What is the Great Barrier Reef’s southernmost coral cay?

Lady Elliot Island is the southernmost coral cay of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. It lies near the southern end of the reef system, about 80 kilometres northeast of Bundaberg in Queensland.

The island is a small coral cay formed from reef-derived materials, including coral fragments and sand. Unlike a continental island, it was built on a coral reef platform rather than being a high piece of mainland rock. Its position gives it an important place in descriptions of the reef’s geographic range.

Lady Elliot Island supports coral reefs, lagoons, beaches and seabird habitat. Green turtles and loggerhead turtles use the island and nearby waters, while manta rays, reef fish and many seabirds are commonly associated with the surrounding marine environment.

The island is sometimes confused with Heron Island, another well-known southern Great Barrier Reef cay. Heron Island is also an important research and tourism site, but Lady Elliot Island is the reef’s southernmost coral cay in standard geographic descriptions.