Magnetic Island is a mountainous island of 52 km2, located 8 km from the city of Townsville (Queensland, Australia), in Cleveland Bay. It became a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. Services are operated by Townsville Council and the island is part of the Townsville constituency in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. It is a tourist destination with hotels and resorts, accessible by traTownsville and Nelly Bay ferries, operated by two companies (Sunferries and Fantasea Cruises). It houses a national park of 27km2.
 |
| Magnetic Island |
The highest point on the island is Mount Cook, which reaches 497m above sea level. 54% of the island's surface is occupied, since 1953, by the "Magnetic Island National Park", located for the most part in the steep valleys of the interior and on the rocky coast of the northwest.
Magnetic Island got its name after James Cook's ship, passing by the coast of Townsville in 1770, failed the compass due to an incomprehensible anomaly. In the future, many tried to understand what happened to the compass, and explored the island using various tools, but this remained a mystery. And the people of Townsville affectionately call the island "Maggie".
 |
| Magnetic Island |
The island is famous among fishing enthusiasts - blue and black marlin, mackerel, tuna, coral salmon and other species are found in the surrounding waters.
 |
| Magnetic Island |
Local aboriginal tribes called the island "Yunbunam" (Yunbunam), on numerous beaches their camps were located, and the aborigines themselves could travel to the mainland by canoe. Today on Magnetic Island you can see several aboriginal burial grounds and cave paintings in numerous bays. The folklore of the Wulguru tribe who inhabited the island tells of a long history of settlement on the island and an annual migration to the mainland.
The island is a real paradise for outdoor enthusiasts: here you can go kayaking in Horseshoe Bay, diving in the nearby Great Barrier Reef, sailing in Nelly Bay.