Role models on Lady Elliot

On our recent trip to Lady Elliot Island Emmie was exposed to a lot of new experiences - snorkelling, learning about sharks and manta rays and protecting the environment. The best part of this experience is that the people who were teaching her, and the people she was spending a lot of time with, were young tertiary educated women who were experts in their fields, involved in environmental research projects and passionate about the marine environment.

How much would you pay to get that kind of interaction for your young daughter? This kind of exposure is life changing on so many levels- it shows young girls new career pathways, it gives them great examples of women in leadership positions, it encourages learning and it is accessible - so it shows our girls this kind of a career is not only desireable but obtainable. Girls can do anything.

It was inspiring to see these women in their early to mid twenties teaching Emmie and fostering her appreciation of marine life. Thanks to Shannon Emmie is now fascinated by mantas and knows how to identify them. After listening to Maggie's presentation on sharks we both understand more about these animals and how their numbers are being deccimated around the world from fear and for craziness - like stealing their fins for shark fin soup and then throwing the poor, finless animal back into the ocean. Alana took us on the most incredible snorkel safari and her passion for the marine environment has certainly rubbed off on both of us.

Lady Elliot Island offers so much, and exposing Emmie to such influential and inspiring role models is priceless -

and yet another unique attribute of this amazing destination.

Evie