Torres Strait Islands
Torres
Strait Islands
are the
northernmost place in Australia.
There are about 300 islands, but not nearly all are inhabited.
The southernmost ones include Thursday (Waibene), Horn (Ngurupai), Hammond (Keriri), Prince of Whales (Muralug), Friday
(Gealug), Wednesday (Mawai), Goods (Palilug) and Possession (Bedanug) Islands.
The two most visited ones are Thursday and Horn Island. These are the only two that you can visit on a ferry - the rest of the islands require a private boat, a tour operator or charter, or water taxi. That means they take more effort to get to, and 90% of travellers never visit them.
TI. ©cape-york-
australia.com
Thursday Island
This is the commercial and administrative centre of Torres Strait Islands. It is far from the largest one, but it is the most visited, and most populated one of all Torres Strait Islands. It is well known for its multiculturalism, and for its interesting history. With a population of 3500, it is really like a small town, lively with schools, shops, hotels and restaurants. It's got some great views and blue waters around it. And there are a fair few things to see and do.
Horn Isl. ©cape-york-australia.com
Horn Island
Horn Island is the second largest of the islands of Torres Strait, and has a population of 900. While it's much larger than TI, there is less to see and do. There is a resort, an interesting museum, and an airport. If you fly to Torres Strait, you land on Horn, and catch a ferry to TI. Both Horn and TI are reached by ferries.
Hammond Island. By Cam Pervan
via Flickr.com
Hammond Island
The third largest, and the third most populated of the islands is Hammond - with a population of 200. There is a small settlement which you can visit, and there is also some pearling and gold history. It is a hilly island with some good views and basaltic rock formations.
POW. ©cape-york-australia.com
Prince of Wales
The rest of the islands have hardly any population or facilities. Prince of Wales - by far the largest one of all Torres Strait Islands - has a few coastal inhabitants in the northern end of the island, but no jetty or facilities, and nothing much for visitors except wilderness.
Roko. ©cape-york-australia.com
Friday, Goods, Wednesday, Tuesday and Roko Islands are all small islands with no facilities. Goods island has a lighthouse and a walking track to some Second World War relics and shipwrecks. Wednesday Island and Tuesday Islets have lighthouses; and Friday and Roko Islands have working pearl farms which you are welcome to visit.
Possession Island. ©cape-york-
australia.com
Possession Island
But probably the most interesting one when it comes to European history is Possession Island - in the northern end of which Captain James Cook claimed the eastern coast of Australia to England in 1770. There is a monument to mark the event, but there are no facilities or anything else for visitors.
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