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The name of the island came about because of the apparent “magnetic” effect it had on the ship’s compass of Captain Cook as he passed the island when sailing up the east coast of Australia in 1770. People have since explored the general area of Magnetic Island with various instruments to discover whatever it was magnetic like Cook experienced, but nothing has been discovered. I did wonder though, if this place was a source of inspiration for the creators of the TV show, “Lost”.

I wasn’t planning to go to Magnetic Island as I only had one night free and it seemed like a wasted journey. I already had my accommodation booked in Townsville, the mainland connection to the Island. However several people had already told me that Townsville was just a big army town and a bit of a dump. This didn’t put me off though, it sounded just like Colchester, my birthplace and spiritual home. But Sarah and Harriot who I’d been travelling with for about a week now were going, James and Miranda were going, and Morten and Stein were going, so Magnetic Island seemed like the right move.

Yet again, it was another beautiful day (the sunshine state living up to it’s name), and just the ferry crossing over was enough to make the it worthwhile. I mostly chilled out on the beach once we got there and slept off a hours worth of my monster hangover from the Whitsunday after-partylast night.

By evening I was feeling a little more sociable and had a couple of drinks on the beach-fronted dining / drinking area out the back of our accommodation. If I was on the west coat, this would have been an idyllic location to watch the sun set. But I wasn’t on the west coast; I was on the east coat. However, as the sun set somewhere on the other side of the world, the skies in front of us were kaleidoscopic. Ever minute, the colours changed. It was spectacular to watch.

From End of Aus

Just after I finished eating an awesome curry, something unexpected happened. Out of nothing, a full moon rose over the Horizon, leaving a million mile reflection across the sae all the way to the shore in front of us. I’ve never seen the moon rise over the horizon, or move with such pace. The stars and the somehow seem bigger and brighter in the southern hemisphere.

From End of Aus

I slept well that night in a lovely little beach hut on the boulevard of beach huts.