Meet The Turtles Of The Great Barrier Reef

Explore the turtles of Lady Musgrave Island & Lady Musgrave Lagoon.

Departing from the Town of 1770.

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All Tours ➔

Snorkelling with Turtles

Explore the island’s vibrant coral lagoon, where you can snorkel and encounter Green and Leatherback turtles resting on coral bommies.

Turtles Cleaning Stations

Explore the fascinating behaviour of turtles at cleaning stations!

Nesting Observation

During the nesting season, you may see turtles as they come ashore to lay their eggs, a fascinating and educational experience.

Island Walk ➔

Seeing Turtles via Glass Bottom Boat

One of the best ways to observe the turtles around Lady Musgrave Island is through a glass bottom boat tour.

Activity Details ➔

Turtle Encounters

At 1770 Reef we cannot guarantee what marine life we will see on our day tour to Lady Musgrave Island . However daily turtle encounters are an everyday norm. If we go a single trip without seeing a turtle this would be most unusual.

What types of turtle?

Lady Musgrave Island and Lagoon hosts 3 out of the 7 species of sea turtle. The Green Sea turtle, the Hawksbill and the Loggerhead.

Green – The most common seen are the Greens who also nest on the Island during the warmer months. We love greens due to their relaxed nature in the water and the almost total disregard for us.

Hawksbill – Hawksbill turtles used to be quite rare due to previously being hunted for their decorative shells. They tend to be a bit more skittish and shy in the water than the greens but are now almost a daily sighting.

Loggerhead – Once used to be a regular and common sighting. However a slight decline has been notice in the last few years. This may potentially be caused by negative human impact as they predominantly nest on the mainland.

Tips On How To Snorkel With A Turtle

Our top number one tip is to visit Lady Musgrave Island on a day tour with 1770 Reef.
Maximise your snorkel time. If you prefer to be under the water than looking down on it, you can skip the glass bottom boat tour and dive in straight away.
Slow it down. You’d be suprised how much you miss and scare away when you’re swimming around fast.
When you see a turtle stay calm and slow down. Fast swimming or approaching the turtle will scare it away.
If a turtle is approaching you stop moving and stay still. More than likely it will come over to you to say hello.
NEVER touch a turtle. Not only will this scare the turtle, it may bite you.
Ask the crew about the turtle cleaning stations. These are certain area on the reef where the turtles stop to get cleaned by other fish.
Most turtle encounters happen when you least expect it, so take some time to enjoy the whole reef and snorkelling experience.