Top Ten Islands in Australia?

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Telegraph this morning, they had this headline: “Australia’s 10 greatest islands" with this sub-headline: "The best Aussie isles to discover, from the sandy paradise of Fraser Island to the home of the country’s cutest marsupial.”

 

Ranked right behind Fraser Island, they had Lizard Island as number two with a spotlight on its "Seclusion on the Great Barrier Reef".  We were fortunate in 2014 to have visited and LOVED two of these top ten islands in Australia.  Move details from my live/blog connected below.

 

Here were some of their reporting highlights: “It’s an hour’s flight north of Cairns but Lizard Island may as well be a million miles away. Tucked between the north Queensland coast and the outer barrier reefs that line the edge of the continental shelf, Lizard is home to an island resort and a small camping area close to a network of walking tracks. Cod Hole is a bucket-list dive site and the snorkelling is superb. The best views are from Cook’s Look, from where the explorer scanned the ocean for a navigable passage through the reef. Unless you book a resort package, access is by private boat or plane charter only.” 

 

For Kangaroo Island, their profile shared: "Fringed by spectacular white-sand beaches and crisscrossed by visitor-friendly bush-walking trails, KI is the best place in Australia to see kangaroos in the wild. Following devastating bushfires in 2020 the island’s story is now about regeneration. Book a ranger-led tour to see the Remarkable Rocks at Flinders Chase National Park, visit a eucalyptus oil distillery, go foraging with the island’s first gin distiller or head out on a boat from Seal Bay. Refuel at farm gates, oyster shacks and beach cafes and book a table under the gnarled limbs of a 120-year-old fig tree."

 

In addition to Fraser, Lizard and Kangaroo, their top ten listing also includes: Lord Howe Island, New South Wales; Norfolk Island; Bruny Island, Tasmani;a; Rottnest Island, Western Australia; Hamilton Island, Queensland; Magnetic Island, Queensland and Cockatoo Island, New South Wales.  Agree with this listing?  Any major "star" islands missing?

 

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/australia-best-island-holidays/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 243,085 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

[MMDown Under]

Nice to see you are up with the Aussie news re top ten islands, Terry in Ohio. 

 

Any major star islands missing?

Queensland - 

Moreton Island

Stradbroke Island 

Heron Island on southern Great Barrier Reef

Lady Elliot Island

Whitsunday islands

Western Australia -

Abrolhos Islands

 

 

 

[lyndarra]

Tasmania????

[Kristelle]

well it does include Bruny Island which is a Tasmanian island.

 

doesnt include Tiwi islands or any of the islands north of Darwin.

 

Interesting question - which of those listed have posters been to?

 

Me: Norfolk Island, Bruny Island, Kangaroo Island, Hamilton Island, Rottnest Island

Edited May 15, 2023 by Kristelle

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, Kristelle said:

well it does include Bruny Island which is a Tasmanian island.

 

doesnt include Tiwi islands or any of the islands north of Darwi

Interesting question - which of those listed have posters been to?

 

Me: Norfolk Island, Bruny Island, Kangaroo Island, Hamilton Island, Rottnest Island

I haven't been to Rottnest Island nor Albrolhos Island, but both are on my wish list.  

[SinbadThePorter]

10 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Any major star islands missing?

 

Best island of all, Hinchinbrook Island. Most Hawaii like of all our islands.

 

Honourable mention to Broughton Island as the only offshore NSW island that has a sheltered beach to land on and a proper camping ground.

 

Thanks to Terry for all these posts. I've been reading them for years and they are always fun.

Edited May 16, 2023 by SinbadThePorter

[cruiser3775]

Haven't been to Lizard or Lord Howe, but have visited the other eight.

It's a good list, but there are others.  Bathurst and Melville Islands (Tiwi Islands) should be on that list.

Maria Island and Flinders Island in Tasmania should also be there.

In my own state Victoria, there's Phillip Island and French Island and Raymond Island, though I probably wouldn't put them in the top ten.

Cockatoo Island in Sydney harbour is in a very degraded state and has just been granted funding for maintenance and upgrading.

[MMDown Under]

2 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Best island of all, Hinchinbrook Island.

I know it is a National Park near Cardwell and has a long hike (3-5 days) but thought it could be part of the Whitsundays.

[SinbadThePorter]

1 minute ago, MMDown Under said:

I know it is a National Park near Cardwell and has a long hike (3-5 days) but thought it could be part of the Whitsundays.

 

It's about halfway between Townsville and Cairns a long way north of the Whitsundays.

 

It's hard to get to, but well worth it.

 

[MMDown Under]

26 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

It's about halfway between Townsville and Cairns a long way north of the Whitsundays.

 

It's hard to get to, but well worth it.

 

Oops I needed a map.  I think I’ve seen it from Cardwell or seenHinchinbrook Island on maps.   We used to drive north every year and stopover at Cardwell.

[NumnuT_OZ]

On 5/16/2023 at 6:20 AM, MMDown Under said:

Any major star islands missing?

Queensland - 

Moreton Island

Stradbroke Island 

Heron Island on southern Great Barrier Reef

Lady Elliot Island

Whitsunday islands

Western Australia -

Abrolhos Islands

Lord Howe & Wilson Islands are personal favs...

Will get to Lizard Island when I win lotto...

[oskarNZ]

I have no experience with any of those islands, but I have become stuck chewing over the first paragraph.  Can someone tell me what the “country’s cutest marsupial” is please? 
 

I can’t seem to open the article without subscribing.  

[MMDown Under]

44 minutes ago, NumnuT_OZ said:

Lord Howe & Wilson Islands are personal favs...

Will get to Lizard Island when I win lotto...

Wilson Island looks beautiful.  It is another island I can add to my not seen list.  Is it a new resort, as I've been to Heron Island? 

[NumnuT_OZ]

9 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Wilson Island looks beautiful.

I agree 100%...

A max of i think 12 ppl, 6 x luxury tents..

Go in summer months for turtle hatchlings most nights!

 

a 30 min boat ride from Heron to Wilson

 

we were there in 2009

 

love lady Elliott also, so many turtles & reef sharks to snorkel with!

Edited May 17, 2023 by NumnuT_OZ

[NumnuT_OZ]

16 minutes ago, oskarNZ said:

Can someone tell me what the “country’s cutest marsupial” is please? 

Quokka's on Rottnest Island Western Australia i guess, they love a selfie!

[cruiser3775]

21 hours ago, oskarNZ said:

Can someone tell me what the “country’s cutest marsupial” is please? 

Also the cute pademelons on Maria Island in Tasmania, though they are shy compared to quokkas.

oskarNZ, there is a medical insurance company that uses talking quokkas in their ads on TV here. They are absolutely hilarious. Don't know how you'd see them if not in Aus, though.

[MMDown Under]

i think the cutest marsupials are tree kangaroos.

 

Lumholtz's tree kangaroos are found in the rainforest in tropical Queensland in Atherton Tablelands.

[Kellyansapansa]

Quokkas have a lot of personality but sugar gliders are cuter. 😍

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Kellyansapansa

[oskarNZ]

I’m pleased I asked.  I am learning about animals (eg the pademelon) that I never even knew existed and have gone on a marsupial google hunt.  
 

I must admit, I have a bit of a soft spot for your wombats.  The baby ones I saw at a sanctuary in Tasmania some years back were possible the cutest thing ever.  

[Kristelle]

Bilbies are cute.

 

but unfortunately endangered species now.

 

There are groups trying to save the  bilbies and one of their fund raisers is Easter - and you can buy chocolate Easter bilbies instead of Easter bunnies

 

[cruiser3775]

Little wombats look very cuddly, too. If yo want to see them in the wild, I recommend Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, where they are regularly seen on and around the boardwalks in the national park

[arxcards]

23 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

Also the cute pademelons on Maria Island in Tasmania, though they are shy compared to quokkas.

oskarNZ, there is a medical insurance company that uses talking quokkas in their ads on TV here. They are absolutely hilarious. Don't know how you'd see them if not in Aus, though.

There are ways

 

[oskarNZ]

8 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

Little wombats look very cuddly, too. If yo want to see them in the wild, I recommend Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, where they are regularly seen on and around the boardwalks in the national park

Funny you say that as I have only seen a wild wombat once and it was in Cradle Mountain.
 
Travelling the world to see animals in the wild is a bit of a passion of mine and that includes all the fabulous animals you have there in Australia.  Next on the wishlist is a platypus.  
 

By the way, that photo is very cute.   

[MMDown Under]

8 hours ago, oskarNZ said:

Funny you say that as I have only seen a wild wombat once and it was in Cradle Mountain.
 
Travelling the world to see animals in the wild is a bit of a passion of mine and that includes all the fabulous animals you have there in Australia.  Next on the wishlist is a platypus.  
 

By the way, that photo is very cute.   

I last saw a platypus in the wild at Eungella near Mackay.  This month Platypus have been returned to Royal National Park after being locally extinct for 50’years.

 

[TLCOhio]

On 5/18/2023 at 8:35 AM, Kellyansapansa said:

Quokkas have a lot of personality but sugar gliders are cuter. 😍

 

Cute creatures!!!  Amazing and fun.  Appreciate these helpful follow-ups and added comments and questions.  

 

To share more from our Australia island loves and experiences, below are some of my visuals from Lizard Island, plus more.  

 

Love sharing and bringing back these excellent memories.  Post here any added experiences, tips, visuals, suggestions, questions, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia.  This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc:  Live/blog;

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/

 

In flying out over the Great Barrier Reef on our way to Lizard island, you better appreciate the size and importance of this major natural wonder.  Also, it's lots quicker to get there than riding on a crowded, long boat ride.:

 

Here is just one example for the fun of exploring and seeing the unique sights under water in these reef areas.:

 

On Lizard Island, our small group is gathered with our pilot and guide before snorkeling and having our beach lunch.  Plus, another underwater sight!:

 

 

In flying over the Great Barrier Reef, you better appreciate how far out it is and then you see the fast drop-off to the deep Pacific Ocean waters.  It is an amazing and unique part of the natural world.: