Magnetic Island: The best way to spot wild koalas

If you want to spot wild koalas and enjoy gorgeous white sandy beaches, don't miss Magnetic Island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Why Magnetic Island: in search of Koalas

One of the main goals of our trip to Australia was to see wild koalas.

This type of marsupial, famous worldwide as a kind of living teddy bear, is found only on Australia's east and southeast coasts. Their population has plummeted since European settlement, and nowadays it's really tough to see them in the wild due to their low numbers.

Queensland is packed with zoos and wildlife parks where koalas live in captivity (in some places, you can even cuddle one for a few extra dollars) or semi-captivity (wider spaces, but still confined).

We are completely against these kinds of places. Throughout our travels, we've had the chance to see the same animal species both in the wild and in captivity. In every single experience like that:

• Captive animals look depressed, sad, and lifeless. This becomes painfully obvious when you've just seen them roaming free. Picture a flying fish in the Borneo Sea versus one stuck in a 2×2 tank.
• The lasting impression left on your mind and memories from catching a glimpse of a wild animal for 1, 2… 10 seconds and snapping a slightly blurry photo is a thousand times more moving and thrilling than spending hours at a zoo looking at hundreds of caged animals.

So…

Want to know how to spot wild koalas?

Well, the easiest way is to head to an island.

Ever since hunting was banned, some colonies have been slowly growing their numbers in certain areas. When this happens in a region surrounded by the sea that also includes a protected national park, your chances of spotting them in the wild go way up.

According to the info I found, there are three islands in Australia where it's relatively easy to spot wild koalas:

• Kangaroo Island, near Adelaide, in South Australia.
• Raymond Island, in the Gippsland Lakes, in the south of the continent.
• Magnetic Island, on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

We chose Magnetic Island (Maggie, as the locals call it) because it's right on the Great Barrier Reef, which was the main highlight of our trip to Australia. And trust me, it didn't disappoint.

When to go

During the wet season, from November to April, when it's also hotter on the island, it's jellyfish season (marine stingers) in this part of Australia. Throughout these months, you have to wear stinger suits to go into the water.

Some of these jellyfish are completely transparent—you won't even know they're there until you get stung—and they are extremely dangerous and painful. So, if you're planning a beach getaway, I'd suggest avoiding these months.

On the flip side, the water will be cooler from May to October. In general, it rains very little (which is currently taking a toll on the local vegetation), and highs range between 24 and 32ºC, while lows stay between 13 and 24ºC.

We spent a couple of days on the island in late August 2015. The weather was spot on: no rain and not overly hot. The sea was quite chilly, but there weren't any jellyfish around.

How to get there

You can easily reach Magnetic Island by ferry from Townsville with SeaLink. You can get to the terminal from the city by local bus or taxi. However, the Greyhound bus line connecting Cairns to Brisbane drops you off right at the Townsville ferry terminal, right outside the ferry ticket office.

If you want to travel along Australia's East Coast without renting a car, I definitely recommend this bus company. They are punctual, super comfortable, and reasonably priced. For instance, our Cairns to Townsville ride took about 6 hours and cost 55 Australian dollars per person.

Try to grab seats near the front to take in the views (unfortunately, you'll also see lots of roadkill kangaroos and wallabies along the way), and remember to arrive at the Cairns bus stop 20 minutes before departure, as the driver needs to sort luggage by destination.

Ferries from Townsville leave roughly every hour (I recommend checking the timetable on their website) and take just 25 minutes to get to the island. You can purchase a return ticket (32 Australian dollars) as long as you head back within 3 days of your outbound trip.

Once you arrive, you can hire a car, though in our opinion, the local bus service is pretty great. It's timed with ferry arrivals and departures, making getting around super easy.

We bought an all-day bus pass for 7 dollars, which lets you hop on and off as many buses as you want anywhere on the island. If you prefer to pay for single rides, the driver will ask for your final destination to calculate your fare.

Where to Stay

Maggie is divided into four distinct villages or settlements.

Nelly Bay

Home to the ferry terminal where boats arrive from Townsville. Right opposite the car park, you'll find the area's largest supermarket. If you're planning on spending a few budget-friendly days here, cooking your own meals and skipping a rental car, I'd suggest booking a self-contained apartment with a kitchen in this area.

Buses connecting to the rest of the island are coordinated with ferry arrivals and departures, but they don't allow standing passengers once all seats are taken. If it looks like a busy travel day, walk to the previous bus stop to make sure you grab a seat. It worked like a charm for us.

Horseshoe Bay

Located on the north side of the island (check out the map at the end of this post). In my opinion, if you're looking for a seaside stay where you're just steps away from the water, this is the place to book. The beach is gorgeous and expansive, lined with several restaurants along the waterfront.

Arcadia

East of Nelly Bay, it strikes a great balance between nature and convenience. At Geoffrey Bay, you'll find rock wallabies coming out at sunset. You can feed them carrots or apples (never feed them anything else or they'll get sick), or simply watch them hop around the rocky shoreline.

It's close to Alma Bay—a lovely little cove perfect for swimming—and just a short hop from Nelly Bay.

Picnic Bay

Sitting at the southern tip of the island, it's the quietest area when it comes to visitor crowds. It features a bay with a small jetty and a beach where you'll find a handful of restaurants.

True to our typical travel style, we spent the night here. Specifically, in a private room at the 'Magnetic Villa Retreat' Airbnb.

Our experience with them was fantastic. It's a huge house with a terrace and a pool, in a quiet area of Picnic Bay. The room, spacious, with a very comfortable bed and private bathroom, is located right by the entrance of the house, so you have lots of privacy.

They've set up a small kitchenette for guests with everything you need so you can cook at home without getting in the way of their meal times. They provide breakfast, which they invite you to enjoy out on the terrace.

It's wonderful to hear only nature, the squawks of parakeets and other colorful birds that I wouldn't know how to name, while having your first morning coffee or tea.

Also, if you want, they'll rent you a car in case you need or prefer to get around the island with it or go grocery shopping.

The owners, Murray and Rhonda, are an adorable older couple who will help you with anything you need. Murray picked us up at the port and dropped us back off there the morning we left at no extra charge. Plus, they gave us all the info we needed to make the most of our short stay (two nights).

What to see or do, and where

Wherever you are on it, if you're a nature lover, keep your eyes wide open.

Sky, sea, and land all around you are teeming with wonderful species just waiting to blow you away if you're paying attention.

Trekking

There are several marked trails to hike right through nature.

Some will take you up high on the island so you can admire its outline from above; others will lead you to gorgeous coves where you can rest your feet in crystal-clear waters.

Don't forget to pack water and food in your backpack, along with sunscreen.

We did the following ones:

Climb to ‘Hawkings Point’

Our room was just a few steps away from the start of this short 15-minute trail.

It's a well-marked trail, carved through the vegetation, leading to the lookout peak of this mountain with gorgeous views of Nelly and Picnic Bay. A perfect spot to watch the sunset.

Try not to step too far off the trail, as you might run into a snake. Remember, if you aren't a threat to them, they aren't one to you. Avoid startling them or, in this case, stepping on them! We didn't see any; they're usually tucked away well off the path.

Climb to ‘The Forts’

There's a bus stop at the start of this trail. It's about 4 km uphill, ending at some abandoned forts—a legacy of World War II—with beautiful views of the coast.

The estimated time is 1 hour and a half round trip, but that doesn't mean much at all, since you'll make dozens of stops along the way to look for, admire, and photograph koalas.

This trail is the best on the island to spot them in the wild.

You'll find them snoozing in the tree branches along the edges of the path.

Since they camouflage pretty well, visitors usually use sticks and branches placed on the ground to mark the spot where you can see one. Keep an eye out for these markers as you walk, as many of them help you spot animals that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

There are also old markers pointing to spots where there's nothing left to see, but don't give up: you'll spot them. The most effective way is to ask people walking in the opposite direction. Everyone will be happy to point out where they saw them and give you tips to find them.

We saw a total of 8 different koalas: 5 adults and 3 babies! Watching the babies move around their moms is mind-blowing. We also saw an adult male very close to the path, which we were able to photograph up close. So many people gathered around him that we disturbed his sleep and he had to move to a quieter area, poor guy!

In the videos you can see some of the best moments we experienced, including the koala's getaway and babies moving restlessly around their moms.

Radical Road

This trail starts at the same spot as the previous one. In 15 minutes from the entrance, going down a fairly steep hill, you'll reach Arthur Bay, a white-sand cove perfect for eating and resting after the climb up to the forts.

If you keep following the path, you can reach the next bays—Florence, Radical, and Balding Bay—and even get to Horseshoe Bay, where you can catch the bus back. We only made it to Arthur Bay, but if we had had an extra day on the island, we would have spent it doing this route.

It takes roughly 4 hours from the entrance to Horseshoe Bay, plus the necessary stops and swims at each cove; so you should set aside a full day to enjoy this walk.

Beach and diving

The coves I just mentioned: Arthur, Florence, Radical, and Balding, are gorgeous and quiet, thanks to their tricky access (on foot).

Remember to bring plenty of water and food with you, as well as sunscreen, because you won't find anything there, apart from an occasional private house hidden in the brush and almost invisible.

Others, like Picnic, Geoffrey, Alma, and Horseshoe Bay, are very easy to reach, well connected with bus stops, and offer several options for eating and drinking.

We didn't get to see Alma Bay, which is actually a small cove, but out of the larger ones, I'd pick Horseshoe Bay for anyone looking to spend a relaxing day by the sea.

It's the biggest of them all, and all the boats gather at one end, while the rest of the beach stretches for several kilometers into undeveloped greenery. Because of this, the water looks cleaner in that area and there's a lot more space. You can choose to head over to the restaurant area at lunchtime, or stay away from it if you want some peace and quiet.

For snorkeling or scuba diving lovers, I wouldn't recommend coming here. The coral reef and variety of fish we saw on Magnetic Island are far below the level we enjoyed on our trips from Cairns, around the Whitsundays, or on Lady Elliot Island.

There's too much seaweed, the water isn't as clear, and the corals are pretty ordinary. If you're on the island for other reasons (like the many I've just told you about), go ahead and give diving a try too. You might find wonders—you never know what will swim past you. We found our first nudibranch right by the shore at Arthur Bay, for example.

But if you're only interested in snorkeling, this isn't your destination on the Great Barrier Reef, look for another one. If you want some advice, check out the posts on Lady Elliot Island and Cairns that I wrote a few weeks ago.

In short, Magnetic Island is home to great biodiversity and endless ways to enjoy nature in its purest form: koalas, rock wallabies, birds, marine life, gorgeous beaches, and hiking trails.

James Cook named it 'Magnetic' believing it contained some kind of material capable of throwing off his compass as he approached. Although that belief turned out to be wrong, the island very wisely kept its name. And the truth is, Maggie is truly magnetic for nature lovers.

Budget

• Accommodation: 133€ (33€/person/day).
• Transportation: 77€(bus) + 44€(ferry) + 10€(local transit) (65,5€/person).
• Food: 72€ (18€/person/day).

In total, we spent 336€ over two days, which comes out to 84€ per person per day.

Want to know all the steps we took on our road trip through Australia? Check out the post and get inspired for your own adventure:

• The Great Barrier Reef off Cairns.
• The breathtaking Whitsundays.
• The natural oasis of Lady Elliot Island.
• 2 days soaking up Sydney.

And if you're still planning your trip, don't miss our practical guide to organizing your trip to Australia.

If you have any questions or need extra details on anything I haven't covered, feel free to leave a comment below. I'll be more than happy to help you out!

Useful links

• More info (in English) about Magnetic Island.
• Kangaroo Island.
• Raymond Island.
• Greyhound buses.
• Sealink ferry transport.
• Booking deals.
• Flights to Australia: Trabber, eDreams, and Momondo.
• 5% discount on your IATI travel insurance.

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