Photos: Lady Elliot Island, Great Barrier Reef

Where better to launch a range of new cameras and camcorders than at the Great Barrier Reef?

On one windswept weekend, Panasonic launched seven Lumix cameras and nine camcorders at the Lady Elliot Island eco resort, located at the southern end of Great Barrier Reef. One of only six island resorts on the reef, it has a grass airstrip that stretches the entire length of the island and can only be reached commercially via prop jet.

Starfish
We found this little beauty -- no, we're not wearing khaki as we type this -- lying with some mates in a shallow water coral bed. The blue sea star (linckia laevigata) is one of more common varieties of starfish.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

The dearly departed
Along the high water mark of Lady Elliot's beaches are lines of dead coral that have been washed ashore. Most of the dead coral has been bleached of its colour but some, like this red example, still retain some of their pigmentation.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3 with underwater casing

Smile! You're on candid camera
Give a bunch of journos cameras, stick 'em on a beach with hermit crabs and what are they going to do? Give the poor crabs the paparazzi treatment of course.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3 with underwater casing

Hermit crab
These crabs are thus named because they live inside mollusc shells. When they outgrow their current shell, they must find a new, larger shell to inhabit. The crabs we encountered were the shy, retiring type, often retreating into the comfort of their shell whilst we were around. We're not sure how they kept themselves entertained whilst in their shell because Lady Elliot Island is without mobile phone or TV reception.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3

Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance
This frog was sitting on a piece of PVC piping minding its own business when an army of camera-armed journos came bearing down on it. It didn't bat an eyelid as we shone torches at it and clicked away for a good ten minutes.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3

Peak-a-boo!
Sometimes the best photos just happen. One afternoon we waded into the coral pool outside our beach hut, stuck our camera underwater and began taking snaps.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

A sunset for Ken
For the most part, our time on Lady Elliot Island was overcast and windy but it cleared up for long enough for us to witness this gorgeous sunset. Special guest Ken Duncan -- yes, that Ken Duncan -- was on hand to give us tips and advice.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3

More sunset goodness
Pink's not usually our thing but we'll make an exception in this case.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3

Crush
Sea turtles come ashore on Lady Elliot Island to mate and lay eggs. Although we weren't fortunate enough to see a turtle hatch, we did swim with many a turtle. This one was doing the rounds in the waters outside the resort's main beach.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

Close encounters of the turtle kind
Our turtle friends were incredibly friendly, allowing us to swim right up to them, touch them and swim along with them.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

Thousands of fishies
Even though it's impossible to look underwater and not see a fish, most of our shots ended up being of coral. That's because, on many occasions, by the time we had pressed shoot and the camera had finished doing its thing, the fish had swum away. That and the fact that we spent a lot of time trying not to ingest a lungful of salt water.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3 with underwater casing

Deep blue sea
At this snorkeling location there was coral as far as the eye could see.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FS3 with underwater casing

White capped noddy
Swarms of the white capped noddies (anous minitus) call Lady Elliot Island home all year round. There's no escaping their calls, nor the smell of their droppings, wherever you go on the island.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Baby noddy
Babies are all always cute oh so cute, and this down-covered baby noddy is no exception.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Gulls in flight
Strong winds meant that gulls often had to fly against the wind to stay stationary.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Missed it by
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Blue bottle cult
We never really liked blue bottles before this, but this one has a serene look to it.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Greenseas
A collection of moss covered rocks.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Up close and personal
A piece of white coral makes itself at home.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

I see wet people
The view from atop Lady Elliot's now decommissioned lighthouse.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15

Manta ray
On the final morning we waded into the water, donned our snorkeling gear, popped our heads under water and saw this fella swimming by.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

It's that-a-way man!
A school of fish all facing the same direction. We're pretty sure they're not the moonfishes or fingerfishes seen in
Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing

Name that fish
We think this is an angelfish of some description, although we're happy to be corrected.

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ15 with underwater casing