Private alfresco function space at The Boat Shed for shared times
Guided access with the Gash family, island custodians
| REEF IMMERSION & ADVENTURE
Private vessel for Great Barrier Reef snorkelling in protected zones
Night-time glass-bottom boat adventure
Breathwork and freediving sessions to extend underwater time
All water equipment provided
| MEALS & EASE
Privately catered meals throughout the stay
Drinks included, with barista-made coffee, refreshments and beverages
Starlink Wi-Fi available
Expedition design and access curated by Ben Southall
| LOCATION & ACCESS
Reaching Lady Elliot Island is part of the experience. Guests drive or fly to the Gold Coast, where an overnight stay near Coolangatta is arranged before an early-morning departure. From there, a short low-level flight over the reef delivers you directly to the island before the day begins, revealing the scale and colour of the Great Barrier Reef from the air.
From arrival to departure, every transition is handled with quiet precision. Logistics recede into the background, allowing your attention to stay exactly where it belongs, on the reef, the island and the experience unfolding around you.
| A NOTE FROM BEN
Lady Elliot Island is a place I’ve returned to time and time again, not just because of its beauty, but because of what’s possible here when you arrive at the right moment and with the right relationships in place. Over the years, I’ve built a deep connection with the island and its custodians, learning when the reef is at its most alive, where the quiet spaces are, and how to experience this place without disturbing its rhythm.
What I love most about Lady Elliot is that the real magic happens between the moments at first light in the water, in the stillness after the last boat leaves, and under the night sky when the island goes completely quiet. My role is to shape the experience, so those moments unfold naturally, without distraction or effort, allowing you to simply be present in one of the Great Barrier Reef’s most extraordinary settings.
MAKE LIFE YOUR
GREATEST ADVENTURE.
| OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES
For those forums that wish to go deeper, additional experiences can be woven seamlessly into the retreat, allowing the day to expand without losing its natural rhythm.
| BENEATH THE SURFACE
Explore Lady Elliot’s world-renowned dive sites, where exceptional visibility offers front-row views of vibrant coral gardens and an extraordinary density of marine life. For first-time divers, guided introductory dives provide a calm, supportive way to experience the reef from below the surface for the very first time.
| FROM ABOVE – SCENIC FLIGHT
Step back and take in the full scale of the Southern Great Barrier Reef with a low-level scenic flight, revealing sweeping coral patterns and shifting turquoise tones that are impossible to grasp from the water alone.
| CONSERVATION IN ACTION
Engage directly with the reef through hands-on conservation experiences. Join Project Manta to learn how researchers identify and track resident manta rays, or participate in ReefCheck citizen science surveys, contributing valuable data to global marine conservation efforts.
| NEXT STEPS
If this feels like the right experience for your forum, the next step is a simple conversation with Ben and the Best Life Adventures team. Availability is limited, and we can help shape the journey around the members attending.