LIZARD ISLAND
Area: Queensland
Country: Australia


Location:
Most northerly of resort islands of Great Barrier Reef, 19 mls off N Queensland coast. 150 mls N of Cairns and its international airport.

Telephone code from UK:
61 7

Website:
http://www.lizardislandresort.com

Position:
Main island in Lizard group, together with Seabird Islet, South and Palfrey Islands. Despite being a continental rather than coral island, uniquely it is actually on reef and only 12 mls from its outer edge.

Description:
Roughly square and about 2» mls across, Lizard is steep and rocky with large granite boulders and outcrops protruding through the mainly grass and scrub vegetation; there are also mangrove swamps in the S and NW. The flora is unusual, as the mainland opposite and most of the islands to the S are covered in tropical rainforest. As well as lots of the large monitor lizards after which it is named, it is home to all sorts of birds, bats, snakes, butterflies and plants. It is also the site of a marine research station studying the unspoiled reef (a marine national park since 1939) which surrounds the whole group. The reef is famous for its extensive clam fields and is the venue of a major black-marlin fishing tournament each October.

Suitability:
Those prepared to pay for seclusion.

Accommodation:
Just 1 lodge hotel, which is strictly off limits to any other visitors to island.

Shopping:
Nothing except hotel boutique.

Beach:
As many as 24, all of fine white coral sand _ probably best of all resort islands. No facilities. Hotel guests use free outboard dinghies to reach them.

Entertainments:
Daytime: water sports, especially scuba diving and big-game fishing. Boat trips (including glass-bottomed) to other islands. Hikes including to Cook's Look, 1,200-ft peak of island from where the historic captain charted his escape passage through the reef into open ocean. Tours of the marine research station. Nightlife: flora and fauna information sessions. Beach barbecues.

Eating:
Eating in.

Public-transport:
None. No roads. Daily flights from Cairns.

Local-excursions:
See under "Entertainments".