What’s Ahead

The revegetation journey at Lady Elliot Island is far from over. Over the next three years, the focus will shift to some of the island’s most challenging but ecologically important zones:

• Northwest Trail Shrublands: This area was once overrun by dense monocultures of invasive Lantana and Dwarf Poinsettia. Targeted weed removal and native shrub planting are already underway, with encouraging signs of seabird return. The goal is to restore open shrubland habitat that supports both ground-nesting birds and resilient vegetation communities.
• Coastal Stabilisation Zones: Native plantings along exposed coastlines will continue to stabilise sandy soils, reduce erosion, and protect nesting beaches for green and loggerhead turtles. These coastal buffers also provide important corridors for wildlife and are critical for the island’s long-term climate resilience.
• Nursery Expansion and Diversification: The on-island nursery remains the heart of the restoration work. Upcoming projects include expanding seed collection from nearby cays to further increase genetic diversity, trialling new propagation techniques for hard-to-grow species, and enhancing the infrastructure to support long-term operations.

These next steps are guided by real-time monitoring and adaptive management. With science-backed strategies and ongoing community support, we’re scaling up what works to achieve even greater impact.