natures calendar
NATURES CALENDAR, LADY MUSGRAVE ISLAND
Nature’s Calendar
All year round, Lady Musgrave Island and Lagoon is a nature lover’s paradise beaming with a vast array of wildlife and marine life above and below the surface. There’s something for everyone to see and do no matter what time of the year you visit. Take a look at our nature’s calendar below for an overview of what you can expect to see on the Great Barrier Reef for your next trip!
January
An exciting start to the year with new life being welcomed. Mother turtles continue to nest as well as thousands of baby turtles hatching on Lady Musgrave Island. This is an amazing sight to see and a bucket-list thing to do. As turtles generally nest at sunset and hatch at sunset or sunrise, turtle tours are only available for Lady Musgrave HQ accommodation guests. January is also peak-breeding season for Reef Herons on the island.
| Average Rainfall | 196mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 26.5c | Max 30.5c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 23.6c | Max 29.5c |
February
Turtle hatchlings continue to swarm the shores of Lady Musgrave Island so February is a great month to book your overnight sleep on the reef experience on Lady Musgrave HQ to witness this natural wonder on a sunset turtle tour. Island bird life remains active with shearwater chicks hatching.
| Average Rainfall | 136mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 26.5c | Max 29.5c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 23.6c | Max 28.5c |
March
The best months to catch turtles hatching is not quite over yet. Lady Musgrave HQ guests can join our turtle tours as an optional activity at sunset to watch hatchlings erupt and make their way to the reef. Birds still nesting on Lady Musgrave Island, including the Buff-banded Rail and the Black Noddy Tern.
| Average Rainfall | 155.9mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 23.3c | Max 29c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 25.6c | Max 28c |
April
Most of the Noddy Terns depart the island. Young Wedgetailed Shearwater birds (Puffinus Pacificus) leave their burrows. Adult Shearwater leave the island.
| Average Rainfall | 79.0mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 21.6c | Max 27.3c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 23.0c | Max 26c |
May
We’re coming into peak manta ray season from May to August! Join us for an Adventure Outer Reef Double Dive and experience a more diverse underwater world teeming with larger pelagics and a vast array of marine life. Young Wedgetailed Shearwaters can be seen flying on Lady Musgrave Island.
| Average Rainfall | 135.8mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 19.4c | Max 24.4c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 19.5c | Max 23.0c |
June
Swim with turtles and learn more about the different coral species in the lagoon and become a Marine Bio for a Day, or try and spot the elusive mandarinfish! If you don’t want to get in the water you don’t have to, experience the marine life from our glass bottom boat on our Day Tour. Lady Musgrave HQ accommodation guests can join an afternoon snorkel safari to swim with manta rays on the outer reef of the lagoon and learn more about the diverse marine life.
| Average Rainfall | 145mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 16.9c | Max 21.0c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 19.0c | Max 22.0c |
July
Humpback whale migration begins and can be spotted on the Southern Great Barrier Reef on our whale watching tours from July to October. Humpback whales are creatures that undertake one of the longest migrations in the animal kingdom, all the way from Antarctica to the tropics. The Great Barrier Reef is right on their migration route and is a popular stopping and resting point for these incredible creatures.
| Average Rainfall | 90.5mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 16.2c | Max 21.0c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 18.0c | Max 23.0c |
August
Make the most of this month with so much wildlife happening. Manta rays can be spotted on an Adventure Outer Reef Dive, swim with turtles and abundant coral species in the lagoon, or get up close and personal with the amazing humpback whales on a Whale Watching Tour. Make the most of your Great Barrier Reef adventure with a 2 Day Reef + Whale Package.
| Average Rainfall | 45.7mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 16.6c | Max 22.3c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 20.0c | Max 23.0c |
September
It’s the beginning of spring and the weather is starting to warm up. Humpback whales remain active and sighted along the Humpback Highway on our Whale Watching Tours. Black Noddy Terns are now returning to the island and will commence nesting.
| Average Rainfall | 29.2mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 17.8c | Max 21.2c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 20.0c | Max 24.0c |
October
Whales will now begin to head back to the Antarctic with their calves so this is your last chance to catch humpback whales up close for the season. Black Noddies, Wedgetailed Shearwaters and Resident Silver Eyes will be on Lady Musgrave island to nest.
| Average Rainfall | 43.5mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 19.7c | Max 26.4c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 19.0c | Max 26.0c |
November
Every year between November to January, hundreds of mother turtles make their way up to the shores of Lady Musgrave Island to nest. Our turtle haven is home to resident Green, Loggerhead and even the endangered Hawskbill turtles. Book your sleep on the reef experience to catch mother’s laying their eggs on the island on our turtle tours. Coral Spawning may occur where corals simultaneously reproduce on the Great Barrier Reef.
| Average Rainfall | 54.1mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 21.4c | Max 27.5c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 22.0c | Max 28.5c |
December
Wildlife is extremely active on and below the surface Lady Musgrave Island in December. Numerous Black Noddy Tern chicks can be seen and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are laying eggs in their burrows which can be seen on the guided island walks on our Day Tour. Mother turtles continue to lay their eggs on Lady Musgrave Island and coral spawning may occur!
| Average Rainfall | 77.3mm | |
| Average Temperature | Min 22.9c | Max 29.4c |
| Average Water Temperature | Min 21.0c | Max 25.5c |