Conservation

Protecting the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

LIZARD ISLAND – AUSTRALIA

Under Main Heading 1

Lizard Island is a unique destination in itself, but we love this resort because conservation and education underpins all they do.

The most northerly island resort of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, 240km north of Cairns and 27km off the Queensland coastline, surrounded by 3,000 individual reef systems that make up the Great Barrier Reef. The island was declared a National Park in 1927, the waters surrounding the island were declared a Marine Park in 1974, Lizard Island is a founding member of the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef.

Immersive Education

With education of staff and guests as a core focus, Lizard Island Resort provides guests with an abundance of opportunities to explore, and be educated about, the reef and the National Park with the resort’s resident expert naturalists. There is nowhere better to gain an understanding of the intricacies surrounding the protection and nurturing of the reef than here when you have it on your doorstep with leading marine biologists.

ON LAND: naturalists lead guided walks, sharing the island’s natural and cultural heritage, respecting its indigenous history and visiting European historical sites such as Cook’s Look, named after Captain James Cook.

UNDER WATER: beneath the ocean’s surface, Lizard Island’s dive instructors and guides provide detailed interpretations of the reef systems, as well as providing ‘real-life’ illustrations of the challenges now facing the Barrier Reef.


LIZARD ISLAND RESEARCH STATION

Research Combo

Most importantly, the resort works closely with, and supports, the Lizard Island Research Station, a facility of the Australian Museum which is widely recognised as one of the major island-based research facilities on the Great Barrier Reef. The Station conducts approximately 100 research projects annually, including ground-breaking studies into conservation and threats such as coral bleaching and the Crown of Thorns starfish, both of which have had adverse impacts on the Great Barrier Reef over recent years.

Guests can visit the Research Station and personally speak to marine scientists from around the world who share their knowledge about the health of the marine environment, their studies and what potentially can be done to safeguard the future of this diverse ecosystem. This is knowledge that can help us when making decisions on how we live our lives.

TOURISM IMPACT: The Environmental Management Charge fee of $21pppn goes directly towards the conservation and protection of the Great Barrier Reef, providing a steady flow of funds to the centre. With a maximum capacity of 42 guests, even if the resort was, on average, half full, the Environmental Management Charge Fee donates $160,965 each year to the centre. It really does all add up!

Click HERE to watch a short video on the essential work that happens at Lizard Island Research Station with the support of the funds provided by guests at Lizard Island Resort.


And Finally…Good to Know: Being located on a National Park and surrounded by a Marine Park, Lizard Island Resort has an exemplary environmental commitment. Sourcing 90% of their food from local suppliers, all cleaning products are environmentally sensitive and the use of bio digestors to eliminate the need to transport food waste to the mainland all contribute to reducing their impact on the ecosystem.

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To visit Lizard Island or learn more about their Marine Research, get in touch to start planning your journey

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