Magnetic Island
Yunbenun
A Wild Island 25 Minutes Off Townsville
On the lands of the Wulgurukaba people.
schedule 3 min read / Updated Apr 2026
A granite island eight kilometres off the coast of Townsville in north Queensland. Magnetic Island is one of the only places on earth where visitors can reliably see wild koalas in their natural habitat and is home to 23 bays and beaches ringed by fringing coral reef.
Magnetic Island, known locally as Maggie, sits 8 kilometres off the coast of Townsville in north Queensland on the traditional lands of the Wulgurukaba people. The island was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 because his ship's compass seemed to behave erratically as he passed it, though no magnetic anomaly has ever been detected and the name has stuck regardless.
The island covers about 52 square kilometres and is mostly national park. It is made of granite rather than coral, which gives it green forested hills and a very different look from the flat coral cays of the Great Barrier Reef. Around the coast sits a fringing reef that is often in better condition than the outer reef, and the sheltered bays on the leeward side offer some of the best shore-based snorkelling on the reef.
Horseshoe Bay is the largest beach and the main resort area. Picnic Bay is where the ferry from Townsville docks, and is the island's quietest stretch. Arcadia, Alma Bay, Nelly Bay and Florence Bay are all worth the short drive around the island. Radical Bay on the north side is the most photographed, and Balding Bay next door is the island's unofficial nude beach.
The koala population is the island's single most distinctive feature. Magnetic Island has one of the densest populations of wild koalas on the east coast of Australia and they are unusually easy to spot because the canopy is open and the eucalypts are low. The Forts Walk, a 4 kilometre return hike to a set of World War II concrete observation posts on the island's highest point, reliably passes 10 to 20 koalas in the surrounding trees. Most visitors spot at least one on their way up.
World War II left a significant footprint on the island. The Forts Walk visits the old gun emplacements and observation posts that were built in 1942-43 to defend the Port of Townsville against a possible Japanese invasion that never came. The ruins are now absorbed into the bush and are a recognised historical feature of the island.
The island is compact enough to explore on a half-day bus loop, and many visitors come just for the day from Townsville on the 20-minute catamaran ferry. Overnight stays are also popular and can range from the Bungalow Bay YHA eco-resort (with its wildlife park where you can have a photo with a koala) up to higher-end lodge options at Horseshoe Bay and Arcadia. A range of open-top topless rental cars (called Mokes or Barbies) are available for self-drive around the island.
Beyond koalas and beaches, Magnetic Island is a good base for reef snorkelling. Off Nelly Bay and Geoffrey Bay are reef trails laid out with underwater signage, where snorkellers can spot green turtles, reef fish, and occasional reef sharks. Standard snorkel and kayak hire is available from the resorts on the main bays.
Magnetic Island is a year-round destination but best visited May to October in the dry season when the weather is mild and stingers are absent from the water. Summer brings warm water but also stinger suits and wet-season humidity. The island is reached by the SeaLink car ferry or the Magnetic Island ferry from Townsville (20-25 minutes) from the Ross Creek ferry terminal. Townsville Airport (TSV) is the nearest major airport.
Where to stay
Holiday parks near Magnetic Island.
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Gallery
Magnetic Island in pictures.
10 images licensed from Wikimedia Commons
All images are sourced from Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences. Individual photographers are credited on the source pages.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Magnetic Island.
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Attribution
Sources & credits
Content (1)
Images (10)
- Magnetic Island Townsville from the Magnetic Island Ferry 10... · John Robert McPherson · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Magnetic Island Townsville from the Magnetic Island Ferry 10... · John Robert McPherson · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arcadia Lookout, Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia.jpg · Joshua Tagicakibau · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gabul Way, a pedestrian walkway beside the narrow road, Magn... · Ridiculopathy · CC0
- Inside the public bus on Magnetic Island, Queensland, Austra... · Ridiculopathy · CC0
- Inside the public bus on Magnetic Island, Queensland, Austra... · Ridiculopathy · CC0
- Magnetic Island Townsville from the Magnetic Island Ferry 10... · John Robert McPherson · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Passengers arriving at Magnetic Island, near Townsville, Aus... · Ridiculopathy · CC0
- Passengers arriving at Magnetic Island, near Townsville, Aus... · Ridiculopathy · CC0
- Passengers arriving at Magnetic Island, near Townsville, Aus... · Ridiculopathy · CC0
Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under licenses that permit commercial use. If you are the rights holder and believe an attribution is incorrect, please contact us.