A 25 minute ferry trip from Townsville in north Queensland, Magnetic Island is a laid back tropical island that invites visitors to chill out and relax.
Talented British navigator and all round legendary explorer Captain Cook made a rare error of judgement when he named Magnetic Island in the 1770s. Noticing that his compass fluctuated wildly he unfairly blamed it on the pretty boulder-strewn island off the port bow. His observation was later proven wrong as there is no magnetic anomaly, but it was too late, the name remained.
Known affectionately as Maggie, or simply the Rock, by the 3,000-odd
residents (trust me, some of them are definitely odd, I lived there for
four years!), the little continental island is actually a suburb of
Townsville 8 km northeast of the big island of Australia. Maggie seduced
me with her laid back old fashioned kind of charm, much as it did for
many locals who came for a holiday and never left.
Which is the flipside if you’re looking for a weekend getaway of fine
dining, late night dancing (even late night dining), or entertainment on
tap. Maggie is not that kind of place. At most restaurants if you
haven’t ordered your meal by 7.30 you’re likely to go hungry. Similarly
if you’re accustomed to snappy, perfectly groomed wait staff, room
service, or even a decent coffee, you’ve probably come to the wrong
place.
That’s not how Maggie is. While her more famous cousins to the south,
like Hamilton or Hayman Island have grown up, graduated and gone on to
flourishing careers, Maggie took a less academic path lined with coconut
palms, sweeping beaches and a slower pace. A little immature with
unpredictable raw edges yet to be groomed, her vulnerable winsome ways
merely add to her charms. Maggie is the kind of place that not only
invites you to slow down and admire cobalt blue butterflies, koalas
supine in the trees above, wallabies grazing on grass, she leaves her
unlocked doors open and invites you in, laying out cold beers and deck
chairs for added measure.
She couldn’t get any more relaxed if she tried. Though there is some
spiffy infrastructure in place to get you there (daily car and passenger
ferry) and get you around (buses and hire cars the size of washing
machines), after that you’re pretty much on your own.
Predominantly ‘green space’ and national park, wildlife rules the road.
Oh there are the usual speed signs (max 60 km) but it’s mostly
wallabies and bush stone curlews who control traffic flow causing minor
holdups if they’re particularly lethargic. A while back a koala waddled
into the Marlin Bar at the pub on Horseshoe Bay’s beachfront (whose
shout I wonder?) but usually they keep a pretty low profile. If you take
a stroll up to the WW2 ruins on the Forts Walk you’ll likely see some
asleep in the fork of a eucalypt. If you really can’t be bothered lacing
up your hiking shoes, visit Bungalow Bay Koala Village for a Champagne
Bush Tucker breakfast amongst the koalas, cockatoos, crocodiles and
carpet python snakes. Park rangers are on hand to keep the wildlife
under control, and if you’re feeling brave, you can even handle a snake
and crocodile or cuddle a koala.
If reptiles don’t get your heart pumping, a guided excursion with
Adrenalin Jet ski Tours is sure to. Astride a powerful luxury jet ski,
owner/operator Peter Smith knows where turtles and dugongs hang out:
it’s not all about speed, there is time to stop, wait for wildlife to
surface while also admiring the view of Maggie from the sea.
The grass beneath the coconut palms of Horseshoe Bay (with free public
BBQ’s) is a popular gathering spot at sunset. Pick up fish and chips or
bring your own picnic and soak up the balmy tropical vibe. But once the
sun disappears, multi award winning Stagedoor Theatre Restaurant is one
of the island’s most popular attractions. Starring Bernadette Smith and
Phil Stephens (also the Executive Chef), Stage Door performs a revolving
door of fun-filled song and dance shows throughout the year. It’s a bit
daggy in a north Queensland kind of way but it’s also hysterically
funny in a bawdy, disorderly sort of way. A bit like Maggie herself
really.
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