Description of the attraction
At 30 km from the coast of Cairns, there is a small - with an area of only 4 square kilometers - Fitzroy Island, which can only be reached by ferry. The journey will take 45 minutes. The island is surrounded by coral reefs that are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This is one of the favorite destinations for Cairns residents and visitors alike, where you can go diving or snorkelling to admire the fragile beauty of the underwater world. White sandy beaches and safe waters are ideal for swimming, water sports and sailing.
The gentle hilly terrain is perfect for walking along one of the many hiking trails that cross the entire island and lead to two main beaches, an observation deck or a lighthouse at the western end of the island.
About 10 thousand years ago, the island was still connected to the mainland. But when the last ice age ended, waters from the melted glaciers flooded the valley between Fitzroy and other mountain peaks. This is how an isolated island was formed.
For thousands of years, the Gunganji Aborigines have used the area for hunting and fishing. In 1778, the first European came here - Captain James Cook, who gave the island its name. In 1876, Fitzroy became a quarantine station for Chinese people heading to the Palmer River gold mines, at the beginning of the 20th century, fruits and vegetables were grown here, then pearls were mined, and during the Second World War, a military base was located here.
Today, 97% of the island's territory is occupied by a national park with diverse ecosystems: rain forest, mangroves, savannas, coral beaches. It is home to a huge variety of land and sea animal and plant species. Just a few meters from the beach, you can see colorful hard and soft corals and amazing marine animals. Many species of birds live on land - the emerald dove, comb cockatoo, jungle chicken, osprey, yellow-breasted paradise kingfisher, motley imperial pigeon. The main predators on the island are reptiles, mainly pythons (brown and green), monitor lizards and large skinks. The yellow monitor lizard, reaching 1.2 m in length, can often be found near the pier. Poisonous snakes are not found here.
