Magnetic Island - a small island of 52 km², located in Cleveland Bay right opposite Townsville, has long been a favourite place of recreation of townspeople and tourists. Today it is considered a suburb of Townsville with a population of 2 thousand people who live in 4 small villages. You can get to the island by ferry - the journey will take about half an hour.
More than half of the island (27 km²) is occupied by a national park, which is listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. There is also a bird sanctuary and many beautiful hiking trails leading from the beaches to the island's various tourist spots.
Magnetic Island got its name after James Cook's ship passing the coast of Townsville in 1770 had its compass malfunction due to an unexplained anomaly. Many people subsequently tried to figure out what happened to the compass and explored the island with various instruments, but it remained a mystery. And the people of Townsville affectionately call the island "Maggie."
.The island is famous among fishing enthusiasts - blue and black marlin, mackerel, tuna, coral salmon and other species are found in the surrounding waters.
Local Aboriginal tribes called the island "Yunbunam" (Yunbunam), the many beaches were home to their camps, and the Aboriginal people themselves could travel to the mainland by canoe. Today, Magnetic Island is home to several Aboriginal burial grounds and cave paintings in numerous coves. The folklore of the Woolguru tribe that inhabited the island tells of a long history of settlement of the island and annual migration to the mainland.
The island is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise, with kayaking at Horseshoe Bay, diving at the nearby Great Barrier Reef, and sailing at Nelly Bay.
