islands

Green Island (originally Dabuukji) is a marine island and locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Green Island had a population of 25 people. Green Island is a coral cay 27 km (17 mi) offshore from Cairns, Queensland, Australia located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park World Heritage Area in the Coral Sea. The island is surrounded by coral reefs and protected in the Green Island National Park. Most visitors come for the day. A luxury resort with 46 rooms is situated on the island.[citation needed] The island supports a range of vegetation, including dry coastal/beach plants and a vine thicket rain forest. There are no natural freshwater springs on the island so all vegetation relies on rainwater and a small freshwater lens located under the island. The island was formed approximately 6,000 years ago by waves depositing sand, coral, and other debris onto its coral foundations.[4] Local Aboriginal language speakers (Roy Banning, Robert Patterson, and Henry Fourmile) advised and confirmed the Gungganyji language group is especially connected with the island. To them, it is named Dabuukji.[5] Dabuukji, as a name, may refer to the island having been within local Aboriginal mythology and history a larger island with a freshwater marsh or 'hole' (later a well) at its center. Alternatively, it may be a reference to the story of the turtle which first obtained holes in its nose (nostrils) on this coral cay. It may also be a reference to some aspect of young Gungganyji male initiation rituals reported to have been conducted on this coral cay in times past.[5] The local Aboriginal people (particularly Dick Moses, speaking Yidinyji) say that in the Dreamtime Dabuukji (Green Island) was approximately four times the size it is now, and that the present coral cay is only the north-east portion of the whole, original island.[6] Local Aboriginal people have grown up with the understanding the coral cay was a place to be generally avoided, being Punjabi, that is, "a place haunted by spirits". The Queensland Government has gazetted Green Island as the cay's official name, this being the name given it by Lieutenant James Cook on 10 June 1770, either because of the appearance of the coral cay's vegetation, or possibly after Charles Green, who was an astronomer aboard the Endeavour at the time. In April 1873, the Goodwill's vessel arrived at Green Island with 3 European crew and 5 Manbarra people press-ganged from Palm Island to collect and process beche de mer. The Aboriginals, including 3 men and 2 women, resented their treatment and killed two of the whites and stole the "Goodwill". The third, Daniel Kelly, escaped to nearby Oyster Quay Island to report the killings to another beche-de-mer fisherman named Philip Garland.[9] The incident was reported to authorities in Cardwell and the Queensland Police Commissioner Seymour ordered Native Police officer Robert Arthur Johnstone to organize a punitive mission. Since the early 20th century, tourism has been the main activity on the island. A guest house was originally built in the 1930s and an underwater observatory was installed in 1954. In 1970 Queen Elizabeth II, The Duke of Edinburgh, and Her Royal Highness Princess Anne toured Australia including Queensland. The Queensland tour began on Sunday 12 April when the royal yacht Britannia entered Moreton Bay at Caloundra, sailing into Newstead Wharf. After visiting Brisbane, Longreach, and Mount Isa the Royal Family traveled to Mackay. The royal party had a leisurely cruise to Townsville. According to the formal schedule, the Royal Yacht Britannia arrived off Green Island on the morning of 21 April, after leaving Townsville the day before. The scheduled visit to Green Island was dependent on the weather. All three members of the Royal family were taken by Royal Barge to the Green Island jetty. The visit only lasted 30mins, before Britannia left for Cooktown by 10:15 am the same day.[13] The current resort, Green Island Reef Resort, was opened in 1994.[7] A seawater desalination plant was commissioned to supply water to the resort in 2001. The plant supplies 55 kL/d of potable water and returns waste brine to the sea.[14] In the 2016 census, Green Island had a population of 25 people. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Island_(Queensland)

Small Island with executive natural beauty and big history.

Nelly Bay is a town on Magnetic Island and a suburb of the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Nelly Bay is the principal township, and since 1971 has been under threat of comprehensive development. Rights for development were onsold several times and Magnetic Keys (later known as Magnetic Quay) mounted an ambitious 30 ha tourist/commercial complex in 1986, involving breakwaters, dredging, and a marina basin. When the breakwaters were nearly complete the promoter went into receivership, leaving a fenced-off eyesore. Tidal flushing of the bay was facilitated by a culvert in the breakwater. The residents kept to the shoreline and used the breakwaters for exercise walking. Nelly Bay has the island's main shopping center, a primary school, a church, and a swimming pool. Picnic Bay to the south has a golf course, a surf life-saving club, a swimming enclosure, and a church. Its ferry terminal was transferred to Nelly Bay in 2003 but the jetty remains there. Arcadia, in the opposite direction, has a bowling club and two churches. Its surf life-saving club is on Alma Bay. Source: queenslandplaces.com.au/magnetic-island

McKenzie’s Jetty is one such location, it lies only 1.4 nautical miles or 2.5 kilometers south of Kingfisher Bay Resort. Ensuring help is never too far away nor are the fabulous restaurants and refreshing bars of the award-winning eco-resort. In making your way to McKenzie’s Jetty you have a couple of options. McKenzie’s Jetty holds loads of history, probably the most fascinating of which centers around the Australian Z-Special-Unit who used the area around the jetty during World War Two for training. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but you can read about this epic piece of Australian history on the information boards located a short walk away, just behind the trees along with some solidly built picnic tables. Source: fishingboatingexploring.com.au/boating-to-mckenzies-jetty/