islands

Thorpe Island is one of the middle islands of the Family Islands group within the locality of Dunk in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland. Australia. It is about 15 km east of Tully Heads. It is also known as Timana Island.[1] In 1770 Captain James Cook discovered The Family Group of Islands. The largest he named "The Father Isle" and titled it Dunk Island, the second-largest he named "The Mother Isle", now Bedarra Island, and the smallest islands were the children: Timana Island the baby, the Twins, and the triplets. Thorpe Island is privately owned with one residence. It is one of only a few Australian islands which are owned by freehold. Source: www.wikiwand.com/en/Thorpe_Island

Flat Top Island, is a small island off the entrance to Mackay harbor at the mouth of Pioneer River, about 6.5 kilometers (4.0 mi) east of Mackay, Queensland, Australia. It used to mark the river entrance for shipping and the direction of the port, as well as highlighting close-by shoals at Shoalwater Point and a reef off Hay Point. Flat Top Island Light is an inactive lighthouse located on Flat Top Island. At 6 meters (20 ft) from the ground to the lantern floor, it is the shortest of Queensland's timber-framed iron-clad lighthouses. In January 1918 the lighthouse was the only structure on the island and the only aid to navigation to survive the 1918 Mackay cyclone.[12] The lighthouse was automated around 1920. In 1991, the light source was still an open flame acetylene gas burner.[13] The light was discontinued in March 2007[14] and it is currently conserved on site.[15] The last light characteristic displayed was four flashes every twenty seconds, red and white depending on the direction. The lighthouse is currently inactive. Before that, it was operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The island is accessible only by boat. It is unclear whether public access to the site and tower are available. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Top_Island_Light

Surely there must be someone in Mackay, a group or organization who would be interested in taking custodianship for this unique piece of history... Insitu restoration or relocation to Mackay as a tourist attraction!

Nestled close to the coast northwest of Mackay is a group of hilly continental islands. Newry, Rabbit, Outer Newry, Acacia, Mausoleum, and Rocky Islands are protected as part of Newry Islands National Park. The islands are wild and windswept with rocky, exposed headlands and sandstone cliffs. Rabbit, the largest island, has sandy beaches. A Grassy open forest with gnarled ironbarks, bloodwoods, and blue gums covers most of Newry Island. Small patches of dry rainforest grow in sheltered pockets on the southern slopes. Hoop pines tower over the canopy of Mackay tulip oaks and mountain ash. Orange-footed scrubfowl build nesting mounds in the rainforest. This is the most southerly limit of the pied imperial pigeon, a migratory bird that feeds on rainforest fruits. The islands and surrounding waters are part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and are protected. Seagrass beds around the islands provide a habitat for the threatened dugong. In summer, green turtles nest on Rabbit Island. Source: austhrutime.com/newry_islands_national_park.htm

Newry Island lies 200 m off the south-eastern tip of Rabbit Island. It is a smaller island, just under 1 km long, with a maximum elevation of 75 m. The island is protected from the Trades by Outer Newry Island and conditions are usually calm around the island, apart from strong tidal currents. The island has three small beaches. The northern beach (1084) is 250 m long and is bounded by densely vegetated, 40 m high headlands. It faces northeast and consists of a 50 m wide high tide beach fronted by 100 m wide sand and rock flats. Beach 1085 is a 50 m pocket of sand immediately east of the northern beach and is similar in character. Source: beachsafe.org.au/beach/qld/mackay/seaforth/newry-island-2