WHERE IS MAGNETIC ISLAND?
Magnetic Island is on the Great Barrier Reef almost half way between Cairns and The Whitsundays - only a short ferry ride (20 minutes) from Townsville, which is easily accessible from most major Australian cities.
It's a beautiful tropical island with 320 days of sunshine and 23 bays and beaches....the perfect destination for a winter escape! Find out more below!
It's a beautiful tropical island with 320 days of sunshine and 23 bays and beaches....the perfect destination for a winter escape! Find out more below!
HOW TO GET THERE:
FLY: Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas all fly from most major cities in Australia daily. Check out Townsville Airport for more details on journey time etc.
On arrival at Townsville Airport the quickest and easiest ways to get to Magnetic Island are via Townsville Shuttle (our preference) or Taxi to the Breakwater Terminal (Townsville) then jump on a Sealink Ferry across to Magnetic Island. If you time it right you should easily be able to get from the airport to Magnetic Island in less than an hour.
DRIVE: If you want to drive over to the island make your way to the Ross Street Terminal, South Townsville and you and five passengers can jump on the Fantasea Car Ferry.
On arrival at Townsville Airport the quickest and easiest ways to get to Magnetic Island are via Townsville Shuttle (our preference) or Taxi to the Breakwater Terminal (Townsville) then jump on a Sealink Ferry across to Magnetic Island. If you time it right you should easily be able to get from the airport to Magnetic Island in less than an hour.
DRIVE: If you want to drive over to the island make your way to the Ross Street Terminal, South Townsville and you and five passengers can jump on the Fantasea Car Ferry.
THE ISLAND
All photos below credit to Tourism & Events Queensland
Six things you may not know
about Magnetic Island
THE ONLY RESIDENTIAL ISLAND ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEFAll the other islands are some form of resort. This means there is everything you'll need on the island for your holiday...supermarkets, bottleshops, medical centre, great transport and more....
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320 days of sunshine a yearWinter (May to September) is in our opinion the best time of year to visit Magnetic Island with average temperatures in the high 20's and very little rain..
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Largest Colony of KoalasMagnetic Island is the home to the largest colony of koalas in the wild in North Australia. You'd be very unlucky if you don't spot a koala on a bush walk on the island.
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EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM MAJOR CITIESMagnetic Island is only 8 miles off the Queensland coast at Townsville. There are regular flights to Townsville from many Australian cities daily with only a 30 minute transfer from the airport to the island.
"You'll be in paradise before you know it!" |
23 Bays and BeachesWith 23 different bays and beaches on the Island, there'll be the perfect one for you!
Some are only accessible by 4WD or boat so you can often have the beach to yourself. |
Accommodation to suit all budgetsThere's plenty of choice of accommodation on the island with some beautiful houses to rent or some quaint B&B's or the 5 star Peppers Blue on Blue Resort.
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SO MUCH TO SEE & DO....
OUR PICK OF THINGS TO DO
Enjoy the Great Barrier ReefMagnetic Island is on the Great Barrier Reef and approximately 30 miles off the outer reef.
EXPLORE UNDER THE WATER: For families and young kids we'd choose Aquascene Charters. Adam and Steph, the owners have lived on the island over 30 years and know all the special spots. They run half day tours where you can snorkel, fish and explore... For the older kids & adults: Book in with ProDive for a trip to the outer reef for a Dive or a Snorkel. ProDive also run half day dive trips from Magnetic Island to the SS Yongala, one of the TOP 10 DIVE SITES in the world. They also teach dive courses, so all you diving needs are met on the Island. According to the guys at ProDive, the outer reef off Magnetic Island is in great condition with plenty of colour and life and no signs of bleaching. They say it's better condition than the reef at Cairns and other popular dive spots along the Great Barrier Reef, so maybe it's time to check it out!! |
Explore the IslandMagnetic Island has 23 bays and beaches to explore and nearly 25 kilometres of walking tracks meandering through the national parks.
BEST WAYS TO EXPLORE THE ISLAND: By Foot: Select one of the beautiful walking tracks on the island. There are walks of all length and difficulty. Check out more information on the National Parks website By Car: Hire a Topless Car and cruise the island with the wind in your hair or hire a 4WD and explore further off the beaten track. Pack a picnic and check out West Point at sunset (but don't forget your mozzie repellant!) or grab your togs and head to Radical Bay. By Boat: Obviously our preference! There are many beaches on the island which are only accessible by boat. Book us for a Private Charter and we can take you to one of the more inaccessible bays for the day (Five Beach Bay). By Kayak or Jet ski: There are other ways of seeing the Island by water - kayaks and jet ski's are available for hire from Horseshoe Bay. Contact Andrew at Jetski Hire Magnetic Island or Sharon at Magnetic Jet and they're sure to show you a great time. |
Other things we recommend...
If your trip to the Island includes a Friday or a Saturday night then don't look past Stage Door Theatre Restaurant. It's such a fun night out with really talented performers and a delicious meal too. We absolutely loved it...and will be booking in for every new performance!
We'll be updating this page from time to time as we discover some more amazing things to do on the Island!
We'll be updating this page from time to time as we discover some more amazing things to do on the Island!
AND, OF COURSE....
Credit: @barekiwi via Instagram
FOR THE FAMILYCheck out our Lunchtime Sailing Cruise (perfect for smaller families).
Or for larger families why not book the boat to yourselves on our Private Charter. |
FOR COUPLESYou can't look past the #Sip&Sail Sunset Cruise for a pre-dinner sail enjoying sundowners and a cheese platter on board!
Or if you want to combine sailing, swimming and a BBQ lunch join our Lunchtime Sailing Cruise. |
FOR THE ADVENTUROUSJoin the crew at Magnetic Island Race Week for a full day of exhilarating racing in the waters surrounding Magnetic Island.
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WHERE TO STAY?
Try Peppers Blue on Blue right next to the marina.
Or alternatively check out Best of Magnetic, who have accommodation to suit all budgets and tastes.