Situated just 8km off the coast of Townsville, North Queensland is my “island home”. The place where we escape on weekends, spend holidays and enjoy the company of friends and family. Where we indulge in the luxury of reading, hiking, swimming, cooking unusual dishes and where time really means not much. We can do what we like, when we like. 
This beautiful island has 23 bays and beaches and much of it is National Park surrounded by Marine Parks with some beautiful fringing coral and sea life. In winter we watch whales on their migration north from Antarctica and dolphins and turtles abound.
Huge granite boulders, hoop pines, eucalypt forest and patches of rainforest are found and of course, the resident wildlife is always there ……
Rosellas flock at dawn and sunset and greedily gobble up seeds thrown by residents. The curlew looks on haughtily but doesn’t dare intercede.
One morning a young kookaburra hopped onto our verandah and expected his breakfast – which he got – pieces of bacon which he slapped against the railings attempting to “kill it” before devouring.
There are some beautiful walks through the National Park, including one to the “Forts” – a series of structures which were lookout forts during the Second World War. This is where you will often see koalas in the wild. Textures and colours of trees and leaves never fail to amaze me.
And finally the sunsets – always magnificent and there is nothing better than to enjoy a sundowner at the end of the day watching the sun sink into the horizon declaring the day is over and a new start awaits in the morning.
Welcome to my Island Home !
IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY........... 
Truly a little paradise! How about the stingers at this end?
Well, yes……of course they are there but only between November and March! And we swim with stinger suits on or in stinger proof enclosures. Nothing to worry about really!
We just recently have been up in Port Douglas and learned a lot about them. Those stinger suits are really great. It is just such a beautiful place up there.
From your pictures I know It is Australia 😀 Cool pics 🙂 Loved the evening hues on the beach
Yes, it is North Queensland. Thank you for your kind comment.
You’re welcome 🙂 Happy Straya day in advance 😀
Totally agree!
Fantastic photo essay. What an amzing island home you have. truly a paradise.
Yes, it is a paradise, we are very lucky. Thank you for your comments.
Loved the photographs and your story… they held so much expression. 🙂
Thank you!
Wonderful post Alison – I remember as a young girl that several of my friends went to Magnetic Island and came back with such exotic tales. It looks like it hasn’t changed much – lucky you 🙂
It is still one of those very treasured unspoilt places – what you see is what you get. Totally natural and none of the glitz of other tourist traps. We love it. Thank you for your comment.
The photos are amazing! A beautiful place.
Thank you – it is beautiful and we are very lucky!
Gorgeous! Love the koala photos. We’ve just seen some in the Otways near the Great Ocean Road. So happy to see there are still some around. We keep hearing about how they’re threatened.
Alison
They may be threatened down south, but here you will find quite a few of them I am told Magnetic Island is the furthest North you will find them in the wild. Alison