Magnetic Island lies between the Great Barrier Reef and the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) northeast of Townsville. The island has an area of about 20 square miles (50 square kilometers) and is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Site. More than half of the island is protected as a national park. Much of the island is mountainous and heavily forested. However, it also has coastal villages that are popular as tourist resorts. Some islanders operate hotels and guest houses. Others grow and sell pineapples and papayas.
Magnetic Island was part of the mainland of what is now Queensland before the sea level rose about 7,500 years ago. The Wulgurukaba people, or “canoe people,” have lived on the island for thousands of years. Captain James Cook gave Magnetic Island its name because he thought the island had large deposits of iron ore that had affected his compass. But no other navigator reported a similar problem. The Australian military built a number of forts on the island during World War II (1939-1945). The ruins of these forts, protected under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, are a popular tourist attraction.
