Nature Trails
Magnetic Island is a distinctive granite-based island of 5184ha
and rising to 497m 8km across
Celeveland Bay from Townsville, north Queensland's largest city.
The island, 11km at its widest with a coastline of 40km, was
named by Captain James Cook in 1770 when he
believed the magnetic compasses on his ship Endeavour were being affected by the land
mass.
The granite headlands and bays of coral and granite sand were non-magnetic,
though more and more people have been attracted to its shores for more than a century.
Today, while 2533ha or almost half of Magnetic Island is national
park, island settlements like Picnic Bay, Nelly Bay,
Arcadia and Horseshoe Bay are urban offshoots of Townsville as well as popular holiday and
tourist centers.
Access is via regular and fast passenger ferry from Townsville.
Chartered helicopters may land on the island.
A barge carries vehicles to and from the island's limited road system. Bicycles,
motor cycles and mini vehicles
are available for hire.
Inland from a score of secluded bays, the national park landscape
is very rugged
with large granite boulders and rock faces among vegetation ranging from open forest to
rainforest.
The main vegetation type is an open eucalypt woodland of
bloodwoods, stringybarks and grey ironbarks.
The white-barked euclypt with large roundish leaves is the poplar gum.
The hoop pine is an easily recognised tree, growing mostly on the headlands. Another
common tree is the native kapok.
The flowers, which appear in the early spring when the tree is bare of leaves, are large
and bright yellow.
These are followed by large pendulous fruit. In sheltered gullies small
pockets of rainforest occur.
Here, the change in temperature and light is felt as soon as you enter these shady patches
of vegetation.
The Magnetic lsland rock wallaby is common on the steep
slopes. It is most easily seen in the early morning.
Koalas can be found on parts of the island, although they are not seen frequently.
The most likely area to find them is near The Forts.
The major habitat types on Magnetic Island have their
characteristic birds.
Associated with the marine environment are the sea birds and waders - birds such as gulls,
terns,
sandpipers and white-bellied sea eagle frequent the shoreline.
Another group consisting of species such as the swamphen,
Australasian grebe and black duck are associated
with the freshwater habitats. By far the largest group is that of the terrestrial
environment - species as varied
as the peaceful dove, pied currawong and the brilliantly coloured yellow-bellied sunbird.
Walking tracks
With some 22km of walking tracks and many hilltop
lookouts there are excellent opportunities to explore and
discover the eucalypt forest, rainforest gullies, mangroves, rugged hills and shorelines
of Magnetic Island.
All distances and approximate times are one way unless otherwise stated.
Nelly Bay to Arcadia(6km, 2 hours)
Starting from the end of Mandalay Avenue in Nelly Bay, the track
leads through a refreshing pocket of rainforest.
From there a gradual climb follows the gully alongside Gustav Creek to saddle between
Nelly and Horseshoe Bays.
The walk from Nelly Bay to the saddle and back can be most interesting 45 minutes.
For those interested in a longer walk,
the track continues along a ridge through open euclypt forest with views over Horseshoe
Bay.
The track then branches, one route leading to Horseshoe Bay Road where you can continue on
to another track detailed later.
The other passes through an area frequented by numerous bush birds and then to
Arcadia. A short side-branch on top of the
hill above Arcadia leads to Sphinx Lookout.
Picnic Bay to West Point(8km, 2 1/2 hours)
Commencing behind Picnic Bay near the golf course, this track (in
reality a bush road) reveals a distinctively
different aspect of Magnetic Island. At low tide the walk offers the chance of
discovering many of the animals
which habitat these tidal wetlands. Animals such as wading birds, mud skippers,
mangrove snails and fiddler
crabs can be seen, particularly in the Cockle Bay area.
Horseshoe Bay Road to Arthur Bay (2km, 30min)and
Florence Bay (4km, 1 hour)
At the crest of Horseshoe Bay Road is a private ungazetted road
which provided easy walking access.
These undeveloped bays with their pleasant beaches, opportunities for swimming coral reefs
are ideal
for those willing to walk a little. Between the bays, the road takes you through low
eucalypt forest.
Horseshoe Bay Road to The Forts(2km, 1 1/2 hours
return)
Diverging from the start of the Arthur Bay track is a track which
takes you along a ridge behind the bays.
At the summit is a complex of gun emplacements, abservation and command posts built during
World War ll.
These posts offer superb views of the bays below and north to the Palm Islands. To
the south is Cape Cleveland
and Bowling Green Bay National Park.
Horseshoe Bay Lagoon(730m)
A few hundred metres from Horseshoe Bay beach, just off the main
road, is a short track which leads to
Horseshoe Bay Lagoon Environmental Park. If you approach quietly, you may see some of
the many waterbirds which
frequent this freshwater lagoon.
Horseshoe Bay to Balding Bay (3km, 45 min)and
Radical Bay (3km, 45 min)
At the eastern end of Horseshoe Bay beach is a track which climbs
through a steep gully of closed forest to
the open eucalypt vegetation of the ridges. At the crest, the track branches, one
winding down to secluded
Balding Bay, the other continues to Radical Bay.
For further information contact. The
Ranger, Hurst Street (end of Granite Street) Picnic Bay Magnetic Island, Qld
Telephone (07) 47785 5378
Information from Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service
