Magnetic Island. Welcome sign at Horseshoe Bay.
The Barrier Reef is the world’s largest with over 900 islands and nearly 3,000 reefs along 2,000 kms of coastline. It is clearly visible from space and it is the world’s largest single structure made up of living organisms, known as coral polyps. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981 and is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It supports a wide range of life from marine mammals (dugongs and whales) to fish, turtles, crocodiles and birds. Many of the coral cays (small islands) have fringing lagoons. One of the many islands near the reef and just off the coat of Townsville is beautiful Magnetic Island. Horseshoe Bay beach is pictured left.
Just 10 kms across the ocean from Townsville is Magnetic Island. It covers 5,184 hectares and roughly three quarters of the island is a National Park created in 1953. Magnetic Island was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 and so named as he believed the topography of the island made his compass work erratically. In 1876 Harry Butler and his family came to Picnic Bay and became the first permanent white settlers on Magnetic Island. His daughter Nellie was born on the island in the late 1870s hence the bay was called Nelly Bay. In 1886 the coastline of Magnetic Island was surveyed by J. G. O'Connell. He reported that five different parties were settled round the Island and that Picnic Bay was the favourite resort of Townsville holiday makers. Robert Hayles erected a hotel at Picnic Bay in 1899. The first freehold town lots were put up for auction at Picnic Bay in 1887. A regular ferry service to Magnetic Island from Townsville began in 1899. By the 1920s quite a few people lived and farmed on the island which had two schools and several dance pavilions at that time. Horseshoe Bay with the longest beach on the island was first settled by Europeans in 1912. Today Nelly Bay is the main town with shops, school, church and ferry terminal and a population of about 1,000.The other main settlement is Horseshoe Bay with 500 residents. Over 2,200 people live on the island. Julian Assange was born in Townville in 1971 and grew up on Magnetic Island. Nelly Bay has the ferry terminal, supermarket, marina and lots of apartments. Horseshoe Bay is small but with several cafes, a hotel, a store, a beach and a park along the beach. Horseshoe Bay also has the Magnetic Island Museum at 11 Granite street two streets back from the beach and it is located in the heritage listed former schoolroom.
Magnetic Island. Welcome sign at Horseshoe Bay.
The Barrier Reef is the world’s largest with over 900 islands and nearly 3,000 reefs along 2,000 kms of coastline. It is clearly visible from space and it is the world’s largest single structure made up of living organisms, known as coral polyps. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981 and is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It supports a wide range of life from marine mammals (dugongs and whales) to fish, turtles, crocodiles and birds. Many of the coral cays (small islands) have fringing lagoons. One of the many islands near the reef and just off the coat of Townsville is beautiful Magnetic Island. Horseshoe Bay beach is pictured left.
Just 10 kms across the ocean from Townsville is Magnetic Island. It covers 5,184 hectares and roughly three quarters of the island is a National Park created in 1953. Magnetic Island was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 and so named as he believed the topography of the island made his compass work erratically. In 1876 Harry Butler and his family came to Picnic Bay and became the first permanent white settlers on Magnetic Island. His daughter Nellie was born on the island in the late 1870s hence the bay was called Nelly Bay. In 1886 the coastline of Magnetic Island was surveyed by J. G. O'Connell. He reported that five different parties were settled round the Island and that Picnic Bay was the favourite resort of Townsville holiday makers. Robert Hayles erected a hotel at Picnic Bay in 1899. The first freehold town lots were put up for auction at Picnic Bay in 1887. A regular ferry service to Magnetic Island from Townsville began in 1899. By the 1920s quite a few people lived and farmed on the island which had two schools and several dance pavilions at that time. Horseshoe Bay with the longest beach on the island was first settled by Europeans in 1912. Today Nelly Bay is the main town with shops, school, church and ferry terminal and a population of about 1,000.The other main settlement is Horseshoe Bay with 500 residents. Over 2,200 people live on the island. Julian Assange was born in Townville in 1971 and grew up on Magnetic Island. Nelly Bay has the ferry terminal, supermarket, marina and lots of apartments. Horseshoe Bay is small but with several cafes, a hotel, a store, a beach and a park along the beach. Horseshoe Bay also has the Magnetic Island Museum at 11 Granite street two streets back from the beach and it is located in the heritage listed former schoolroom.