Here's how you can go glamping on the Great Barrier Reef

Queensland has plenty of gorgeous glamping options dotted amongst our country, coast and outback, but why not take your next sleeping under the stars experience to a new sea level, by glamping on the Great Barrier Reef.

Lady Elliot Island

A swoon-worthy canvas condo tip-toeing just steps away from the luminescent Lady Elliot Lagoon. Find yourselves castaway on the outer fringe of the eco-resort, privately shrouded amongst native vegetation, which in season doubles as a habitat for thousands of nesting seabirds. Inside, a queen size bed floats in the middle of a spacious master with a private ensuite and through large glass sliding doors, an equally private deck area steps right onto the coral encrusted beach and then into the blue.

While it’s tempting to settle in, outside a thriving hive of native wildlife awaits. Join island ecology and history walks along with beach-combing and fish feeding sessions beside marine biologists. Don your snorkel, flippers and dive gear to explore some of Queensland’s most vibrant coral reefs. And meet Lady Elliot’s famous majestic Manta Rays, whales, white-tipped reef sharks, turtles and more on a spinning seasonal schedule, which if you can align your stay with, will make this glamping trip one of your most magical yet. Flights to Lady Elliot depart from Gold Coast, Brisbane, Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.

Lady Musgrave Island

Regarded by many as one of the Southern Great Barrier Reef’s most picturesque lagoons. Lady Musgrave Island has a protective 8 km barrier of coral gardens encircling the tiny emerald topped coral cay, making it a protected oasis for snorkelers and divers to explore.

Alongside the calm and clear waters offering an aquarium-like home to fish, coral and larger marine life including sea turtles, sharks, manta rays and dolphins, the lagoon also now boasts one of the newest glamping experiences on the Great Barrier Reef.

The eco-credentialed Lady Musgrave Experience's Pontoon offers eight glamping tents billowing in the breeze on the upper deck with double beds, quality linen and a range of inclusive provisions so as a guest you can simply relax as you merge between sea, sky, stars and sleep. An underwater observatory allows more reef gazing and should you wish to trade your floating palace for land, there are shore excursions with a marine biologist where in season you’ll witness a cacophony of nesting sea birds and perhaps a burst of tiny turtles following turtle nesting season too.

Wilson Island

With its tiny 5.4 hectare footprint dusted in sand and surrounded by turquoise waters teeming with marine life, there are few more idyllic playgrounds than Wilson Island. Pin-dropped on the Southern Great Barrier Reef like an emerald jewel, you’ll retreat within a small cluster of nine adult-only glamping cocoons beside neighbours including seasonal birds and turtles.

Busyness will be swept out to sea in preference for rest, revival and rekindling. And between sessions under the surface where you’ll hover over colourful coral, drift through clouds of iridescent fish and from close range see just how chill turtles really are, return to shore to indulge in gourmet cuisine or opt for a seaside picnic before dozing in hammocks rocking in the sea breeze.

As night falls, the moon and stars spotlight the beach, guiding nesting turtles to deposit clutches of eggs in the sand that in weeks will erupt with tiny turtle hatchlings. When your exhilarating wildlife watching is complete, return to a king bed dressed in organic linens as your private canvas boudoir gently sings to the sound of the wind with the waves in accompaniment as you drift off to sleep. A short boat ride from nearby Heron Island where you can helicopter from Gladstone or join the ferry launch departing and returning multiple times per week from the harbour.

Reef Sleep

40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach and immersed in 50 shimmering shades of blue, Cruise Whitsundays Reef Sleep floats beside one of over 2,900 individual reefs spanning over 2,300 kilometres of the largest living structure on Earth. If you’ve been before, visit again, as a stunning 10 million dollar refurbishment just a few years ago upgraded the reef sleep experience to include a collection of glamorous caramel coloured cocoons that nestle on the pontoon’s upper deck. By day, laze reef side in shaded comfort between meals and energetic bouts of snorkelling. With options to join the dive team, take a guided snorkel with a marine biologist, jump on board the semi-submersible or see the reef from the skies in a scenic helicopter ride - your time can be as busy or leisurely as you wish.

While day guests will share the pontoon with you during the day, when they depart, you, and a select few others, have the beguiling Hardy Reef to yourselves. After a snorkel, toast to your good fortune over sundowners watching the sun sink into the sea beside a glowing blue bar on the upper deck, or return to your cocoon to snuggle. A visit to the underwater observatory at night will reveal the Giant resident Queensland Grouper George and some of his bigger fishy friends, and on return to the deck, be dazzled by the night skies filled with stars before drifting off to sleep listening to the sound of the ocean being tickled by the wind.