Nelly Bay as seen from the ferry

Magnetic Island is an island directly off the coast of Townsville in Far North Queensland. Over half the land area of the island is a National Park. Magnetic Island is roughly 7km by 5km, with 25km of walking tracks and several beaches and little bays.

Understand

Magnetic Island has about 2000 residents spread among four small villages. It is popular with tourists to the region. The villages run up the east coast of the island, with the western part consisting of national park. The villages from south to north are Picnic Bay, Nelly Bay, Arcadia and Horseshoe Bay. Nelly Bay is currently in the middle of a large redevelopment involving high-end residential and tourism facilities right on the water. Most budget travellers stay in Arcadia and Horseshoe Bay, which mainly cater to the pub-going and jetskiing tourists.

Get in

Magnetic Island is only accessible by boat from Townsville, which is 8 kilometers away and which has a well served airport. There are two ferry services, both arriving at the Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal:

• Sunferries, Breakwater Terminal, Sir Leslie Theiss Drive, Townsville, ☎ +61-7-4771-3855 (fax: +61-7-4771-3955), [1]. Sunferries operate eleven or more passenger ferry services between Townsville and Magnetic Island daily. Adult passengers are $13 ($25 return), children and pensioners $6.30 ($12.50 return).

• Magnetic Island Passenger & Car Ferry, Ross Street, South Townsville, ☎ +61-7-4772-5422 (nelly_bay@yahoo.com.au, fax: +61-7-4721-3576), [2]. The ferry transports both cars and passengers from Townsville with seven or eight departures between 7am and 7pm every day. It leaves from the wharf in Ross Street, South Townsville. Trailers and caravans can be transported. Adult passengers are $12.50, students $8.25 and children and pensioners $6.50. Transport of cars starts at $69..

Ferries take approximately half an hour to reach Magnetic Island. Some airlines can arrange transfers from the airport to Magnetic Island in a package including the flight to Townsville.

Get around

By bus

• Magnetic Island Bus Service, ☎ +61-7-4778-5130 (mibs@ballyhoo.com.au, fax: +61-7-4778-5380), [3]. The Magnetic Island Bus Service runs from Picnic Bay to Horseshoe Bay via the Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal. Buses are 40 minutes or more apart, depending on the time of day and day of week. The timetable is posted at the bus stop at the ferry terminal. The bus services are reasonably well synchronised with the Sunferries passenger ferry. A wheelchair accessible bus is available, call in advance to book.

By car

Magnetic Island mostly has good quality sealed roads, but there are some unsealed roads that require a four-wheel drive.

You can bring your own vehicle on the car ferry, or you can hire cars, four-wheel drives and minimokes on the island:

• Moke Magnetic, 112 Sooning St, Nelly Bay (diagonally across from the ferry terminal), ☎ +61-7-4778-5377 (fax: +61-7-4778-5660), [4]. Mokes $68/day, 5 seat air-conditioned sedans $72/day (fuel and 60kms included).

• Tropical Topless Car Rentals, 138 Sooning St, Nelly Bay, ☎ +61-7-4758-1111.

• MI Wheels on Horseshoe, 13 Pacific Drive, Horseshoe Bay, ☎ +61-7-4778-5491 (info@miwheels.com.au, fax: +61-7-4778-5104), [5]. Hires out Mini Mokes for $45/day for 1-6 days, $37/day for 28+ days, plus 45c/km including fuel. Also hires out 5-seat air-conditioned cars.

By foot

All of the villages are small enough to allow easy walking within their bounds. In theory the entire island is small enough that you could walk from end to end in less than a day, but the paths are not designed for it. There are walking tracks through the National Park on the island, but they are scenic walking routes rather than a direct way to get to different parts of the island. The direct roads themselves aren't always pedestrian friendly; some roads lack footpaths so you have to share the sometimes narrow and winding roads with cars.

See

Do

Geoffrey Bay

Diving

Scuba diving is available on the island, and there are trips out to the Great Barrier Reef leaving Magnetic Island:

• Adrenalin Dive, 121 Flinders St, Townsville, ☎ +61-7-4724-0600 or 1300 664 600 (info@adrenalindive.com.au, fax: +61-7-4771-6527), [6]. Adrenalin Dive offers 2 dive day trips to the Yongala departing Townsville and Magnetic Island. The base price is $179, equipment hire $35. Divers must have at least 6 logged dives, and divers with less than 15 logged dives will need to pay $30 for a guided dive. PADI certification courses are available via the Pro Dive Townsville liveaboard, see the Townsville article for details.

• Pleasure Divers, 10 Marine Parade, Arcadia, ☎ +61-7-4778-5788 or 1800 797 797 (info@pleasuredivers.com.au), [7]. Pleasure Divers is close to Magnetic Island's shore diving and hires out snorkelling equipment and scuba. They also conduct PADI certification courses: introductory Open Water is $299 if shore diving, and certification including reef trips start at $469.

Jetski

• Adrenalin Jet Ski Tours, 46 Gifford St, Horseshoe Bay, ☎ +61-7-4778-5533.

• Jet Ski Hire, The Boat Ramp, Horseshoe Bay, ☎ +61-7-4758-1100.

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Bungalow Bay YHA, 40 Horseshoe Bay Road, Horseshoe Bay, ☎ +61-7-4778-5577 (info@bungalowbay.com.au, fax: +61-7-4778-5781), [8]. Dorm rooms from $22 per night, double and twin rooms $55 a night.

• Magnums on Magnetic, 7 Marine Parade, Arcadia, ☎ +61-7-4778-5177 or 1800-663-666 (fax: +61-7-4778-5939), [9]. Magnums is a backpackers with facilities including 2 large swimming pools, an internet cafe, 3 bars, a bistro and dive schools. Geoffrey's Bay is across the road. Dorms from $18, twins and doubles $55.

• Magnetic International Resort, Mandalay Avenue, Nelly Bay, ☎ +61-7-4778-5200 (reservations@magneticresort.com, fax: +61-7-4778-5806), [10]. Magnetic International Resort is a luxury resort with facilities including a swimming pool, a cocktail bar, tennis courts, an internet cafe and wireless access. Rooms from $136 a night.

• Island Leisure Resort, 4 Kelly Street, Nelly Bay, ☎ +61-7-4778-5000 (islandleisure@bigpond.com, fax: +61-7-4778-5042), [11]. The Island Leisure Resort is designed to accommodate familes, with most rooms having a queen sized bed and a triple bunk. All rooms are airconditioned and have TVs. Resort facilites include a swimming pool, barbecue area, spa and tennis court. $145 per night for two adults, children $5 extra per night, during Christmas, New Year and Easter higher rates apply.

Get out