Magnetic Island
Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Short description Template:Infobox Islands
Magnetic Island (Wulguru: Yunbenun) is an island Template:Convert offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This Template:Convert mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry. There is a large Template:Convert<ref name="Science">Template:Cite web</ref> National Park and bird sanctuary and walking tracks can be taken between the populated bays and to a number of tourist destinations such as the World War II forts.
The island is a holiday destination with many hotels and several resorts in operation to cater for all levels of service. The public facilities and infrastructure on the island are managed by the Townsville City Council. The island is part of the electoral district of Townsville in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, and part of the federal seat of Herbert, which is represented by Phillip Thompson.
There are five settlements, namely Arcadia, Horseshoe Bay, Nelly Bay, Picnic Bay, and West Point. Geographic features include Rocky Bay, Picnic Bay and Hawkings Point, around its southern extremity, a bay, Nelly Bay to the east-north-east of Rocky Bay, followed by Geoffrey Bay, with Bremner Point as its northern arm. Horseshoe Bay is on the northern coast, and Cockle Bay Reef off the western coast.
In the Template:CensusAU, Magnetic Island had a population of 2,475 people.<ref name=Census2021/>
Naming
The Wulguru name for the island is Yunbenun. The first European accounts of the island come from Captain James Cook who, in 1770, while navigating the Australian coast, called the island Magnetical Island, as a magnetic pull interfering with his vessel's compass appeared to emanate from the island.<ref name="ebo"/> People have since explored the general area of Magnetic Island with various instruments to discover what might have caused the effect that Cook reported, but nothing has been discovered. Local names for the island are "Maggie Isle",<ref name="Hughes 2010">Template:Cite book</ref> "Maggie Island",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or "The Island".
History
Pre-European settlement
Yunbenun is the traditional land of the Wulgurukaba people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It had a transient population of Aboriginal people well before European exploration of the area. They had seasonal camps at a number of bays, and travelled between the island and mainland using canoes. A number of Aboriginal burial sites are said to exist on the island, but have so far not been identified.Template:Citation needed Aboriginal middens and cave drawings can still be found in a number of bays around Yunbenun. Folklore of the local Wulguru tribe recounts a long association with the island and annual migrations to the mainland to avoid expeditions of head-hunters from Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait, which used the northern trade winds to travel south along the Queensland coast. This head-hunting nearly ceased following the arrival of missionaries, led by Samuel MacFarlane to the Torres Straits in 1871.<ref name="Barnes">Template:Cite book</ref>
European settlement and development
J.M. Black, funded by Robert Towns, founded the township of Townsville on the mainland nearby. As Townsville developed through the mid-19th century, Magnetic Island became a valuable location for the gathering of hoop pine and granite, the latter of which was used in the reclamation of land for the Port of Townsville, and for construction of Townsville's Customs House.<ref name="Barnes" />
Picnic Bay was named after its popularity as a picnic spot for European tourists from the mainland during the 19th centuryTemplate:Cn, before Magnetic Island was first inhabited by Europeans. In the mid-19th century the island became a popular location for the collection of stone and coral needed for development on the mainland. Even substantial quantities of gold were mined in 1886.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1875, the island was set aside as a quarantine station although it took another ten years for the proper facilities to be set up at West Point. In November 1884 the Queensland Government accepted a tender from Leisner and Sparre to construct the quarantine station for £3645.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was only after the tender was accepted that the site on West Point on the north-west was actually chosen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1896 Cyclone Sigma tore across the island and through Townsville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At least 23 people died, many buildings destroyed and boats wrecked.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The ketch Lalla Rookh was torn off its moorings and found later on Magnetic Island.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> (She was able to be recovered and continued to carry loads of timber up and down the coast, until being wrecked off the Queensland coast in 1899.<ref name=inskip>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=qldships>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>)
By 1890 a resort had been started in Picnic Bay. In 1898 Robert Hayles Sr was so impressed by the potential of Magnetic Island he sold his other interests to build a resort on the island. Hayles was responsible for much of the development of Magnetic Island through tourism. In 1901 he started a regular ferry service to the island with his ship the Bee. Twelve months later this ship was wrecked on the rocks at Nobby Head, Picnic Bay, and the Phoenix was built by Hayles' sons to replace the vessel. The Hayles company remained operating services to Magnetic Island with a large number of different vessels until 1988.Template:Citation needed
World War II
Magnetic Island became an important defensive position during World War II because of its proximity to Townsville, an important military base, and its views over Cleveland Bay, a significant anchorage and assembly point for large fleets and convoys operating in the south Pacific. As such, the Magnetic Battery, (AKA The Forts) an artillery battery and observation post, was built in the hinterland of Florence, Horseshoe and Arthur Bays. Picnic Bay also became a popular defence force rest and relaxation camp following the commandeering of a resort in the bay in 1939.
Post-war era
The island slowly expanded following the end of the Second World War. In 1953, Centaur House, a memorial convalescent and rest hostel for nurses, was officially opened in Geoffrey Bay.<ref>Template:SLQ-CC-BY</ref>
In late December 1971 Cyclone Althea hit the North Queensland coast directly crossing Magnetic Island. The island, along with much of the mainland, was devastated with 90% of the island's houses damaged or destroyed, some simply lifted off their foundations and tossed into trees. The island, along with the mainland, soon recovered.
In July 2012, a six hectare (15 acre) section of the island was granted to the Wulgurukaba Yunbenun Aboriginal Corporation under freehold title and a further 55 hectare (135 acre) section under a Deed of Grant in Trust.<ref name="ntrg">Template:Cite news</ref>
21st century
In 2009, as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Magnetic Island was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "Natural attraction".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
Template:Historical populations In the Template:CensusAU, Magnetic Island had a population of 2,107 people.<ref name=Census2006>Template:Census 2006 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, Magnetic Island had a population of 2,199.<ref name=Census2011>Template:Census 2011 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, Magnetic Island had a population of 2,335 people.<ref name="Census2016">Template:Census 2016 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, Magnetic Island had a population of 2,475 people.<ref name="Census2021">Template:Census 2021 AUS</ref>
Geography
Geographic features include Rocky Bay, Picnic Bay and Hawkings Point (around the settlement named Picnic Bay) around its southern point,<ref name=rockybaymap>Template:Cite web</ref> a bay and settlement called Nelly Bay to the east-north-east, Horseshoe Bay on its northern coast, and Cockle Bay Reef off the western coast.<ref name=wholemap>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Natural heritage and attractions
The island is a haven for wildlife. 76% of the island is Magnetic Island National Park,<ref name="Science"/> which is mostly located on the steep hilly interior and rugged north-western side. The highest point on the island is Mount Cook reaching Template:Convert above sea level.<ref name="ebo">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> A citizen science project at Magnetic has over 3500 observations of 1126 species with the most observed species the koala and the most observed marine species the goldstripe butterflyfish.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Magnetic Island is famous for its fishing opportunities. Fish around the island include: mackerel, giant trevally, queenfish, coral trout, blackspot tuskfish, tuna, fingermark, red emperor and sea perch.
As of 2013, there are over 800 koalas estimated to be present on the island; this population represents the northern limit of their geographic range.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The areas of the island that are not covered by the conservation area are open for development subject to local authority approval. As of 2018 the island was undergoing an economic boom.Template:Citation needed
The wreckage of SS City of Adelaide is located off the shore of Cockle Bay, the island and is a popular tourist attraction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Wide image
Settlements
The five villages of the island, which contain most of the population of 2017 (as of the census of population)
| Place | Area (km2) | Population | Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe Bay | 9.7 | 484 | 49.9 |
| Arcadia | 5.2 | 257 | 49.4 |
| Nelly Bay | 5.2 | 973 | 187.1 |
| Picnic Bay | 2.8 | 359 | 128.2 |
| West Point | 28.4 | 35 | 1.2 |
| Magnetic Island | 51.3 | 2107 | 41.1 |
Heritage listings
Magnetic Island has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- East side of island: Fort Complex<ref>Template:Cite QHR</ref>
- Esplanade: Picnic Bay Jetty<ref>Template:Cite QHR</ref>
Education
Magnetic Island State School is a government primary school at Nelly Bay. The nearest government secondary school is Townsville State High School in Railway Estate in the Townsville mainland.<ref name="globe">Template:Queensland Globe</ref>
Community groups
The Magnetic Garbutt branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall at 42 Lancaster Street, Garbutt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Other groups include:
- Magnetic Island Community Development Association (MICDA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Nature Care Association (MINCA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Fauna Care Organisation (MIFCO)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Network for Turtles (MINT)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Residents & Ratepayers Association (MIRRA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Community Care (MICC)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Museum<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island RSL Sub-Branch<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Rotary Club<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Bowls Club<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Magnetic Island Country (Golf) Club<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Men's Shed Magnetic Island<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Tourism Magnetic Island<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- U3A Magnetic Island<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Annual events
Annual events include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mother's Day Classic (May)
- SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (August/September)
- The Great Island Trek (September)
- Maggie Island Triathlon (October)
To find out more visit whatsonmagneticisland.com.au
Notable residents
- Julian Assange – WikiLeaks co-founder, sporadically lived the first years of his life in Nelly Bay with his mother in the early 1970s.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Izzy Bee and family – Izzy's Koala World
- Breanna Koenen – captain of the Brisbane Lions in the AFLW
- Cara Koenen – Australian netballer playing for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Suncorp Super Netball League and the Australian Diamonds at the national level.