You may never have heard of Magnetic Island and as far as hidden holiday destinations go, that’s a good thing.
The secluded island is one of Australia’s most picturesque. It’s pine tree lined shores and sandy bays are Instagram-worthy.
Magnetic Island has long been described as a nature lover’s paradise and with over 75% of the World Heritage island declared National Park, this couldn’t be more true.
Walkers and runners can take to the scenic trails on the island, which has 36km of tracks. Expect a variety of sights and terrains steeped in history with the National Park offering trails along the coast, up bushy hills, past tidal wetlands and mangroves, and through paperbark swamps.
The island is home to a diverse mix of native animals, including one of Australia’s largest colonies of wild koalas, more than 180 bird species and in the water, sea turtles, dugongs and migratory whales.
The popular Netflix series, Izzy’s Koala World, is filmed on Magnetic Island. Young wildlife carer Izzy Bee lives on the island with her family and cares for injured and sick koalas before reintroducing them to the wild.
Located 20 minutes by ferry from Townsville, Magnetic Island is uniquely home to 2335 permanent residents, according to the 2016 Census.
Neil Randell, owner of Magnetic Island Best Bus Tours, said it’s an idyllic place to explore.
“We live in a country town, on a tropical island on the Great Barrier Reef with a major city 20 minutes away, so it ticks a lot of boxes for us,” he said.
“It’s definitely the lifestyle and the nature. It’s not everywhere you can see a koala in your back garden and go for a wander to take a snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef.”
The Wulgurukaba meaning ‘Canoe People’, are the First Nation’s traditional custodians of the land, and call Magnetic Island – Yubenun.
Wulgurukaba continue to nurture a deep and respectful relationship to land and sea. The Wulgurukaba people’s creation story tells the tale of the creation snake, which left the Herbert River toward the ocean, creating the Hinchinbrook Channel, and travelled down to the Palm Island Group and Magnetic Island (Yunbenun), where his body broke and left parts along the coast.
Captain James Cook later named the island Magnetical (now Magnetic) Island when he believed the magnetic compass on his ship the Endeavour was affected by the island.
Today it has been dubbed Australia’s Bermuda Triangle with at least 20 known shipwrecks scattered around the island.
The SS City of Adelaide, a shipwreck that’s gradually become an artificial island, is not to be missed. In 2018 it took out the top spot in Tourism Australia’s top Instagram posts.
The ship, which sits just 300m off Magnetic Island at Cockle Bay, was originally a passenger ship from Glasgow, Scotland. After being converted to a cargo ship in 1912, it was gutted by fire, ran aground and has rested there ever since.
There’s much more to explore. Discover Magnetic Island, a hidden Australian paradise.
