Fantastic Things to do on Beautiful Magnetic Island
Around 10km off the coast, Magnetic Island is one of Townsville’s best-kept secrets and trust me, there are plenty of fantastic things to do on Magnetic Island. As soon as you step off the ferry, you’ll be greeted by the island’s natural beauty and from there, you will be able to explore its 23 golden beaches.
We spent five days camping on Magnetic Island and explored it from top to bottom, finding a few secret local spots along the way. So without further ado, here are some fantastic things to do on Magnetic Island that the whole family will enjoy … most of them free!
Check out our YouTube Clip for a glimpse into things to do on Magnetic Island!
Feed the Rock Wallabies
Magnetic Island (or just Maggie to the locals), is home to a large colony of rock wallabies and the best way to get up close and personal with them is at Geoffrey Bay in Arcadia. This is one of many things to do on Magnetic Island that all ages can enjoy!
Walk up the old boat ramp and you will find signage directing you what you can and cannot feed them. Carrots and wallaby-pellets are A-okay but lettuce and broccoli will give them a belly ache.
The best time to see them is at dusk and dawn but you need to be quiet. They are still wild animals and a little shy! Plus, it’s just more peaceful and enjoyable this way.
Snorkel the Snorkel Trail
Geoffrey Bay is also home to Magnetic Island’s snorkel trail. There are two trails for visitors to enjoy but before heading out, make sure to pick up a water-proof snorkel trail card from one of the nearby retail outlets.
The Geoffrey Bay snorkel trail will take you to the Moltke wreck and a WWII bomber jet propeller. Expect to see a variety of fish, coral life and possibly even a turtle!
Find Dog Shed Waterhole
Dog shed waterhole isn’t in any of the tourist brochures but can be found on the West Point Rd. It’s a little further past the turn-off to Cockle Bay and is on GoogleMaps. It’s unremarkable in the dry, but after some rain, it transforms into a beautiful little waterhole with a small waterfall. This was a fun free thing to to do on Magnetic Island!
Scooter Picnic Bay Esplanade and Stop for Lunch
Picnic Bay is a top spot on Magnetic Island with a fantastic, although short, esplanade path that weaves around beautiful old trees with hanging vines that kids just can’t resist swinging from.
Scooter the esplanade, stop for lunch at The Picnic Bay Hotel, and head in the water for a swim after a stroll out on the jetty. There are stinger nets here for safe swimming in stinger season.
Hike up to Hawkings Point Lookout
A 600 m track at the end of Picnic St will lead you up Hawkings Point Lookout for exceptional views of the island. It’s 600m up and 600m back down, so it’s a great little workout that shouldn’t take much longer than an hour with a break at the top.
We all managed the hike with no problems, including both my five-year-old and eight-year-old. This hike has been added to my memory bank of great things to do on Magnetic Island!
Go Koala Spotting on The Forts Walk
At 4km return, the Forts Walk is one of the most popular tracks and things to do on Magnetic Island. The walk leads to historic WWII fortification and infrastructure of which you can get inside and explore.
Koalas are regularly spotted in the trees along the track and the amazing 360-degree views from the top of the fortification are worth the uphill sections.
Both my five-year-old and eight-year-old managed this walk with no problems but they were pretty stuffed by the end of it!
Sit Down for Lunch at Scallywags Cafe
Scallywags Cafe is an amazing little family-friendly cafe in the heart of Nelly Bay, not too far from the ferry. It serves yummy meals with lots of healthy options, fair trade coffees but more importantly … it’s just fun to visit!
Visit Cockle Bay to Find The Ship Wreck
Cockle Bay is a sleepy little bay on the west side of the island and is well worth a visit for the kids to splash in the shallows and find small hermit crabs.
A major point of interest at Cockle Bay is the SS City of Adelaide, a ship that ran aground in 1916 while being transported. It’s around 300 metres offshore and is accessible by foot (wear shoes) at low tide.
The ship is a sight to see with mangroves happily growing in the middle of the exposed hull.
Run Down a Sand Dune Into Endeavour Creek
A local gave us a great tip to try out the creek at the end of Endeavour St in Horseshoe Bay. You know what? It turned out to be one of our favourite things to do on Magnetic Island.
Lucky for us, recent rain meant the creek was flowing at around thigh high at the deepest, and the kids had the best time running and rolling down the sand dune that banks one side of the creek and leaping in.
The adults? Well, we just sat in the water and enjoyed the sunshine and watching the kids have good old fashioned fun. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo but you can see the creek in the video at the start of this post.
Swim at Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay is one of the many beautiful bays on Magnetic Island. You will find jet-ski hire here and there is usually an array of watercraft in the bay.
During stinger season a stinger net is available for safe swimming and there is plenty of sand for the kids to play in and the adults to stretch out on.
Spend The Day at Alma Bay
Alma Bay is a pretty little bay just past the Geoffrey Bay Rock Wallabies. There is a surf life saving club here on patrol who also keep updated signage on conditions such as stingers and water temperatures.
The bay has great facilities for families with a small park, plenty of grass area, sand to play in and public toilets.
Head to West Point For Sunset
West Point is the place to be for sunset views, except the weather thwarted our stunning sunset on the evening we visited. We still had a great time sitting on the sand while the kids made tracks in the sand though!
You will need a 4WD to get to the end of this track as although not too bad, the unsealed road is a bit rough and ready in spots and there are creek crossings if there has been recent rain.
For more information on things to do on Magnetic Island, check out the official Townsville, North Queensland tourism page!
Resources For Visiting Townsville & Magnetic Island
Getting to and Around Townsville
Located in North Queensland, Townsville can be found around 350km South of Cairns, and 1,330km North of Brisbane. Get a great deal on flights into Townsville at Trip.com. If you have flown in and need to hire a car, score a great deal through Discover Cars.
Getting to and Around Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is located around 10km off the coast of Townsville in North Queensland. It’s as easy as jumping on one of the ferries below.
Magnetic Island Ferry
Magnetic Island is reached by ferry from Townsville. There are currently two main ferry services, a 25-minute passenger only ferry and a 45-minute vehicle and passenger ferry. I’ll be writing more on this soon, stay tuned!
Hire a topless car on Magnetic Island island for a bit of fun!
Accommodation Townsville
We couldn’t fault the Park Regis Anchorage for great value, location and plenty of space. This is the best self contained accommodation in Townsville!
Accommodation Magnetic Island
Camping
We stayed at a HipCamp on Magnetic Island for a very affordable price. Learn more about HipCamp here and receive $10 credit for signing up using the link within the blog!
Hotel Style Accommodation
Looking for More Townsville and Magnetic Island Inspiration?
For more information on great places and awesome activities to do as a family in Townsville and Magnetic Island, jump on over to our Townsville & Magnetic Island page. Alternatively, head back to the home page for Australian and worldwide inspiration.
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