The Road to Becoming OZ Experienced – Magnetic Island from Airlie Beach

Photojournalist David Savage travels Australia on the OZ Experience…

On the Bus…
It is a short drive from Airlie Beach to Townsville where ferries regularly depart for Magnetic Island. The OZ bus doesn’t stop overnight here, instead it carries on up to Mission Beach, but not before giving passengers a three hour break to have a look around Townsville. About fifty-percent of OZ Experience passengers do get off the bus here to spend time at Magnetic Island. Some don’t, but as I found out, Magnetic Island is a place I was glad not to miss.

Townsville is an Australian working town, tourism isn’t the biggest industry in the area but there are a few attractions on offer. Reef HQ is an aquarium that has a Great Barrier Reef exhibition allowing non-divers to check out the fish and coral of one of the natural wonders of the world. Pure Pleasure Cruises also offers reef trips especially for Backpackers who want to dive or just snorkel. There are also water sports on offer such as water skiing and jet skiing. The Civic Guest House, (1800 646 619), offers budget accommodation to travellers and, being right next door to a diver training centre, is a popular hostel for divers. The hostel holds a free barbie on Friday nights, runs a courtesy bus to and from the safe swim beach areas and up to Castle Hill.

Castle Hill is a huge rock formation rising up from the ground and is Townsville’s famous backdrop. When Captain Cook sailed by Magnetic Island, his compass went all-indecisive. He then thought it was the Island he was passing and named it Magnetic Island. In fact it was Castle Rock that made his compass freak out due to large deposit of iron ore in the rock. There is a road leading up to the summit and until a recent Cyclone washed it away, there was a track. The summit offers a great view of the town and of Magnetic Island. With vertical drops from the summit it is also a suicide spot. One local doctor jumped to his death with a backpack full of bibles strapped to his back.

Magnetic Island
It was time to jump on the ferry (Sunferries 07 4771 3855) and check out Magnetic Island, the place I had been hearing about since my journey began from Sydney. A local Townsville student explained to me that Magnetic Island is just another suburb of Townsville with a population of 2500 permanent residents. Covered by forest and with over twenty-five sandy bays, Magnetic Island is a pretty OK suburb.

After a twenty minute ferry ride I arrived at Picnic Bay at the southern end of the island and took the courtesy bus to Maggie’s Beach House (1800 001 544) on the North shore of the island. The hostel is brand spanking new with all the modern facilities the backpacker needs. In the main area pool tables are found next to bar that is found next to the pool for your convenience. But if you are feeling more energetic you can always step across the road and onto the fabulous beach.

Whilst checking out the pool I saw the familiar faces of Julie and Julie who I’d met on Fraser Island. They had hired out a ‘Moke’, a small go-cart like vehicle with a desire to be a sports car. Along with an Irish friend ‘Mad Mags’, the four of us set off to cruise the island. As Julie put her foot down, thinking the Moke was a sport car too, I looked around the car realising that there were no roll-bars, thankfully I am not writing this story from the afterlife.

We drove the whole length of the one major road on the island calling into sandy bays along the way to swim, bronze our bodies and to generally have a break from Julie’s driving. The Moke’s are a good way to get around and familiarise yourself with island but then from most hostels there is everything you’d want on an island within walking distance.

I took a walk with Mad Mags through the bush to Radical Bay from my hostel. We found a virtually empty beach with calm turquoise blue water. It is the kind of bay that demands a hammock and good book to pass the day by. Unfortunately I had neither, so following Mad Mags navigation skills, I followed her home… we got lost and ended up walking the long way back, but were just in time to catch the tail-end of a better than average suburb sunset.

Staying On…
My time on the island was short yet there are many things to do there. As in the rest of Australia there is plenty of Scuba diving including the famous Yongala wreck, a cruise liner that sank in 1911. Sea Kayaking around the island is also popular along with Jet Ski hire. The walks are also pretty great, providing you don’t get lost.

Australian Saying
“Root me Rigid” – Desperate to make sweet love

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