Magic Magnetic Island

We  had a fabulous time on Maggie Island.  Perfect weather, with calm, sparkling blue seas for the ferry crossing, and exploring the island by local bus, the cheap way to go- and not at all disappointing.  I'd been there, done that, some years ago, but it was drought time then, so it was good to see the lush vegetation revived from the dusty, thirsty growth I saw previously.  There have been a lot of changes, including shifting the ferry terminal from Picnic Bay to Nelly Bay (devastating for the businesses in Picnic Bay as hardly anyone goes there anymore).  They built a new marina and ferry terminal at Nelly Bay, which is more sheltered.  

                                    Low tide, Picnic Bay
The bus took us to Picnic Bay, where we wandered for an hour or so before catching the next bus to Horseshoe Bay, on the other side of the island.  On the way we passed several other bays, all of them beautiful, with plenty of sand and blue, blue water-the waves are just little ripples.  Horseshoe Bay is the ultimate destination, with more touristy things like cafes and bistros, but still low-key.  No buildings more than 3 storeys high, and a nice park along the foreshore with shady trees and picnic tables. You can hire jetskis (they don't seem to be as noisy nowadays, thank goodness) or paddle boats.  

                          Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island


Back at Nelly Bay while waiting for the ferry, we went for a stroll and discovered rock wallabies on the breakwater, how amazingly these little guys leap around the rocks.  Why?  I can't imagine there'd be anything for them to eat.

Rock wallaby on the breakwater, Nelly Bay, Magnetic Island


Birdlife is prolific and we saw some new ones, including some yellow beaked kingfishers.  These are a little south of their range, according to our birdbook, but they are unmistakeable, with the typical kingfisher/kookaburra build, bronze-green wings, a yellowish chest, and reddish head- quite startling.  Also saw an osprey flying really low over the ferry terminal, chasing a raven away from a fish head on the jetty and grabbing the fish head for itself, to cheers from the crowd on the ferry who were watching it.


Today we've driven up the coast to check out likely free camps for the rest of the week.  We will go to Bluewater, not very far away, for a couple of days, then to Rollingstone, which is a large attractive area, currently quite full, but it's a long weekend and we expect many people to leave tomorrow.  Bluewater is on the banks of a creek which really does have very blue water, and we still can't explain why, although we asked the local shopkeeper, a friendly young guy who recently took over a previously closed business, and who deserves to do well.

                      Bluewater Creek near Townsville.