The coral mosaic on the ocean floor off Lady Elliot Island in the Pacific Ocean. ▲
Lady Elliot Island surrounded by lagoon, a view from the Cessna aurcraft.
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Manta ray. Manta rays can grow up to seven metres in width and can be massive, but they are gentle despite their size. ▲
Manta Ray. ▲
Schooling fish.
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A giant fish off the island shore. ▲
A grouper fish.
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The ocean floor is vibrant with a profusion of sea life.
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Schooling fish. Each coral head has a compact colony of individual polyps. The polyps are withdrawn during the day to escape predatory fish such as parrotfish, butterfly fish, sea slugs and angel fish, which feed on them.
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Hawksbill turtle. ▲
Giant clam. The clam leaks colour when stressed.
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Giant clam that leaks colour when stressed. ▲
A fossilised sea creature on the island.
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A rich coral forest. There are several “bommies”, or isolated hard coral reefs, off the island. Despite their rocky appearance, hard corals are also living organisms much like their soft counterparts. ▲
Tropical vegetation on the island.
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Unique coral island vegetation.
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A star fish on the reef.
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Noddy tern. The island did not have any birds until 1970. Afforestation work undertaken by the Queensland government brought nesting sea- and shorebirds to the island in huge numbers. ▲
The lighthouse on the island.
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