In the late 1800s, Lady Elliot Island was extensively mined for guano — the nutrient-rich droppings of seabirds, prized at the time as a powerful natural fertiliser.

To extract it, workers cleared the island’s native vegetation and scraped away the topsoil, leaving the landscape bare and stripped of life. Once the guano was removed, the operation ended, but the damage remained.

This short but intensive period of mining caused long-term impacts — destroying seabird nesting habitat, eroding the island’s soil, and halting natural regeneration.

Goats were also introduced to the island, furtherpreventing vegetation growth.

It marked the beginning of a century-long ecological decline that only recent restoration efforts have begun to reverse.

The island sat bare and desolate until tourism began in the 1960s, paving the way for the remarkable transformation we see today.