Guide · North Queensland day trips ·
Magnetic Island day trip from Townsville: what to do
A Magnetic Island day trip from Townsville starts with a ferry ride of 20 to 30 minutes. The island is 8 km from the city, and SeaLink's last daytime ferry back leaves at 6:40pm.
The Forts Walk is one of the island's most popular tracks. It is a 4 km return walk to World War II ruins. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) says it takes 1.5 hours and that koalas are often seen in the trees along it.
Sources for this section: SeaLink, ferry timetable; SeaLink, island overview; QPWS, About Magnetic Island; QPWS, walking track map; Wikipedia, Magnetic Island.
A day plan with times
This plan uses the SeaLink timetable and the Route 250 timetable (effective February 2014) that were online in late February 2015. The Route 250 timetable gives the ferry arrival times.
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 7:45am | Ferry leaves the Breakwater Terminal in Townsville |
| 8:10am | Ferry reaches Nelly Bay |
| 8:20am | Island bus leaves the Nelly Bay terminal and reaches Horseshoe Beachfront at 8:35am |
| Morning | Forts Walk, 4 km return, 1.5 hours, plus the trip to the start on Horseshoe Bay Road (options below) |
| After the walk | Swim at Horseshoe Bay, where lifeguards patrol every day (stinger advice below) |
| 4:35pm | Bus leaves Horseshoe Beachfront and reaches the Nelly Bay terminal at 4:50pm |
| 5:10pm | Ferry leaves Nelly Bay for Townsville, 20 minutes after the bus arrives |
Sources for this section: SeaLink, ferry timetable; SeaLink, getting here; Sunbus, Route 250 timetable; QPWS, About Magnetic Island.
The ferry and the island bus
SeaLink runs a passenger ferry from the Breakwater Terminal on Sir Leslie Thiess Drive in Townsville to Nelly Bay. SeaLink and Wikipedia put the island 8 km from Townsville, and QPWS gives the ferry trip to Nelly Bay as 11.5 km. The sources differ on the time. SeaLink's timetable page says 20 to 25 minutes, while QPWS says about 30 minutes. So allow up to half an hour.
SeaLink's daytime boats leave Townsville at 5:30am from Monday to Saturday and at 6:30am from Monday to Sunday, then every 35 to 90 minutes until 6:00pm. From the island, the last daytime boat is 6:40pm. Night boats leave the island at 7:45pm, 9:30pm and 11:00pm, with a midnight boat on Friday and Saturday nights. On public holidays, the 5:30am, 6:30am, 5:20pm and 11:30pm boats from Townsville do not run. Nor do the 6:20am, 7:10am, 5:55pm and midnight boats from the island.
SeaLink charges A$32 for an adult return and A$16 for a child return (5 to 14 years). A family return for 2 adults and 3 children is A$74. QPWS says strong wind warnings, gales or cyclonic weather can stop the ferries, so check the weather first.
QPWS says a local bus runs on the island and that bicycles, motorbikes and small cars can be hired. The bus is Route 250, from Picnic Bay through Nelly Bay and Arcadia to Horseshoe Bay. Most buses leave the Nelly Bay terminal within 10 minutes of a ferry arriving, and the ride to Horseshoe Beachfront takes 15 minutes. A Queensland Government page updated in October 2014 lists adult single fares of A$1.70 (zone 1) to A$3.50 (zone 4) from 3 November 2014.
Sources for this section: SeaLink, ferry timetable; SeaLink, island overview; SeaLink, ferry prices; SeaLink, getting here; QPWS, About Magnetic Island; Wikipedia, Magnetic Island; Sunbus, Route 250 timetable; Queensland Government, Magnetic Island bus services.
The Forts Walk
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Distance and time | 4 km return, 1.5 hours |
| Grade | Moderate, with some steep climbing |
| Start | Horseshoe Bay Road, at the turn-off to Radical Bay |
| At the top | Ruins of the World War II forts and 360 degree views |
| Water | QPWS says most walks have none, so carry your own |
The track climbs, sometimes steeply, along a ridge behind the bays. A signal station and coastal battery were built on the island in 1942 and 1943 to control shipping and defend Townsville's harbour. Australian Coast Artillery units ran the Forts complex from 1943 until the Pacific War ended in 1945. The ruins are now protected under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992.
Take an early boat, such as the 7:45am, because QPWS says to avoid the heat of the midday sun. QPWS also says to wear sturdy shoes, a hat and sunscreen, and to take care near cliff edges and the defence ruins. It adds that you should stay on the track and be aware that boulders may be unstable. Our suggestion is to allow 2 hours, since koala spotting means stops.
The Route 250 timetable lists five main stops, and none is named for the Forts Walk. Ask the driver whether the bus can set you down near the Radical Bay turn-off. You can also hire a bike, motorbike or small car.
Sources for this section: QPWS, About Magnetic Island; QPWS, Nature, culture and history; SeaLink, ferry timetable; Sunbus, Route 250 timetable.
Where to see koalas
QPWS says koalas can be seen in trees around the island, especially along the Forts Walk and the Radical Bay to Horseshoe Bay walk.
Koalas were brought to the island in the 1930s. A study published in 2013 by James Cook University researchers estimated about 825 koalas on the island (standard error 175), not counting urban areas. By day koalas rest motionless in the eucalypt branches, and QPWS says they rest for up to 20 hours a day. So walk slowly and scan the branches for a still shape.
All animals in the national park are protected, and feeding them is not allowed. QPWS also suggests looking for allied rock-wallabies on rocks near the edge of settlements, such as the Geoffrey Bay jetty. It says to look in the early morning or late afternoon.
Sources for this section: QPWS, About Magnetic Island; QPWS, Nature, culture and history; McGregor and others, PLoS ONE, 2013.
Heat, stingers and what to pack
March falls in the wet season, which QPWS says usually runs from December to April. Daytime temperatures vary between 25°C and 32°C through the year. QPWS says the high humidity, especially in the summer months, can be very tiring for visitors who are new to the tropics. It also says to carry drinking water and rest often.
Dangerous stinging jellyfish, called stingers, can be in the water at any time and are more common in the warmer months. QPWS says stinger-resistant enclosures at Picnic and Horseshoe bays give a high degree of protection but are not stinger-proof. It says to check with the lifeguard and wear protective clothing. Lifeguards patrol Horseshoe Bay every day. Alma and Picnic bays are patrolled at weekends and during school holidays from September to May.
QPWS says to pack sunscreen, a hat, suitable clothing, sturdy footwear, drinking water and insect repellent.
Sources for this section: QPWS, About Magnetic Island.