If you are in Townsville for any amount of time, visiting the legendary Magnetic Island is something you must do. After all, on this 11 km. long island, there is a long list of attractions it offers.
Here are the top 10 things to do on Magnetic Island:
1 – Take A Walk:
Bushwalk along the 25 km. walking tracks that show you the essence of the island. These include WWII gun emplacements and forts as well as beautiful views of the Coral Sea and Townsville. The most popular track is the Forts Walk that should take you just over 1.5 hours to complete.
2 – Horseshoe Bay Ranch:
The Horseshoe Bay Ranch has been providing its guests with the fun experience of horse riding for over 30 years. And if you don’t know how to ride a horse, don’t worry because they have experts to guide you. We recommend you go bareback with the horse into the waters of Horseshoe Bay beach as this is an amazing experience.
3 – Play Some Water Sports:
Along with the horse-riding, Horseshoe Bay also provides you with a range of water sport activities. Magnetic Island Sea Kayaks provide kayak hires while Jet Ski Hire Magnetic Island provide jet skis for rent. You can also hire their GoPro to show your friends back home of your thrilling experience on the jet ski. There’s also a GBRMPA Recreational Fishing zone at Horseshoe Bay where you can fish.
4 – Get Around With The Barbie Cars:
Magnetic Island is home to these cute open-roof cars that fit four, nicknamed Barbie cars (they resemble Barbie’s convertible). This is the most convenient and fun way to travel across the island. You can rent these cars from Tropical Topless Car Rentals.
5 – Go Bay Hopping:
With over 23 bays in Magnetic Island, you can make the day of just Bay Hopping. Some can be only accessed by foot but others can be accessed via a four-wheeler. We recommend you Florence Bays on foot and take a car to West Point for the sunset.
6 – Take A Boat Tour:
Go boating around Magnetic Island through Aquascene Charters, an award-winning family-run business that’s been around for over 35 years. They provide a Discovery Tour that allows you to explore many of the island’s secluded bays and beaches. You can also fish, swim, and snorkel with the tour.
7 – Snorkelling Through The Reef:
If you are an avid snorkeler, you are going to have a time of your life at Magnetic Island. The snorkel trails at Nelly Bay are safe for beginners. Geoffrey Bay is suitable for those who have a little more experience. It is further offshore but allows you to spot more fish.
8 – Koala Spotting:
Magnetic Island is home to about 800 koalas. This makes it the place with the highest concentration of koalas in northern Australia. Forts Walk is the best place to find a koala hanging off the trees. However, if you want to take a photo holding a koala, visit Bungalow Bay Koala Village. This is an especially great activity if you have kids with you.