2026 Australia Whale Experience: 1/2 Day Whale Watching Tour from Bundaberg Port
Region: Bundaberg Region
State: QLD
Duration:
4h
Half day whale watching tours along the Humpback Highway between 10am – 2pm. Check-in 9.45 am at the Bundaberg Port Marina, Burnett Heads. Includes light snack. Bookings from 1st July 2026 – 1st Oct 2026
Operated By:
EXPERIENCE UP-CLOSE HUMPBACK WHALE ENCOUNTERS
AVAILABLE FROM 1st JULY 2026 – OCTOBER 2026
Whale watching tours commence July 2026 running each Tues, Thurs and Sunday through to October 2026. Please check with bookings office as days of operation may vary due to weather or itinerary restrictions
Half day whale watch tours departs Bundaberg Port Marina, 15-17 Marina Drive, Burnett Heads. Boarding at 9.45 am for a 10.00 am departure returning at 2.00 pm. Enjoy 4 hours onboard the luxury catamaran “Reef Empress or “Main Event” with spectacular views of Humpback whales at play along the Humpback Highway.
Australia Whale Experience has 100% sighting rate over the past 8 years on our whale watching tour along the coastline of Bundaberg. Light lunch included.
Please call 07 4151 5225 for further information, some terms & conditions apply.
INFORMATION FOR DAY OF TRAVEL:
- Plan to arrive early (9:30am recommended) for a 9:45am boarding
- If you are experiencing difficulties on the morning of your travel call the bookings office after 8:30am on (07) 41515225.
- Tours depart from 15-17 Marina Drive, Burnett Heads, which is approximately a 20-25 minute drive from Bundaberg CBD. Please familiarise yourself with the area prior to tour date to ensure you arrive on time.
- We do have a shuttle bus ($40 per person return) Please contact our customer service team on +617 4151 5225 or via email – bookings@ladymusgraveexperience.com.au to discuss pricing & availability.
- Beverages, snacks, sea-sickness tablets & merchandise are available for purchase on board. Filtered water is available throughout the day so please bring a water bottle for top ups (refillable bottles are sold on the boat if required).
- Please wait on the grass area next to the boarding gates marina side of the carpark for our check-in crew to begin boarding
- No shoes to be worn whilst on the vessel for safety reasons . If you need to wear shoes for medical reasons, please ensure they are flat with non-marking soles and advise the crew at check-in and boarding.
- Included in your 1/2 day tour is a light lunch of wraps.
- Arrival back to Bundaberg Port Marina is approximately 2:00pm depending on weather and tour numbers on the day.
- If we have to cancel/change our tours for any reason, we will contact you the day before to discuss options via email and/or via phone. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.
- Whilst onboard please follow ALL directions provided by our crew as they are given to ensure your safety and comfort at all times.
SEASICKNESS PREVENTION AND ADVICE:
We strongly recommend that all passengers take sea-sickness medication as a precaution (we recommend Travacalm HQ Original or Chewable). Please consult with a pharmacist or doctor before taking any medication. For those who knowingly suffer seasickness Pharmacists recommend:
- Take Phenergan (seasickness medication) the night prior to travel
- Stay well hydrated
- Avoid alcohol the night prior to travel
- Get a good nights rest before travelling
- Avoid milky drinks, coffee and tea the morning of travel
- Eat before taking seasickness medication
- Take seasickness medication 40 minutes prior to boarding
DON’T FORGET TO BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
- Physical Credit/debit card or cash for onboard purchases as we operate outside of mobile data reception we cannot accept contactless payments from devices onboard using smart phones or apple watches during our travel. You will need to provide a credit card to start an onboard tab at our kiosk to be settled when back in mobile data reception or pay with cash for purchases.
- Spray jacket or jumper
- Cameras
- Drink bottle
- Any required medications including epi pen and seasickness medication for the return journey if required
- Physical Credit/debit card or cash for onboard purchases as we operate outside of mobile data reception we cannot accept contactless payments from devices onboard using smart phones or apple watches during our travel. You will need to provide a credit card to start an onboard tab at our kiosk to be settled when back in mobile data reception or pay with cash for purchases.
- Spray jacket or jumper
- Cameras
- Drink bottle
- Any required medications including epi pen and seasickness medication for the return journey if required
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
All tours are subject to weather and minimum numbers.
All schedules, activities and prices may be varied without notice.
Listed fares in Australian Dollars include GST. Prices valid to October 2026
Cancellation policy applies please see FAQs https://ladymusgraveexperience.com.au/faq/
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Absolutely amazing experience. Would definitely recommend it to others. We took our 2 children along - both under 10 and they loved it. Would highly recommend people follow the sea sick medication advice given when booking as we enjoyed the whole experience- some people who did not were not so lucky! 🤢
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Lucinda
10 Oct 2025
We’ve been out to Lady Musgrave Island multiple times, and it never disappoints! As locals, we can honestly say it’s one of the best experiences you can do in the region. The staff are fantastic, the reef is stunning, and the day is always well organised. Always worth spending a little extra for the VIP experience — it makes an already amazing day even better! PS. Bella was an absolute legend and made our trip on 8/10/25 even more enjoyable!
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Britt
09 Oct 2025
Amazing experience - great value, excellent crew Amazing experience - staff were exceptional from booking team to boat crew. Nothing was too much to ask. The island and reef are breathtaking! Had the best time can highly recommendread moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-10-09
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re so happy to hear you had an amazing experience from start to finish and that our team helped make your day so memorable. Lady Musgrave Island and the reef truly are breathtaking, and we’re thrilled you enjoyed exploring this special place with us. See you next time!
Melissa
07 Oct 2025
Thank you to the Lady Musgrave Experience team on our trip out on 2nd October, it was truly an unforgettable day! The whole crew was so accommodating, knowledgeable and professional and we really enjoyed our day out experiencing the Great Barrier Reef up close and swimming with the turtles. This is our first trip to Australia (from South Africa) and the Experience has definitely been one of the highlights. Jack and Aemon are really knowledgeable and interesting and Lea made my son’s first scuba dive an experience to remember. Thanks to everyone for a fabulous day!
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LesleyCaren
04 Oct 2025
A must do for unforgettable memories Amazing, must do experience!It was a beautiful day, perfect weather when we went. The whole day from start to finish was amazing! The crew were fantastic, super friendly and accommodating. The tour was organised to a tee, with various activities. Beautiful sights - we saw whales, mantra rays, black reef tip sharks, turtles and so many beautiful fish and coral.
Price point is perfect for everything that is included and the amount of time for the tour.
Won't forget these memories and will def do again next time I am in Bundaberg.
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Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-10-09
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a perfect day on the water and enjoyed everything from the wildlife encounters to the activities and organisation of the tour. We’re so glad you found the experience great value and full of unforgettable memories. We can’t wait to welcome you back next time you’re in Bundaberg.
Danielle
04 Oct 2025
A good experience of what the pristine great barrier reef would be like, without having to go all the way there.. Very professional and well resourced boat, crew and dive equipment. Boat was close to new and in vg condition. Crew were very attentive, friendly, and helpful to all guests. Boat and swim safety practices excellent. Food fresh & plentiful. Noticeably fair on-board pricing of hire gear & shop items despite sole supplier advantage. There was plenty of time allowed to explore the snorkelling opportunities.One inevitable consequence of a permanently anchored barge is that guest snorkelling is strictly limited to a 200m stretch of just one piece of inner reef near the barge, although the lagoon has a 7km perimeter. Swimming & snorkelling off the beach is not offered either. So the crew were very protective in ensuring no visitor damage to this designated exploration zone. Whether the visible marine life in this small zone is representative of the whole cay is unknown, but our experience at nearby Lady Elliot Island suggests richer habitats may exist in or outside the lagoon. Nevertheless there were plenty of fish and live coral of many varieties to snorkel over.
Definitely recommended as a great day trip experience and certainly worth the price.
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Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-10-09
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful review. We’re delighted you enjoyed your day with us. It’s wonderful to hear you found the experience comfortable, well organised and great value. Just to clarify, Lady Musgrave Island is in the Great Barrier Reef! It's the second southern-most island in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
We do have strict snorkel procedures to avoid any damage to the coral reef. Limiting the range for snorkelers ensures the safety of our guests while our crew keeps watch for anyone needing assistance, while monitoring for any behaviour that could damage the coral. Rest assured, the snorkel zone encompasses some of the most spectacular reef in the area, with multiple turtle cleaning stations, anemones with clownfish, up to 1200 species of fish, multiple species of branching, plate and soft corals. Plus there are resident turtles, access to a natural aquarium with small reef sharks, rays and giant clams. For guests wanting to explore further afield, we do offer outer reef scuba dives and manta snorkel safaris that venture beyond the lagoon.
We’re so glad you found plenty of vibrant coral and marine life to enjoy and hope to welcome you back again soon for another unforgettable reef adventure.
dondeeKingscliff
03 Oct 2025
Great reef tour with amazing staff Exceeded our expectations for a snorkel and scuba charter. The staff was amazing and did a fantastic job of educating us on the reef and Lady Musgrave Island. Special thanks to Aemon, Bella, Alex, Leah (scuba) and Jack. It was a rough trip out there and they all did their very best to keep us comfortable. Don’t hesitate to take this excursion. Next time I hope toDo the overnight option.
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Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-10-09
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re so glad to hear the experience exceeded your expectations and that our crew made your day so memorable. It's great to know you enjoyed exploring the reef and Lady Musgrave Island. We’ll look forward to welcoming you back for the overnight experience next time.
Guide06319756495
01 Oct 2025
Bundaberg best for whale watching Magic day on the water ex Bundaberg harbor. Shadowed a pod of 11 adult whales for 2 1/2 hours. Then another small pod of 2 males on the way back and a mum and calf a little later. Great staff. Lunch included. Hard to beat.read moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-10-09
Thank you so much for your lovely review! 🐋 We are thrilled to hear you had such a magic day on the water and spent time with so many whales. Thanks for joining us and we hope to see you again next whale season.
RodM2354
30 Sep 2025
Recommend- would do again * see notes It’s expensive but you can see why, this was easily the best day of our holiday. The staff were amazing; friendly, informative and very knowledgeable. The fact that the pontoon is manned overnight must be very expensive. We felt every thing about this trip was absolutely top notch; food, drink, entertainment, the boat, equipment; it really was great from start to finish. We literally have no complaints. The island was small and fascinating, (outstanding coral skeletons). I would be so tempted to go back and camp. The abundance of wildlife was fantastic (fish, turtles, birds, whales) and really made this a great trip for my son (12), any younger and they might not get the full value. It’s a long ride out but amazing when you get there. *did buy the VIP tix definitely worth it for the early start and good snacksread moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-10-05
Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed and thoughtful review. We’re delighted to hear this was the highlight of your holiday and that our crew helped make it such a memorable experience. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed the island, the wildlife, and all the little touches from the food to the equipment. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to the team. Great to hear you loved the VIP upgrade too, it really does make the day extra special. We’d love to welcome you back again soon!
GeorginaMair22
28 Sep 2025
We just got back from our overnight stay with Lady Musgrave Experience and it was the most incredible weekend.
It was breathtakingly beautiful and service was EXCEPTIONAL. All of the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable - special mention to Lea, Ashleigh, Jake, Aemon and Bella who were all so lovely.
There are so many different activities available for everyone. We spent the two days snorkelling and diving but thoroughly enjoyed the island & glass bottom boat tour.
We will definitely be back in the future. 10/10 recommend
It was breathtakingly beautiful and service was EXCEPTIONAL. All of the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable - special mention to Lea, Ashleigh, Jake, Aemon and Bella who were all so lovely.
There are so many different activities available for everyone. We spent the two days snorkelling and diving but thoroughly enjoyed the island & glass bottom boat tour.
We will definitely be back in the future. 10/10 recommend
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Zoe
21 Sep 2025
What a greast day out. What a great experience on this exceptionally organised boat trip. You are surrounded by whales, and Brett, who commentates, is a source of all things about them and enhances the trip by feeding the travellers information about whales that you will really find helpful, eg whales can hold their breath for 45 minutes underwater, and they actually learn to sing to each other and change the tune :) Who would have thought! The crew were so helpful, and Grace lived up to her wonderful name by spending some time explaining her career path to me so that she has gone from crewing yachts, to the Lady Musgrave, to eventually working on the large adventure ships that are part of our lives in all sections of the globe. Good luck Grace, and thank you for reassuring me that your training in first aid and boat drills has you prepared for any emergencies :)read moreread less
Eloise C, Director of Sales at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-09-10
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a lovely review! We're pleased to hear Brett's commentary and Grace's hospitality made your day extra enjoyable.
We hope to welcome you back aboard next season - or to Reef HQ!
Kind Regards,
LME Team
Meander11645561088
09 Sep 2025
Amazing from start to finish! Booked the package for both the Lady Musgave Day Tour and the Whale Watching Tour with these guys. First of all the entire team was super helpful with my morning seasickness thank you so so much for all the support again to all of you, I was travelling solo but felt like I was surrounded by a group of friends 🥰 The experience itself was great, the reef at lady musgrave STUNNING, and thanks so much Lea for the amazing dive! Leaving the pic of the huge Muraena I saw on the reef as promised 😅read moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-09-10
Thank you for your review! It's great to hear the crew was able to make your travel sickness a bit easier and fabulous you enjoyed the island tour. Diving the Great Barrier Reef is amazing, we're so glad you got to experience it at Lady Musgrave Island!
Francesca
08 Sep 2025
Stunning reef to explore on a comfy boat with great staff Fabulous day out to a stunning reef. Staff were knowledgeable and really helpful. We loved the snorkelling around the reef - probably the best area we had snorkelled during our trip. We were off peak so I think that helped as the boat was not overcrowded and neither was the sea during snorkelling. Great experience and safe for the kids to enjoy. Amazing Manta Rays and whales (from the boat) huge variety of fish and several turtles to snorkel with.read moreread less
Eloise C, Director of Sales at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-09-10
Hi Emma,
It sounds like the marine life was out in force for your visit, so awesome to hear! We're pleased you enjoyed your day and hope to welcome you back on another occasion.
Kind Regards,
Team LME
emmasT584DL
08 Sep 2025
Day Trip Snorkeling We had a fantastic adventure, the crew were pleasant, helpful, well organised, and made our day very enjoyable. Highly recommend.read moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-09-10
Thank you for your review! It's great to hear you enjoyed your tour with us, and we hope to see you again soon.
Chad
01 Sep 2025
Birthday Bliss What an amazing day and made all the better with an extra treat of VIP. The crew is fantastic. The boat ride is over 2 hours so be prepared and also watch the weather reports. When you are there, the Island walk, glass bottom boat and snorkelling experience were so cool - first time snorkelling. There was fish feeding at the end of the day - the huge cod was a work of nature. Such a fabulous day seeing Green Turtles, lots of coloured fishies and coral. Nature truly is amazing and the way she is showcased is beautiful. Apologies I don't have more photos - technology and I are not playing well together at the momentread moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-09-03
Thank you for sharing your birthday experience with us! We’re so glad you celebrated in VIP style and enjoyed your first snorkel along with the island walk, glass bottom boat and fish feeding. Spotting turtles, colourful fish and coral makes for a truly special day. We are thrilled our tour and crew made your day extra special and hope you come visit us again on your next birthday!
Kym-Marie
30 Aug 2025
An Absolute Must! My wife and I have been looking forward to this experience for several months and it did not disappoint! The staff are all very helpful, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable. The day was a perfect balance of activities. The snorkeling was fantastic. If I am in the Brisbane area again, this trip is on my don’t miss list. It is no wonder that so many guests on the ship were repeat visitors.read moreread less
Guest Experience, Marketing at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 2025-09-03
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re so glad the experience lived up to your expectations! It’s great to hear you enjoyed the balance of the day, we love being able to share all aspects of beautiful Lady Musgrave Island with our guests.
Paul
30 Aug 2025
I highly recommend the tours offered by Lady Musgrave Experience to people of all ages. The boat ride although it is a long 2-2.5 hour journey each way, was incredibly easy and I took Travacalm tablets 30 min prior to boarding on their recommendation.
I did the Manta Safari which is geared for people who can swim out in open ocean, it was a clear day and we spotted the mantas which was a real unique treat for us who'd never seen them in the wild before. The island walking tour and the glass bottom boat tour was interesting and informative. While snorkelling a short distance from the pontoon we spotted turtles and even the resident octopus named by the locals "Octavia".
It was a little chilly in the water, definitely bring a steamer/full body length wetsuit (I wore a 3mm) if you get easily cold as my partner and I tend to. We enjoyed an amazing clear sky blue day with little wind which is not what I expected for mid-late August.
The team are wonderfully friendly, knowledgeable and I felt that we had received great value for money with their experience in navigating the reefs. Shout out to Alex and Emma who were really warm, attentive and happy to answer any questions. They are also happy to take photos which my partner and I happily took advantage of.
The lunch buffet (salad and some hot foods) and morn/afternoon teas were great, lots of variety and great for the health conscious. If you're vegetarian though, perhaps pack some extra protein snacks (eggs, protein bars or smoothie) as there are not really high protein offers for vegetarians in the buffet.
Thanks so much again for a magical experience LME team - we wish to be back someday again for the other tours.
I did the Manta Safari which is geared for people who can swim out in open ocean, it was a clear day and we spotted the mantas which was a real unique treat for us who'd never seen them in the wild before. The island walking tour and the glass bottom boat tour was interesting and informative. While snorkelling a short distance from the pontoon we spotted turtles and even the resident octopus named by the locals "Octavia".
It was a little chilly in the water, definitely bring a steamer/full body length wetsuit (I wore a 3mm) if you get easily cold as my partner and I tend to. We enjoyed an amazing clear sky blue day with little wind which is not what I expected for mid-late August.
The team are wonderfully friendly, knowledgeable and I felt that we had received great value for money with their experience in navigating the reefs. Shout out to Alex and Emma who were really warm, attentive and happy to answer any questions. They are also happy to take photos which my partner and I happily took advantage of.
The lunch buffet (salad and some hot foods) and morn/afternoon teas were great, lots of variety and great for the health conscious. If you're vegetarian though, perhaps pack some extra protein snacks (eggs, protein bars or smoothie) as there are not really high protein offers for vegetarians in the buffet.
Thanks so much again for a magical experience LME team - we wish to be back someday again for the other tours.
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Phuong
24 Aug 2025
What an adventure for our first time whale watching.
A little disappointed that the weather wasn’t the best which is typical when we book an exciting tour! I can imagine how amazing this tour would be with a beautiful blue sky.
Nonetheless our adventure was spectacular. A juvenile male whale entertained us for over an hour. He loved the attention ❤️
The crew were amazing especially Grace. Thank you 🙏 for helping me around the deck when it was choppy. Your morning tea and lunch were beautiful. Yum 😋 thank you to our captain for such informative narratives. We can’t wait to return on a sunny day 🥳
A little disappointed that the weather wasn’t the best which is typical when we book an exciting tour! I can imagine how amazing this tour would be with a beautiful blue sky.
Nonetheless our adventure was spectacular. A juvenile male whale entertained us for over an hour. He loved the attention ❤️
The crew were amazing especially Grace. Thank you 🙏 for helping me around the deck when it was choppy. Your morning tea and lunch were beautiful. Yum 😋 thank you to our captain for such informative narratives. We can’t wait to return on a sunny day 🥳
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Janeane
19 Aug 2025
had the most amazing time out with lady musgrave. went out two days in a row and saw the manta rays the first day and so many turtles and fish on the second day. All the staff were so nice, very passionate about their jobs and full of information about the island and wildlife. would 100% recommend and will definitley be coming back.
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Alannah
04 Aug 2025
Fantastic experience! The weather was perfect, the staff were knowledgeable, helpful and incredibly friendly. We encountered our first two whales within a very short distance from shore, and were able to take great photos. Once we moved further out, we encountered several more pods of whales, that came up to the boat and played. We also saw a couple of dolphins, just for good measure. Thoroughly enjoyable, and well worth the trip!
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Karin
29 Jul 2025
I went on this tour a couple of days ago and it was fantastic! The walking tour around the island, the glass-bottom boat, and the snorkelling were all incredible experiences. I also went on the Manta Ray safari, which was at an extra cost, in which you go to the outer reef to snorkel and see Manta Rays; while it was nice and we saw some, I didn’t have much time left for snorkeling around the inner reef, which I actually found to be much prettier. The highlight of the whole day though was being able to chat with Bella, the marine biologist who took us on the island tour and was always happy to answer all my questions. She is incredibly knowledgable and made the experience much more enjoyable! The whole team was also very nice and helpful, and always made sure you were comfortable. I highly recommend this.
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Adrià
14 Jul 2025
We went out for the day yesterday with the Lady Musgrave Experience team, and it was one of the best marine experiences yet. We've been fortunate enough to spend a lot of time in the ocean, and this tour has been our favourite so far. The organisation, the wildlife, the reef... It's incredibly special. Your entire team yesterday are assets to your business. The passion and excitement that Bella brought to the island walk and just general conversation around the wildlife was so engaging and fun. We got insanely lucky to spend what felt like 40 minutes or so in the water just hanging out with a beautiful manta. I'm so sorry because we forgot to write down the names of the two guys who took us on the manta safari, but you were both phenomenal. Seeing you free dive down—pictured—made us want to ditch the dive tanks next time we schedule a dive and finally learn to free dive!
The respect you all give to keeping the experience on the wildlife's terms was what really stood out for us, and the spectacular natural beauty that is only possible because of that ongoing respect. Thanks, legends!
My favourite moment was jumping in to snorkel the lagoon and gliding beside a Hawksbill Turtle for a moment! I'll remember that forever.
Can't recommend this tour and this team enough. If you're wanting to go out on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, these guys will make sure you have the experience of a lifetime. We will be back for sure!
The respect you all give to keeping the experience on the wildlife's terms was what really stood out for us, and the spectacular natural beauty that is only possible because of that ongoing respect. Thanks, legends!
My favourite moment was jumping in to snorkel the lagoon and gliding beside a Hawksbill Turtle for a moment! I'll remember that forever.
Can't recommend this tour and this team enough. If you're wanting to go out on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, these guys will make sure you have the experience of a lifetime. We will be back for sure!
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Brittany
14 Jul 2025
I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a full day out snorkeling at Lady Musgrave Island, and it was truly an incredible experience! From start to finish, the staff were attentive and dedicated to ensuring we had a memorable day.
We opted for the VIP upgrade, which was absolutely worth it. We were treated to a delightful morning tea and an afternoon cheeseboard, along with complimentary water bottles and travel mugs for our coffee. The tour of Lady Musgrave Island was both beautiful and informative.
In addition to snorkeling, we enjoyed a fantastic bottom boat tour, which offered great views of the marine life. We were lucky enough to see turtles and a variety of sea creatures, making the day even more special.
The entire experience was well organised, and I can't recommend it enough. If you're looking for an unforgettable adventure, the Lady Musgrave Experience is a must!
We opted for the VIP upgrade, which was absolutely worth it. We were treated to a delightful morning tea and an afternoon cheeseboard, along with complimentary water bottles and travel mugs for our coffee. The tour of Lady Musgrave Island was both beautiful and informative.
In addition to snorkeling, we enjoyed a fantastic bottom boat tour, which offered great views of the marine life. We were lucky enough to see turtles and a variety of sea creatures, making the day even more special.
The entire experience was well organised, and I can't recommend it enough. If you're looking for an unforgettable adventure, the Lady Musgrave Experience is a must!
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Lisa
09 Jul 2025
Great day out Had a top day, probably best experience snorkelling I have had. The staff were awesome always checking on you. Good facilities good spot had great weather.read moreread less
Mark
22 Mar 2025
Fantastic day out. Awesome day trip. Very friendly and highly knowledgeable staff. Filled the day with fantastic activities. Great amenities out on the reef HQ. Couldn’t fault the trip from start to finish.read moreread less
steven
17 Mar 2025
Fabulous trip to see and snorkel at the Reef This was an amazing trip to see Lady Musgrave island and snorkel over the reef. A fairly rough 2.5hrs out to the island, but the crew were absolutely fantastic, looking after people and providing whatever was needed. Once at the pontoon, we took a guided walk around the island, saw turtle hatching grounds, glass-bottom boat tour and then a couple of hours snorkeling or diving. Plenty of advice and support for beginners. Delicious lunch provided-this was excellent value for money. 10/10 for the crew and trip in general. Sooo glad we did this.read moreread less
Portrushian
09 Mar 2025
A must do trip! An amazing trip that really should not be missed. From the moment we arrived at the marina, the crew went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The glass bottom boat tour was a real high point with Eamon finding numerous turtles for us and giving us all the information about them. Snorkelling was beautiful and relaxing. We saw numerous fish and managed to get up close with 2 different species of turtles who seemed happy to be in the same space as us.
A must do trip for anyone who loves the water and the marine life.
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15gaylep
05 Mar 2025
Green sea turtles, glorious green and blue ocean with incredible reefs full of marine life. The boat trip was quite rough out to the island and takes around 2 and a half hours. Once there you get broken up in to different groups. We were first to transfer on to the glass boat to head out to Musgrave island. This is a reef island with very little life except some birds and the turtles who come in to lay their eggs and hatch. We saw some reef sharks and the trees were so beautiful. As soon as we left the island we encountered numerous green sea turtles both chilling on the reef or swimming on the surface getting some food and air. I did not expect to encounter so many. Upon return to the boat we had some salad and got ready to do some snorkelling. As someone who can swim but isn’t comfortable with snorkelling one of the guides came out and helped me until I got comfortable in the water and also as I didn’t have a pair. This was much appreciated and made my experience even better. I felt confident then to snorkel around by myself and just hang out in the ocean. Some beautiful fish right up close and personal and lots of turtles just hanging around. A perfect amount of time in the water before heading back to the mainland.read moreread less
jbrophy9
21 Feb 2025
Exceptional experience... Just do it! I took my 13yr old grand-daughter for her birthday and WOW!!!! What an amazing experience. We saw birds, reef sharks, colourful fish and turtles. Crystal clear waters and amazing snorkelling. The boat trip was awesome, nothing was too much trouble for the crew and they looked after passengers who had motion sickness with such kindness and compassion. Our guides were informative and engaging with their talks and kept everyone interested. A must do experience if you get the chance. Loved it!!!read moreread less
Kathy
21 Feb 2025
We had a lovely day. You get breakfast, tea and coffee on the boat ride, lunch on the site, all included in the price. The ride there was very rough but the crew were super friendly and helpful. You can buy the Travacalm on the boat.
The whole experience was amazing, would definitely recommend it.
The whole experience was amazing, would definitely recommend it.
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Žan
25 Oct 2024
Fantastic experience - from start to finish! We were blessed with a beautiful, calm day. We saw dolphins and a humpback whale on our way to the island. All the crew were very knowledgeable and attentive, checking in regularly to make sure we were feeling ok. Shout outs to Steven and Nathan, who spent some time chatting with us and sharing their extensive knowledge about the Reef. Meals were great, island tour was very intriguing. Glass bottom boat tour was fascinating seeing the varieties of coral and sea life. I tried snorkelling for the first time, felt very safe and supported. Thanks for a wonderful trip!
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Karen
18 Oct 2024
An amazing excursion to a very Special place. Everything ist very well organized and even If Lots of people are booked on the tour it does Not feel Like it because Not everybody does the same Thing at the same time. We have Seen so much Wildlife. Especially the turtles were Just stunning to Look at. I have done the day Tour with my Family and it is great for children. Staying over night must be Just magical.
Just one important information: Take Something against sea sickness. I never Had problems before but getting there was Not a good experience for me. It all was worth it though and with some pills getting Back to Bundaberg was very nice, too.
Just one important information: Take Something against sea sickness. I never Had problems before but getting there was Not a good experience for me. It all was worth it though and with some pills getting Back to Bundaberg was very nice, too.
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Dennis
18 Oct 2024
I celebrated my birthday weekend with Lady Musgrave Experience. On the day I snorkeled with Mantas which is one of the best experiences of my life (thank you Nathan for throwing me a pink pool noodle when I got a cramp). I spent the entire day in the water looking at the most breathtaking sea life. I came back the next day to look at whales and saw SO MANY including a baby humpback with the mum. I returned AGAIN the day after for ANOTHER snorkel with the Mantas (couldn't help myself) and went diving for the first time. Thank you Alberto for calming me down when I panicked a bit. Your professionalism and guidance made me see the beautiful sea life of the lagoon from the bottom.
I absolutely adored my trip ; thank you Poppy, Sophie, Steven, Alberto, Tracy, and Nathan; you saw my face three days in a row and made me feel so welcome and taken care of. I haven't yet gone onto the island yet - the mantas were too important - but I cannot wait to return to see Turtle hatching season and possibly stay on the pontoon.
Thank you so much for making this trip so memorable. I highly recommend booking all the adventures. I will return.
I absolutely adored my trip ; thank you Poppy, Sophie, Steven, Alberto, Tracy, and Nathan; you saw my face three days in a row and made me feel so welcome and taken care of. I haven't yet gone onto the island yet - the mantas were too important - but I cannot wait to return to see Turtle hatching season and possibly stay on the pontoon.
Thank you so much for making this trip so memorable. I highly recommend booking all the adventures. I will return.
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Sobia
10 Sep 2024
What some may assume is an expensive day trip to the Great barrier Reef island, Lady Musgrave is far from it. Absolutely fantastic day out. Even with a big ocean swell, if you love being on the ocean make sure you follow the pre advice provided from the crew days before the outing. I love the ocean and have never experienced sea sickness, but I still took their strong advice on taking the medication as did my wife who does experience sea sickness, we made it through no worries.
From the initial booking to the follow up email before departure and of course the outing itself, I could not fault the happy, professional and enthusiastic crew. The food for the day was an excellent buffet style with plenty to go around. Big thumbs up to Jade the tour manager. Thank you for your informative introduction to the island or should I say Cay as that is the official name of a coral formed island.
I highly recommend booking this trip.
From the initial booking to the follow up email before departure and of course the outing itself, I could not fault the happy, professional and enthusiastic crew. The food for the day was an excellent buffet style with plenty to go around. Big thumbs up to Jade the tour manager. Thank you for your informative introduction to the island or should I say Cay as that is the official name of a coral formed island.
I highly recommend booking this trip.
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Clinton
02 Sep 2024
Book your Lady Musgrave Reef Tour today x We had an absolutely fantastic day with the Lady Musgrave experience team. We opted for the VIP option as a special experience for my friend visiting from the UK. As it turned out we had the upper level to ourselves. We met the Captain, and the team onboard were so attentive and welcoming. a special mention goes to Sophie whose lovely smile and engaging personality made our day all the more pleasant. The walk around the island was interesting and informative, our glass bottom boat trip showed us the coral reef up close and our snorkelling experience was fantastic. We saw all manner of fish , sea cucumbers, the coral reef, blue starfish and we even had the opportunity to swim with sea turtles. The buffet lunch was fresh and delicious - overall the experience was first class - the boat was clean and services are very well organised. We didn't want to leave. We would definitely recommend Lady Musgrave Experience - reef tours and look forward to visiting again in the future. Thanks again to Captain Brett, Sophie, Jade and the rest of the team for a very memorable day.read moreread less
Debsbc
22 Aug 2024
Beautiful, organized, and overall awesome day The combination of activities, lunch, etc were well organized. We did so much in so little time, without feeling rushed or bored at any time. We took a 4 and 6 year old and they had no issues keeping busy. The activities themselves were great. The island was a beautiful start, the glass bottom boat got us a good look at coral and wildlife beneath the surface, and the snorkeling made a great completed package. The lunch was delicious too. Our family recommends this to singles, couples, and families of all sizes.read moreread less
Bookings L, Guest Relations Manager at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
I m delighted to hear you enjoyed the day, we certainly have enough activities to keep the kids entertained :-). I hope they got to spend some time on the Marine Biologist for the Day program, its fantastic and a fully immersive and fun educational experience. Thank you for your review.
ericlW8547NH
17 Aug 2024
Fabulous day Fantastic day Whale Watching. The crew and the amenities were first class. Had a fantastic day.Recommend this adventure to any one who wants to see Whale's
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Bookings L, Guest Relations Manager at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
Delighted to hear you had a fantastic day with us.
E3501KYdavidh
06 Aug 2024
Amazing tour. Lady Musgrave is a hidden gem. Steve is so passionate about his job and the special trees, birds etc on the Island The Island story is wonderful. The snorkel is amazing. We swam with heaps of fish species and indeed the turtles. The guides are very passionate about their work. We want to go back to camp on The Island and watch the interaction between the special trees and the birds who nest. Can't wait.read moreread less
Bookings L, Guest Relations Manager at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
Glad to hear you had a wonderful time Diane. The snorkelling is amazing and yes, the passion conveyed by our senior Marine Biologist is infectious, he loves this pristine environment. We look forward to seeing you on your return journey. When you are ready please speak to the office about Club LME, which offers fantastic rewards for return guests and do have a look into the seasons for camping, the island has exclusion dates during turtle nesting and hatching season. We do overnights during this time and its a pure joy to see the hatchlings.
DianePhillipIsland
02 Aug 2024
Would recommend Lady Musgrave Tours for Whale Watching! Unfortunately the wind was not our friend on this occasion. Whilst we saw lots of sightings the whales weren’t out to play! The staff, however, were very friendly and helpful and the Captain was very informative. Would love to try again on a calm day! Thank you Lady Musgrave Tours ❤️read moreread less
Bookings L, Guest Relations Manager at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
Sorry to hear that the wind affected your day. Thank you for mentioning our awesome Captain and crew. We d love to host you again, when you decide to rebook, please contact the office and mention your experience ask about ClubLME to receive great offers for return guests.
Simone
23 Jul 2024
Amazing colours & active day at lady musgrave The day was awesome - lady musgrave adventures put on a professional fantastic day! I loved the island tour and the snorkelling was amazingly good. Thanks to all the friendly staff for a great day.read moreread less
Bookings L, Guest Relations Manager at Lady Musgrave Experience - Reef Tours, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
Thank you for visiting the beautiful Lady Musgrave with us Michelle. I m delighted to hear that we have met your expectations and that you had an amazing day. I will pass on your thanks to the crew - it is appreciated.
Michelle
22 Jul 2024
If you're thinking about booking on to dive at Lady Musgrave, I absolutely recommend it with this group.
I called up to get an idea of conditions & spoke to Alita, who's excitement & friendly manor really pushed me to book on.
I'm travelling alone, & the whole experience was fantastic. All the staff were amazing, particularly the dive instructor, Alberto! We saw a bunch of Manta Rays on the first dive, had amazing viz, a reef shark, turtles, mantis shrimp.. so much more. PLus also had time for a really beautiful snorkel when we got back to the pontoon after the two dives.
These guys are passionate about our environment & the awesome species that inhabit this area, & are so keen to share that with you. Definitely worth the money!
I called up to get an idea of conditions & spoke to Alita, who's excitement & friendly manor really pushed me to book on.
I'm travelling alone, & the whole experience was fantastic. All the staff were amazing, particularly the dive instructor, Alberto! We saw a bunch of Manta Rays on the first dive, had amazing viz, a reef shark, turtles, mantis shrimp.. so much more. PLus also had time for a really beautiful snorkel when we got back to the pontoon after the two dives.
These guys are passionate about our environment & the awesome species that inhabit this area, & are so keen to share that with you. Definitely worth the money!
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Greer
26 May 2024
There were a couple of cancellations before we finally got on the tour yesterday. We’re glad we persisted. The LME was excellent. I got a bit sick on the way out but it calmed down at the pontoon and on the way back, no sign of sickness. The staff were lovely and hard working. The snorkelling was amazing and my favourite part. Thank you for a lovely day.
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Naomi
17 May 2024
What a great day. Wonderful staff and a very organized set up. The gear was in good working order! The fish, coral and turtles were amazing!
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Denise
06 May 2024
Amazing day, wonderful staff, lots of marine biologists who passionately shared their knowledge. Snorkelling and scuba diving were excellent, we saw turtles big and small, hundreds of varieties of fish, octopus and copious bird varieties. Definitely recommend but take your seasickness tablets or sit out side it can be rough. Also take sunscreen or protective clothing - they do not provide any protection and it super hot out there!
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Nikki
20 Mar 2024
A beautiful and special day A trip out to Lady Musgrave was a wonderful experience with a comfortable boat ride out to the area. Snorkelling in the warm waters was a pleasure with plenty of marine life. A trip to the island in a glass bottomed boat provided another dimension and a quick guided-tour of the island capped off a good day. No shortage of food to fill the stomach for all the activity but don't expect gourmet!read moreread less
Dawdragon
13 Mar 2024
A great experience We stayed 2 nights at Lady Musgrave HQ and would absolutely recommend it to anyone thinking about booking.The trip over was quite rough, but once at the pontoon we experienced much calmer conditions. The next 48 hours absolutely made the journey out worth it!
Highlight would be swimming with turtles in the lagoon, and doing the sunset trip to the island to watch a nest of babies hatching. This was a magical experience and one I would do again in a heartbeat.
Special shoutout to the staff, who were all amazing and a great asset to LME.
Marine biologist Steven's knowledge of the local environment was impressive, and he shared it with enthusiasm and good humour. Toby is one of the friendliest guys we've met on our travels, and we loved his laid-back nature and willingness to have a chat and just help out with anything that needed doing.
Rui cooked us amazing meals in between helping out with everything else throughout the day, and is just an all-round good guy. Love his energy and passion for life.
Thanks to LME for an incredible experience and hoping we get the opportunity to return sooner rather than later!!
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Bec
10 Mar 2024
Recommend this trip. Magical Amazing overnight stay. Snorkling was fantastic. So many different fish and coloured coral. Saw 3 different lots of turtles hatching. Just magic. Staff were friendly, helpful and informative. Very knowledgable. Food was first class. The chef, Rui, even catered deliciously for a plant based diet. Thank you to everyone.read moreread less
Catherine
06 Mar 2024
March is a wonderful time to visit Lady Musgrave! We embarked on a day trip last Saturday, and it was truly remarkable. During our excursion on the glass-bottom boat, we were fortunate to spot four turtles at the "cleaning" station. While snorkelling, we encountered a turtle, a juvenile reef shark, numerous fish species, and vibrant coral in stunning hues, particularly beautiful blues! Swimming to the lagoon pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but the experience was immensely rewarding (this is where I saw the reef shark and my heart skipped a beat for a second).The staff members were friendly and always ready to assist. It was a choppy ride to the island on what was described a "good" day, so please take the recommended seasickness medication if you plan to boat to Lady Musgrave. Fortunately, the return journey was smooth sailing!
Thank you to the crew of the Lady Musgrave Experience for orchestrating such a well-organized and wonderful excursion to the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
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Ella
05 Mar 2024
Perfect Trip to Paradise This place is Paradise. If you love sea air waving through your hair on a comfy boat, if you love swimming in warm crystal clear waters with tropical fish and turtles, if you love walking around a desert island paradise and if you love fresh healthy food for lunch this is the trip for you. One of the best things we have ever done and to swim with multiple turtles was out of this world. The pictures don't do this place justice. The staff are all friendly, helpful and nothing is too much. Really love that we were split into groups so only 20 of us doing an activity at a time. Felt like you had the GBR to yourself. Just Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We will be back.read moreread less
MitziBoy
03 Mar 2024
Lady Musgrave Experience One of the best days of my life the experience was amazing saw turtles, fish, reefs, had a great time and the service and food was great well organised and very pleasant,professional, friendly and only too willing to help. Must do activities snorkeling glass bottom boat just make sure you cover up and use good sun screen you get morning and afternoon tea and lunch which was meat fruit and prawns great job team.read moreread less
Travel65254702459
29 Feb 2024
Second timers! Stayed overnight in Feb 2023 for a couples retreat - returned January 2024 with my teenage sons and stayed 2 nights. It is phenomenal - I’ve never experienced anything like it. This time I saw and Swam with 1.6m reef sharks, stingrays, many turtles, an octopus, thousands of species of fish, and the most colourful and varied types of corals. The experience from start to finish makes you feel very special. The staff are amazing. The environment second to none. We were so happy to see Dillon, Rui and Steven still working on the pontoon and scuba diving with Poppy was fantastic! Rui is a bit weird but an amazing chef - better meals than the mainland restaurants with such limited facilities - such talent as a chef and dancer… The passion of the staff, esp Steven about the reef and environment add so much value to the experience. Thank you LME for this wonderful experience for my family. I hope we can come back for a third time!
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Naomi
28 Jan 2024
Wow.. what a day, so glad we went! We did the one day Lady Musgrave Experience, and had a thorough enjoyable experience! We decided to pay the extra for VIP tickets in the captains lounge, which was great. Although the regular seating area looked great also. We decided on the upgrade because it was a special occasion, and the trip is 2 hours each way. The food and service was impeccable. The three main experiences (island tour, glass bottom boat, snorkeling) were all so good, but snorkeling was the best. The lunch was the best I’ve experienced on a trip like this, even fresh prawns! They also offer overnight stays, and I was a bit jealous that we had to leave. Couldn’t recommend highly enough!read moreread less
NigelJ932
14 Oct 2023
Fantastic experience The perfect choice. An amazing day with the family. The staff was fantastic and so friendly. We chose to take the VIP package, and that was very nice, good space and a very good service.read moreread less
Gitte
09 Oct 2023
Outstandling I can’t fault the experience. The crew were professional and friendly. The snorkeling was exceptional. Highly recommend.read moreread less
Rachelle
06 Oct 2023
Great day out Absolutely wonderful day out on Lady Musgrave. The crew, Jordan, Steven, Caitlyn and all those aboard on the 5/10/23 were simply sensational will definitely come again in the future!read moreread less
Claire
05 Oct 2023
Standout tour I did my research about which your company to visit Lady Musgrave Island and Lady Musgrave Experience stood out. We booked the VIP upgrade and were very pleased with this. It was quite a rough, movement ride out to the reef and the comfort of the top deck was appreciated. I also followed their seasick advice and none of our party of 6 were unwell. The crew are professional and very friendly. They were acknowledgeable and helpful. We had a stunning snorkelling experience, seeing turtles, a reef shark and beautiful coloured fish of all shapes and sizes. A must visit part of Australia and the Barrier reef.
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rmnixon32
05 Oct 2023
Outstanding! We had such an amazing time on our day trip to Lady Musgrave Island. The team were exceptional, and had thought of every little thing to make the day beyond outstanding. I was very seasick on the way over (please take the advice on the website and take anti-seasick medication even if you never get seasick!!) and the crew were so professional and attentive. Upon arrival to the pontoon, everything ran smoothly and we had an opportunity to do every activity on offer. The food, activities and knowledgeable crew made this trip the absolute highlight of our holiday. Thank you so much Lady Musgrave Experience!!read moreread less
Emily
03 Oct 2023
Great family day trip Great day out on a well run tour with friendly and knowledgeable staff. Good variety of things to do at a spectacular location. Something for everyone to enjoy.read moreread less
Amanda
18 Sep 2023
Whale watching tour The second time on the Whale Watching tour (did one last year). This time to treat my daughter and teenage grandson.When too many whales is just not enough! (Obviously, they can’t guarantee sightings, but they know the probability)
Encountered first whale literally with 10 minutes of the boat leaving the dock, mother with frolicking calf. Absolutely amazing.
Then went further out into the “Humpback Highway” amidst many travelling pods. Everything you could wish for on a whale watching tour.
Crew were great, knowledgeable and well informative.
There were a few seasick passengers, but can’t help that (follow the advice you get when you book).
I’d thoroughly recommend everyone to do this if you can.
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Graeme
17 Sep 2023
Fish, birds, turtles, whales and more We did the two day deal, going out to Lady Musgrave on Day 1 and then whale watching on Day 2. We made our way to the Port of Airlie and then boarded within the half hour. The trip out to the reef was great with a lovely morning tea, barista coffee available and plenty of whales and dolphins to watch along the way. The pontoon was a real treat. Could have snorkelled for hours and the crew really let you do as much or as little as you want. We jumped on the glass bottom boat for the tour to Lady Musgrave and were amazed at the level of birdlife. Looking for turtles on the way back was fun and while we didn't see any, we were lucky enough to snorkel with a couple. p.s. We were advised to take seasickness tablets and since none of us really suffer from seasickness, we didn't bother. On the way home, the waves were quite rough and there were a lot of unwell folks. Be prepared!Whale watching was a completely different experience again - the seas were so smooth and calm and we were completely unprepared for how close the whales came to the catamaran. It was a wonderful day. We all loved the experience.
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loneysan
09 Sep 2023