If a luxury island resort is defined by elegant accommodation, exceptional dining and gracious hospitality, and refined by seclusion, space to roam and access to a pristine natural environment, then Lizard Island Resort is its embodiment. Located on the edge of the warm waters of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, the property has 40 rooms and villas, some strung along an arc of sandy beach, in a 1,000ha national park.
In deference to the dazzling blues, greens and golds of the natural landscape, the understated resort interiors are decked out in neutral tones and natural fibres, with more than a casual nod to tropical Australian architecture. Glass doors open wide, drawing in natural light and cooling tropical breezes, while deep verandahs provide spectacular views of the lagoon and beach.
There is The Pavilion – a confection of light and space with private plunge pool and uninterrupted views. The House, one of Australia’s most exclusive escapes, is set apart from the main resort with three suites, two private beaches, a separate cottage and its own chef, guides, host and a tailored itinerary.
At the resort’s open-air Salt Water restaurant, chefs curate daily-changing menus with personal twists on modern Australian with Asian influences, but will readily prepare a degustation banquet or light snack to suit personal tastes. They source the finest meats and freshest tropical and native ingredients from the north Queensland hinterland, while the fish often come straight from one of the resort’s sport fishing boats. Many of the wines are sourced from Australia’s – and the world’s – best boutique vineyards.
A spa, gym, pool and yoga are part of a renewed focus on developing a diverse range of wellness experiences.
However, it’s what lies beyond the resort’s perimeter that is Lizard’s most precious asset. The vibrant palette and mesmerising diversity of the Reef – with an estimated 1,500 species of fish and 300 species of coral – is just steps from your door. Snorkel, stand-up paddleboard or kayak on the smooth waters of Anchor Bay, or walk to deserted Watsons Bay to swim with turtles and float above giant clams and coral gardens. Or take a motorised dinghy and a picnic hamper to one of 24 beaches, where yours will be the only footprints.
The island rises in hues of ochre and sage to a rocky elevation of 359 metres. A hike to the summit of Cook’s Look – from where Captain James Cook sought a path through the maze of reefs in 1770 – reveals an expansive view, illuminating the island’s splendid isolation at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. The island is important to the Dingaal Aboriginal people, and shell middens are evidence of thousands of years of habitation.
Beyond the lagoon and fringing reefs, the resort’s two Riviera boats (three in marlin season) provide access to the world’s richest sport fishing grounds.
A custom-designed dive boat transports guests to some of the Reef’s best dive sites, such as Cod Hole, where divers may come face to face with a 100kg potato cod.
There is plenty of opportunity to learn about the island’s natural heritage, with plans to expand the range of bespoke nature experiences with specialist guides (taking inspiration from African safaris), and to work even more closely with the Lizard Island Research Station, which has been conducting reef studies on the island for more than 30 years.
“There’s really nowhere else like Lizard – it’s a privilege to be here,” says general manager and industry veteran Mark Leslie. “Our job is about protecting it more than anything: doing the right thing for the Reef and for those who visit it.”
