30 kilometres off the coast of Cairns is the small island of Fitzroy, which is only 4 square kilometres in area. Fitzroy, which can only be reached by ferry. The journey takes 45 minutes. The island is surrounded by coral reefs that are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It's one of Cairns' favourite holiday destinations, where you can dive or snorkel and marvel at the fragile beauty of the underwater world. White sandy beaches and safe waters. - are ideal for swimming, water sports and sailing.
The gentle, hilly terrain is perfect for strolling along one of the many hiking trails that criss-cross the island. The gentle, hilly terrain is perfect for a stroll along one of the many hiking trails that criss-cross the island, leading to the two main beaches, the lookout point, or the lighthouse on the western tip of the island.
About 10,000 years ago the island was still connected to the mainland. But when the last ice age ended, water from the melting glaciers flooded the valley between Fitzroy and the other mountain peaks. This is how the isolated island was formed. For thousands of years, the Aboriginal people of the Gunganja tribe used the area for hunting and fishing. In 1778, the first European, Captain James Cook, came here and gave the island its name. the island's name. In 1876, Fitzroy became a quarantine station for the Chinese travelling to the Palmer River goldfields, and in the early 20th century, fruit and vegetables were grown here, then pearling, and during the Second World War it was a military base. <for thousands="" of="" years,="" the="" aboriginal="" people="" gunganja.="" gunganji="" tribe="" used="" area="" for="" hunting="" and="" fishing.="" in="" 1778,="" first="" european,="" captain="" james="" cook,="" came="" here="" gave="" island="" its="" name.="" island's="" 1876,="" fitzroy="" became="" a="" quarantine="" station="" chinese="" travelling="" to="" palmer="" river="" goldfields,="" early="" 20th="" century,="" fruit="" vegetables="" were="" grown="" here,="" then="" pearling,="" during="" second="" world="" war="" it="" was="" military="" base.=""
Today, 97 per cent of the island is a national park with a variety of ecosystems: rainforest, mangroves, savannahs, coral beaches. It is home to a huge variety of terrestrial and marine species. Just a few metres from the beach you can see colourful hard and soft coral and amazing marine life. On land there are many species of birds - Emerald Dove, Crested Cockatoo, Jungle Hen, Osprey, Yellow-breasted paradise kingfisher, the variegated emperor pigeon. The main predators on the island are reptiles, mainly pythons (brown and green), varans and large skinks. The yellow varan, which reaches 1.2 metres in length, can often be found near the marina. No venomous snakes are found here.
