OUR PICK OF THINGS TO DO
the Great Barrier ReefMagnetic Island is on the Great Barrier Reef and approximately 30 miles off the outer reef.
SNORKEL WITH AQUASCENE MAGNETIC ISLAND For families and young kids we'd choose Aquascene. 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... DIVE THE MUSEUM OF UNDERWATER ART OR SS YONGALA For the older kids & adults: Book in with Adrenalin Dive for a trip to the outer reef for a Dive or a Snorkel. Highlights in the region are the SS Yongala, one of the top 10 dive sites in the world and the new Museum of Underwater Art. |
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. Our favourites are The Forts Walk and Hawkins Point. Check out more information on the National Parks website By Car: Hire a open top car and cruise the island with the wind in your hair. Our recommended car hire companies are Isle Hire, who hire the classy convertible minis and the topless barbie cars or MI Rentals with their funky jeeps and a range of other cars too. By Boat: Obviously our preference! There are many beaches on the island which are only accessible by boat. Pilgrim Sailing and The Beach Club Magnetic Island should have you covered here. 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 Ash and Andrew at Jetski Hire Magnetic Island or Sharon at Magnetic Jet and they're sure to show you a great time and for all your kayaking needs Magnetic Island Sea Kayaks |
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!
RESTAURANTS ON THE ISLAND
Our favourite restaurants on the Island:
- Saltwater Magnetic Island, Nelly Bay
- Thai Again, Nelly Bay
- Barefoot Art & Wine, Horseshoe Bay
- Cafe Nourish, Horseshoe Bay
- Mama Romas, Picnic Bay
- The Reef Cafe, Picnic Bay
TOO BUSY TO PLAN YOUR HOLIDAY?
Trust us, you don't want to leave the booking of restaurants or activities until you arrive as chances are you'll miss out on all the good stuff.
To ensure you have the best holiday on Magnetic Island, contact Magnetic Island Concierge, our sister business, who can help arrange the finer details of your holiday.
To ensure you have the best holiday on Magnetic Island, contact Magnetic Island Concierge, our sister business, who can help arrange the finer details of your holiday.
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.
VISIT MAGNETIC ISLAND
WHERE IS MAGNETIC ISLAND?
Magnetic Island is located 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 holiday all year round.
It's a beautiful tropical island with 320 days of sunshine and 23 bays and beaches....the perfect destination for a holiday all year round.
HOW TO GET TO MAGNETIC ISLAND
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 barge with Magnetic Island Ferries.
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 barge with Magnetic Island Ferries.
MAGNETIC 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 Native 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.
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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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