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Origin[edit]
Lady Elliot Island first appeared above sea level around 1500 BC as a coral rubble spit. It developed into a mature coral cay over the next 3,000 years. Lady Elliot had endured because bird droppings have hardened together with beach sediments into beachrock. The existence of concentric shingle ridges across the island provides evidence of its formation by progradation over several millennia as deposits were laid down during episodic storms.
First commercial venture[edit]
In 1805, first commercial venture on Lady Elliot Island was the collecting of bêche-de-mer. These animals were removed from the shallow water, dried and then smoked before being exported to South-East Asia. The industry petered out when there were no more sea cucumbers.
British discovery[edit]
Main article: Lady Elliot
In 1816, the island was officially discovered and named by Captain Thomas Stewart aboard the vessel Lady Elliot. on the way to Sydney in 1816. The Lady Elliot was a 353-tonne vessel that was built in Bengal and registered in Calcutta, India. On the return journey from Sydney, it was wrecked on a reef south of Cardwell in North Queensland, and that reef is called Lady Elliot Reef.
The ship was probably named after Anna Maria Elliot, the wife of Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto, a Scottish politician who was Governor-General of India between 1807 and 1813. Anna Maria (later Lady Elliot) was the daughter of Sir George Amyand, 1st Baronet. An alternative story suggests that it was named after Margaret, wife of Gilbert's brother, Hugh Elliot, a diplomat and Governor of Madras from September 1814 to June 1820. However, Hugh Elliot's wife was not a "Lady", as he was a career diplomat, was not knighted and did not inherit any titles of nobility.
Mining for guano[edit]
In 1863, Mr J. Askunas won tender from the Queensland Government to mine the island for guano for 300 pounds per annum for 10 years. The lease was transferred to William Crowther of Hobart on 23 August 1864. Crowther mined the island until the end of 1873. The guano was mined by Chinese and Malay workers and sent to mainland Australia and New Zealand. Over this period virtually all the trees were removed, as well as 3 feet of top soil and guano. In 1874, the guano mining ceased, but the damage to the vegetation of the island was absolute. It was not until 1966 that a revegetation program was undertaken by lighthouse staff. Their efforts were quickly rewarded, with the island re-emerging as a haven for all types of seabirds.
Lighthouse[edit]
Main article: Lady Elliot Island Light
The old Lady Elliot Island Light
The first lighthouse to be built on the island was constructed in 1866. It was the third lighthouse built in Queensland and the first to be built offshore on the Great Barrier Reef. The original structure was destroyed by a cyclone six years later. In 1873, another lighthouse was constructed, Lady Elliot Island Light. The lighthouse is on the National Heritage list because it is a timber-framed construction with a cast iron cladding, which was premade in England and shipped to the island in pieces. This lighthouse is 15 metres (49 ft) tall and shone out approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) to sea. The old lighthouse was used continuously until 1995 but became too short for the surrounding vegetation, which was interrupting the beam of light. At this time the Australian Maritime Safety Authority built a new light tower. It is 21 metres (69 ft) tall and its six light beams shine 40 kilometres (25 mi) out to sea. It is solar powered, fully automated and runs continuously.
The original lighthouse was placed on the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004. The Lady Elliot Island Lightstation Heritage Management Plan was developed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in March 2012 to protect, conserve and manage the Commonwealth Heritage values of the Lady Elliot Island lighthouse.
Airstrip and resort[edit]
In 1969, Don Adams (who later went on to found Seabird Aviation) built accommodation for the island, along with a grass air strip, which continues to be used in the 2020s. The resort provides guided activities on the island include reef walking, glass bottom boat trips, snorkel tours, island history tours, bird watching tours and turtle treks, when in season. Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort has also the highest level of ECO Certification program 'ECO Certified – Advanced Ecotourism' with Ecotourism Australia. Tourist services to the island are provided by Seair Pacific.
