Meet the site
Lighthouse Bommies is the most famous dive at Lady Elliot Island and the one most visitors come for. Off the island's western side, near the historic lighthouse, a group of small bommies covered in coral and sponges rises from sand at about 14 m. The resort calls it a virtual truck-stop for manta rays, and whole dives can be spent watching the activity around this one site. The bommies host cleaner wrasse that service reef manta rays, which hover and loop over the coral heads, sometimes performing acrobatic displays. Lady Elliot is known for its resident manta population, including individuals recognised over decades, and the peak season is roughly May to August, although mantas are seen in most months. Around the bommies, garden eels rise from the sand, cowtail rays and shovelnose rays rest nearby, and schools of glassfish shelter in the coral. Green turtles feed in the soft coral beds, and trevally, batfish, sweetlips, coral trout and groper are common. Leopard sharks are also recorded on the sand. The site is shallow, sheltered in the prevailing south-easterlies and very easy, so it suits new divers and snorkellers as well as photographers. The key to good encounters is behaviour: stay low, keep still, avoid blocking the cleaning stations and let the mantas approach. Lighthouse Bommies is also a gateway to neighbouring sites: Forty Five, a single bommie on a mooring angled south-west of the Lighthouse, and the Scattered Bommies between here and the Severance wreck, both of which share the manta traffic.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Lighthouse Bommies (Lady Elliot Island) is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Lady Elliot Island. The listed access is boat (day trip). Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Lighthouse Bommies (Lady Elliot Island) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Lighthouse Bommies (Lady Elliot Island) through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Reef manta rays (cleaning station), cleaner wrasse, garden eels, cowtail rays, shovelnose rays, leopard sharks, trevally, glassfish schools, green turtles, batfish, sweetlips, coral trout, groper
Location
A group of small coral- and sponge-covered bommies at about 14 m off the western side near the lighthouse; the centre of Lady Elliot's manta ray activity and the island's best-known site.
Facilities nearby
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort: PADI dive shop (gear hire, courses, fills), rinse area, lockers; resort restaurant, bar and accommodation. Island access by resort flights only.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
ladyelliot.com.auoceanity.com.audivernet.commarinelife.org.audiversiondivetravel.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
