📍What To Take To Lady Musgrave Island: Remote Camping On The Spectacular Great Barrier Reef Coral Cay. (2025.)
HEADING TO LADY MUSGRAVE AND WANT TO KNOW WHAT GEAR TO TAKE FROM THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE TIME?
No seascape is more remarkable and revered than the iconic Great Barrier Reef. Occupying a monumental 348,700 km² of ocean real estate off sunny Queensland’s breathtaking coastline, it is by far and away, the world’s most expansive and abundantly rich and biodiverse marine ecosystem. This is thanks to its countless coloured reefs and spectacular islands that dot the Coral Sea from the very northernmost tip of Cape York, all the way down to Bundaberg, stretching a distance of around 2,300 km in a straight line!
And close to the very bottom of that lies one of its most famous destinations: Lady Musgrave Island. This gorgeous place is the biosphere’s second-southernmost coral cay. And even though it only measures a mere 0.275 km2, this tiny dot in the vast ocean is insanely abundant with wildlife, both above and below the water.
While you can take a day trip to this place or even stay overnight at the offshore pontoon, they’re not where the magic lies. That’s because, unlike many other iconic Great Barrier Reef destinations, there’s no resort accommodation. Instead, it is a spectacular wilderness island, with only a basic campground and virtually nothing else except for thousands upon thousands of friendly birds along with incredible marine animals such as curious sea turtles and friendly grey nurse sharks to keep you company, meaning you can live out your wildlife dreams as wonderfully and unforgettably authentically as they come. It was certainly one of the best and most profound adventures I’ve ever had!
So whether you venture over there with the Lady Musgrave Experience (don’t recommend.) from Bundaberg or 1770, or Curtis Ferry Services from Gladstone, or make your own way there, here is my comprehensive list of suggestions for what to take to Lady Musgrave Island for the best camping adventure at this magnificent coral cay.
Note: I don’t recommend a camping transfer with the Lady Musgrave Experience, because I did so from Bundaberg and had a very unsatisfactory time with them, so I would advise going with Curtis Ferry Services. I went over to North West Island with them, which would be a similar experience and had a much better time. Plus, you can take more stuff over with you, including a small powered boat. However, they require, I believe, 40 people to go across, so it might be worth it if they don’t have they don’t have the numbers to take you across. Plus, they are also more flexible with dates.
Camp Site.
- Tent.
- Tent Poles.
- Sleeping Bag & Sleeping Bag Liner.
- Mat/Stretcher.
- Camping Pillow.
- Tarp or Gazebo. – One of the most essential, because the significant amount of the prolific bird life on the island lives in the trees and their shits reign down like a military carpet bombing exercise.
- Poles.
- Hammer/Mallet.
- Table.
- Chairs.
- Picnic Blanket.
- Bucket.
- Wireless Fan.
- Mini Vaccum. – For getting the sand out of your tent.
- Headlamp or Lantern.
- Extra Pegs & Peg Remover.
- Additional Guy Ropes.
- Spray Bottle. – Filled with water, having this is great for keeping the stickiness of the seawater off your skin. Shoutout to the lovely woman I met on the island for telling me about this!
Cooking Equipment.
- Camping Stove and Fuel.
- Camping Stove Windshield.
- Matches/ Lighters.
- Cookware.
- Pots.
- Pans.
- Cooking Utensils.
- Cleaning Equipment such as scourers and detergent.
- Plates/ Bowls.
- Cutlery.
- Thermal Cups/Flasks/Water Bottle.
- Water Containers.
- Curtis Ferry Services will take a 200L drum with drinkable (but not filtered) water across for you, which is fantastic as it means you can shower and wash up without having to be super careful with consumption.
- Lady Musgrave Experience lets you take a 20L jug per person.
- Automatic Tap For Water Containers. – Makes it super easy to dispense. If you’re getting a container with Curtis Ferry Services, make sure you have a hose long enough.
- Cooler/Fridge.
- Food.
- Consider buying pre-made shelf food that doesn’t require refrigeration or much effort to put together. This makes things so much easier!
- Fresh vegan food and many fruits and vegetables are especially great because they last much longer before going bad even without refrigeration.
- Snacks. (Especially Marshmallows!)
- Drinks. – Water, Tea & Coffee.
- Hand Wash & Hand Sanitizer.
Clothing.
- Hat.
- Lightweight, breathable and quick-drying shirts and pants.
- Bras and underwear.
- Raincoat.
- One light jacket – For when it gets cold.
- Thongs.
- Water Shoes. – Excellent for the hot coral beaches, and reef walking.
Other Clothes Related Items.
- Packing Cells.
- Shoe Bags.
- Clothes Line.
- Laundry Bag.
Toiletries & Skincare.
- Lip Balm.
- Hairbrush.
- Hair Ties/ Clip.
- Deodorant.
- Toothbrush.
- Toothpaste.
- Pads/Liners.
- Tweezers
- Toilet Paper. – Just in case!
- Reef-Safe Sunscreen.
- Insect Repellent. – Not really necessary.
Medical & Safety.
- GPS with SOS function.
- Medication.
- First Aid Kit. – The most likely injury is coral cuts.
- Headache Tablets.
Snorkelling/Swimming.
- Snorkel & Flippers. – If you wear glasses or don’t want to use your contacts, invest in getting a prescription snorkel mask online. They make the experience infinitely better!
- Wetsuit. – Especially during stinger season. Plus, for keeping warm when exploring the reef edge.
- Gloves & Socks/ Water Shoes.
- Head Mask.
- Swimmers.
Paddling.
- Kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard.
- Paddle & attachment.
- Attachments.
- Dry Bag. – Great for various uses.
Devices.
- Phone.
- Camera.
- Underwater Camera like a Go Pro & accessories, incl. an extension stick for filming.
- All charging cables and batteries.
- Portable solar panel – Excellent for charging USB-powered devices.
Other.
- Waterproof Case/s.
- Silica Gels – These free things that are in packaged food to keep them from getting moist are a godsend if you get anything wet, especially electronics. Put the item in a resealable bag for a few hours or even days if it falls in. If it goes into the ocean, it may not work because of the salt, but to give it the best chance rinse it well with fresh water as soon as you can.
Conclusion: Gear To Take To Lady Musgrave Island.
From stinger-resistant wetsuits to portable solar panels to charge your phone and recording devices and a super convenient automatic water dispenser and the never-to-be-underestimated tarp and shelters to protect you from the carpet bombing poop storm, these items are great additions to what to take on your self-sufficient remote camping trip to Lady Musgrave Island.
