The Forts & Florence Bay - Magnetic Island National Park

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Route: Forts Junction, The Forts Walking Track, Arthur Bay Lookout, Forts Circuit, Gun Emplacement, Observation Post, Command Post, Florence Bay Track, Florence Bay, Radical Bay Road, Curlew Flats, Forts Junction

Date: 05/01/2024
From: Forts Junction

Parking: Forts Junction
Start Point: Forts Junction
Finish Point: Forts Junction
Region: Magnetic Island National Park

Route length: 6.2km
Time taken: 03:03
Average speed: 4.0km/h
Ascent: 308m
Descent: 308m

Points of Interest: The Forts, Florence Bay

Magnetic Island occupies an idyllic spot just 8km off the coast of Townsville in northern Queensland. Located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Reserve and accessible by a 20-minute ferry ride, the island is the perfect place for hiking, snorkelling, diving, kayaking, fishing and many other popular Australian pastimes.

Magnetic Island

Townsville

We made the most of our visit to Magnetic Island by hiring electric bikes from the excellent Magnetic Island Roaming. These nifty little bikes are road-legal and can do up to 50km/h, allowing you to easily get around the island and access its highlights. They can be a little unnerving if you are not used to riding a bike at such speeds but they are a lot of fun once you get used to them.

Our electric bikes, and a traditional moped for scale

One of the highlights of Magnetic Island is The Forts Walk, the most popular hike showcasing some of the best features of Magnetic Island, including the beautiful Florence Bay. If you plan to have a dip in the bay after climbing up to the forts, remember to swim safely - dangerous stinging jellyfish (‘stingers’) occur more frequently in the warmer months and sharks are present at all times of the year.

After collecting our bikes and having the briefest of test rides (making sure we didn't fall off), we rode them to the start of the hike at Forts Junction, a small hub near the eastern side of the island on the main road between Arcadia and Horseshoe Bay. It's also accessible by bus if you are exploring the island using public transport. There are a couple of information boards and an all-important water fountain - it can get very hot on Magnetic Island so you should carry plenty of water if you are hiking in the summer.

The Forts Junction

From the hub, the first short part of the walk is fairly gentle, leading to Arthur Bay Lookout and then to a water tank on the hillside. This is another opportunity to fill water bottles from a large water tank - much of the track to the forts is uncovered and up hill

Arthur Bay Lookout

Arthur Bay

Views from The Forts Track as you climb towards the top of the hill

After passing the water tank the track starts to climb more seriously until it reaches a flat, more open area which was once home to the soldier's encampment. Several side tracks lead to interesting areas, all marked by boards or posts.

The encampment area is one of the best locations to find the resident Magnetic Island koalas, basking in the trees. Magnetic Island has one of the most visible populations in Australia though they can still be elusive. We tried and failed to spot one while we were passing through.

The fort complex was constructed in 1943 during World War II to protect the Townsville harbour and town from a feared Japanese invasion of Australia as Japanese forces moved south through the Pacific islands. Townsville was the major supply depot for Allied troops in the southeast Pacific and a staging post for troops moving north into the war zone. Fortunately, the war ended before the guns were ever fired in anger.

The gun emplacements at the forts

Views over Cleveland Bay

The main focus of the fort are the concrete structures atop the hill. These were the observation post, the command post and the range finder for the gun emplacements. The Forts Walking Track leads to these structures but they are optional. They require a fairly steep climb but it is worth it for the views across the island and the chance to explore.

The climb to the forts is quite steep

Magnetic Island

The observation post

The view from the observation post

Looking towards the observation post and Cleveland Bay from the command post

Magnetic Island viewed from the command post

Florence Bay

Panorama from the forts - its strategic importance is clear to see

The command post

A newly built track to Florence Bay starts on the north side of the forts complex and descends some 200m through the bush to Radical Bay Road and then to Florence Bay itself. The bay is the perfect place to take a break after hiking to the forts. It has a small coral reef tucked inshore, making it a popular diving and swimming spot. Florence Bay’s status as a Marine Park also ensures that the ecology of the bay remains largely intact.

The Florence Bay Track - it involves many steps

Florence Bay

Florence Bay

Florence Bay

Getting ready for a dip in Florence Bay

Florence Bay - note the full-body stinger suit

Colourful seaweeds in Florence Bay

A Bluespotted Fantail Ray

After a refreshing swim, it was time to wrap up the forts hike with the least interesting section along Radical Bay Road back to Forts Junction. The road doesn't have much shade so it can get very hot plus, there is a fairly steep climb towards the end - you'll thank yourself if you managed to save enough water from the beginning of the hike. Eventually, we made it back to Forts Junction and our bikes, sweaty but satisfied after a good day out. 

Our bikes at Horseshoe Bay