Lizard sits 240 km north of Cairns, well past the point where mass tourism stops. The whole island is national park, except for one lodge, an airstrip, and a small Australian Museum research station. Twenty-four named beaches. The Cod Hole, one of the world's iconic dive sites, is a 30-minute boat ride away. Most guests don't see another visitor outside their lodge.
- State
- Queensland
- State capital
- Brisbane (1,800 km south)
- Indigenous name
- Jiigurru
- Traditional Owners
- Dingaal people
- Size
- 10 km², 5 km long
- Population
- ~50 (resort + research staff)
- Best time to visit
- April to Nov
How to get there
Charter flights only. East Air runs the regular service from Cairns, about an hour each way in a small aircraft. Flights are heavily tied to Lizard Island Resort guest schedules; independent visitors are extremely rare.
There's no ferry, no day trips, and no other accommodation. To go to Lizard, you book the resort. The minimum stay is two nights but most guests do four or five.
Approximate costs
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Charter flight return (per person, ex Cairns) | $880 |
| Lizard Island Resort (per night, garden room) | $2,200 to $3,200 |
| Lizard Island Resort (per night, beachfront villa) | $3,500 to $5,500 |
| Cod Hole / Ribbon Reefs day dive | $580 |
| Resort all-inclusive uplift (food & drink) | Included |
| 4-night package, two people, peak (typical) | $22,000+ |
Lizard Island Resort is consistently one of Australia's most expensive properties. Pricing includes all meals, most non-motorised activities, and snorkel gear.
What to do
Diving the Cod Hole
This is what serious divers come for. The Cod Hole, 30 minutes north of Lizard by boat, is famous for its resident potato cod, house-sized fish that have been documented at the site for decades. Divers enter the water and can be approached at metre-distance by large fish that show no fear. The Cod Hole has been ranked among the world's top 10 dive sites consistently since the 1980s.
The Ribbon Reefs
A series of long, narrow reef systems running parallel to the continental shelf, accessible from Lizard by day boat. The water clarity here is extraordinary, visibility 30+ metres is normal. Pelagic species (manta rays, dwarf minke whales in season) come close to the reef edge.
Cook's Look
The hike up to Cook's Look (368m) takes about 90 minutes return, climbing to the spot where Captain Cook climbed in 1770 to find a way out through the reef. The view across the island and out to the Ribbon Reefs is extraordinary. Take water, there's no shade.
Private beach picnic
The resort runs you out to one of the 23 other beaches in a small dinghy with a hamper. You're left for a few hours with snorkel gear and an icebox. They come back when arranged.
Minke whale season
Dwarf minke whales gather around the Ribbon Reefs from June to August, a phenomenon found nowhere else on Earth at this scale. Lizard runs special expeditions during this window where you can swim alongside them under regulated conditions.
When to visit
April to November is the dry season, comfortable temperatures, low humidity, no stingers in the open water. June to August is dwarf minke whale season. The water is at its clearest from August to October. Summer is hot, humid, with cyclone risk; the resort closes briefly for maintenance most years (typically February).
What to bring
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Mask, snorkel, fins (free hire from resort)
- Stinger suit (resort provides)
- Reef shoes
- Smart-casual evening wear
- Diving certification card if certified
- Underwater camera
- Hat, sunglasses
- Anti-nausea tablets for the small plane
- Walking shoes for Cook's Look
A bit of history
The island is the country of the Dingaal people, who knew it as Jiigurru. Archaeological surveys have established continuous Dingaal occupation extending back tens of thousands of years. Dingaal traditional owners are increasingly involved in conservation and tourism management on the island.
European contact came in 1770 when Captain Cook, having struck the reef and damaged the Endeavour, climbed the island's highest peak hoping to see a route through to open water. He named it Lizard Island for the goannas that ran across the rocks. The Cook's Look walk follows roughly the same route he took.
The first resort was a fishing camp established in the 1970s. The Cod Hole was discovered by recreational divers in the 1970s and quickly became internationally famous. The current resort was extensively damaged by Cyclone Ita in 2014 and Cyclone Nathan in 2015, closed for repairs for two years and reopened in 2017 as a substantially upgraded property.
The Australian Museum's Lizard Island Research Station has operated since 1973 and produces a steady stream of GBR research; you'll often meet visiting scientists in the resort's main lodge.
Where this is on the map
240 km north of Cairns, far northern GBR.
Other islands you might pair with this
Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays is the more accessible step-down. Heron Island on the southern reef offers a similarly intimate single-resort GBR feel at less stratospheric prices.