Magnetic Island
“If you actually look like your passport photo, you aren’t well enough to travel.”
— Sir Vivian Fuchs
Magnetic Island — or “Maggie,” as the Townsville locals call it — lies just offshore from Townsville. It got its name, like so many things around here, from Captain Crunch… err… I mean Captain Cook. When Cook sailed past the island in 1770, he believed something there was affecting his ship’s compass and named it Magnetic Island. Whatever caused the strange compass readings was never conclusively established. Anyway, I was boarding a big catamaran for the trip over, which meant I was hoping not to repeat the seasickness I’d experienced in Hong Kong and on the way to Dunk Island.
From everything I’d read, I knew I had to do the Forts Walk. The hike offered two things I definitely wanted to see: koalas in the wild and the remains of an old Australian defensive complex built during World War II to help protect Townsville and its harbour. Funny thing about Oz — there always seemed to be a warning sign. Usually it was snakes, spiders, crocodiles or something else capable of ruining your day. Along this trail, death adders were among the things you were warned to watch out for. Neat!
The hike was amazing. I had no idea the Australians had built such substantial fortifications here, and I was completely enthralled by the old gun emplacements and the views from the lookout. Of course, I was also searching the trees for koalas. A construction worker I met along the trail told me that koalas can get quite mean when you yank them out of their trees. Shit… did that make us both laugh hard.
