The Lady Elliot lagoon lies on the eastern side of the island and is primarily a snorkelling site, described by the Oceanity guide as tidal dependent and ideal for beginning snorkellers. Friendly sea turtles are often found near Channel One, and the shallow reef flat and channels hold reef fish, giant clams, rays and small reef sharks. Access is from the beach at suitable tides rather than by the dive boat, and the resort's activities desk publishes the best snorkelling times each day.

It is not a scuba site. Snorkellers should enter and exit only through the recommended channels, avoid standing on coral, and stay out of the water when the tide is running out strongly. Published information on this site is limited to the Oceanity guide to Lady Elliot's 28 named sites, so depths and layout given here are estimates based on neighbouring sites; the resort dive team will brief the specifics.

All Lady Elliot sites lie within a Marine National Park (Green) Zone and are dived only with the resort's dive shop, on short boat rides of 10 minutes or less. Lady Elliot's reef is the southernmost part of the Great Barrier Reef, and its mix of sheltered western sand plains and exposed eastern walls means almost every site is within a few minutes of the next. Manta rays are most abundant from about May to August, humpback whales pass from July to October, and turtles nest on the island's beaches from November to March, so the same site can feel quite different depending on the season.

Lady Elliot Island is the southernmost coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef, about 80 km north-east of Bundaberg, and is reached only by the resort's light aircraft from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Brisbane (Redcliffe) or the Gold Coast (baggage limit about 15-16 kg, extra dive-gear weight bookable). The lagoon is on the island's eastern side, a short walk from the resort; enter from the beach through the recommended channel at the snorkelling times posted by the resort (tide dependent). No boat is needed and it is not a scuba site.

The island has a western (lee) side and an eastern (windward) side. Under the prevailing south-east trades the western sites (Lighthouse Bommies, Coral Gardens, the Severance) are sheltered and dived most days; the eastern wall sites (Blowhole, Tubes, Hiro's Cave) need light winds or a westerly/northerly. Swell over about 2 m from the south-east closes the eastern side, and strong northerlies (spring/summer) make the west choppy.

Tidal range is about 2-3 m; currents are strongest at the southern tip. Summer brings warmer water but more plankton and occasional cyclones (November-April). Eastern wall sites are dived only in light winds, westerlies or on calm days when the south-east swell has dropped.

Enter from the beach through the marked channel near the recommended tide time, snorkel along the channel edges and over the lagoon, and exit before the tide turns.

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort's PADI dive shop is the only operator: guided boat dives twice daily (early morning and afternoon, bookings open the day before), plus courses; boat rides are 10 minutes or less and all sites are moored. Day-trip packages from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and the Gold Coast include diving. The resort does not offer shore dives.