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Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is located 8 kilometres from Townsville in tropical north Queensland. Conservation and National Parks cover 78% of the island's landscape, and it has 23 stunning beaches and 24 kilometres of walking trails.
Magnetic Island is home to the largest colony of Koalas in North Queensland and a colony of Allied Rock Wallabies.
The island is accessible from the Townsville Breakwater to the Nelly Bay Harbour by passenger and vehicle ferry. Sealink operates passenger ferries and has 18 daily trips. Each trip takes 20 minutes on their high-speed catamarans. Magnetic Island Ferries operates the vehicle ferries and has eight daily trips, each taking 35 minutes.
On our recent day trip to Magnetic Island, we saw Koalas and amazing views along the Forts walk. We found the shipwreck of the S.S. City of Adelaide and enjoyed a seafood lunch at the Picnic Bay pub. After lunch, we explored the amazing beaches and saw the rock wallabies before enjoying a fantastic sunset on the ferry back to Townsville.
The most popular walk on Magnetic Island is the Forts Walk. This grade 3, 4-kilometre return track takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Along the way, you can see World War II relics, stunning views and, if you look carefully, wild koalas in the eucalypt trees.
This heritage-listed site protects Queensland's best-preserved WWII coastal defence fortifications. A historical interpretive display explains the ruins and buildings, and a touch button recording brings to life the stories of the men and women who served on Magnetic Island during the war.
The S.S. City of Adelaide shipwreck is 300 metres off the shores of Cockle Bay. This 77-metre ship was constructed in Glasgow in 1864 and spent many years as a passenger ship before being converted to a coal storage vessel in 1902.
The coal onboard caught fire in 1912, and the City of Adelaide burned for two days. In 1915, a Magnetic Island businessman purchased the ship with plans to refit her as tourist accommodation or as a breakwater in Picnic Bay.
Unfortunately, the ship ran aground at Cockle Bay in 1916 while being transported. It is now a tourist attraction with mangroves growing onboard. It is possible to walk out to the shipwreck at low tide.
At the Picnic Bay Hotel, we had a lovely seafood platter for lunch. We wandered along the historic Picnic Bay Jetty and enjoyed stunning views across Cleveland Bay.
After lunch, we drove around and visited some of the stunning beaches on Magnetic Island, where you can swim, snorkel or sit back and relax in paradise.
Next, we head to the old Arcadia Jetty at Geoffrey Bay to see the Allied Rock Wallabies. The best time to see them is early in the morning or later in the afternoon.
After a fantastic day on Magnetic Island, we sit back and watch the sunset on the ferry ride back to Townsville.
Includes information and availability on Discovery Tours, Sailing Cruises, Cruise to the Shipwreck S.S. City of Adelaide, and Ferry Tickets.
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