If you’re visiting Australia, Magnetic Island is a fantastic stop on your trip to see beautiful beach and native animals (namely koalas and wallabies) in the wild.
Where to stay
While you can stay at resorts and hostels on the island you may need to spend a night in Townsville before you get your ferry. If staying in Townsville and you’re backpacking then Civic Guesthouse is one of the loveliest hostels I stayed at in Australia.
What to do
If visiting for the day then I recommend you hire a car to get around the island easily without waiting for the bus. You can call Topless Car Rentals a few days before your trip to reserve a Barbie Car which are fun to run around the island. Just an FYI the owner is a bit of a character and might not be on time when you arrive at 8am but there’s still plenty of time to enjoy your day.
After picking up your car (which is only a few minutes walk from the ferry terminal) drive a couple of minutes towards Nelly Bay and stop at Scallyways Cafe for breakfast.
Next stop, Geoffrey Bay for a pretty beach then drive a bit closer to Wallaby Rocks to see the wallabies (they’re pretty friendly but maybe bring carrots with you)
Alma Bay is a bit further up the road if you fancy a sunbathing break on the beach. Then head up to the Forts Walk where you’ll see koalas in the wild and get a good view of the island from the top.
Horshoe Bay is at the top of the island and a great place to spend the rest of your day. Grab some lunch at the beach front restaurants and swim within the netted areas (to protect you from stingers and crocs) or to be safe just sunbathe! At 4pm there is bird feeding at the local hostel which is the perfect way to end your day before dropping the car back and getting the ferry back to Townsville.