Every part it is advisable find out about getting round Magnetic Island, from public transport to automobile leases and even some epic boat excursions.
When you’ve discovered how you can get right here and checked out all of the unbelievable issues to do, the ultimate factor it is advisable work out is getting round Magnetic Island!
The island is huge at 52km², however 75% of it’s designated as a nationwide park with nearly zero entry, aside from a number of mountain climbing trails.
Meaning you often solely have to navigate how you can get round between the principle villages of Nelly Bay, Picnic Bar, Arcardia and Horseshoe Bay.
Fortunately for you there’s a number of other ways to get round Magnetic Island, and we’re going to spotlight all of them on this article.
READ MORE: Right here’s our full information on how you can get to Magnetic Island, with all the most recent choices and costs.
Getting Round Magnetic Island – Your Complete ‘How To’ Information
Relying in your finances and the way lengthy you’re planning on staying, you may have a number of completely different choices for transport on Magnetic Island.
Let’s get into them now.
Public Bus on Magnetic Island
There’s a native public bus that runs from Picnic Bay to Horseshoe Bay and again all day.
For the bus you may have 2 choices and value factors (money solely!):
- One-way ticket prices $2.80 per particular person per journey.
- Day tripper ticket is $7.60 per particular person, and you’ll hop on and off as a lot as you need all day with limitless journey.
It runs every day on the hour from one finish of the island to the opposite, working between 6:00am – 10:00pm.
The one down aspect with it operating hourly is that for those who miss the bus then you must wait round or stroll. So plan your journey so you may get probably the most out of your day.
It’s an effective way to see the island on a finances, and it’s just about your solely various for those who don’t wish to lease a automobile or carry your personal automobile over from the mainland.
READ MORE: Take a look at our newest information to all one of the best Magnetic Island seashores!
The bus stops off in entrance of the ferry terminal, in any respect the principle bays together with Geoffrey Bay, and the Forts Stroll space.
It is vitally handy for getting round Magnetic Island from one aspect to the opposite and exploring.
For the Sunbus Magnetic Island timetable data click on right here.
Automotive Rent on Magnetic Island
There are a number of firms on the island to lease a automobile from.
From auto and handbook SUV’s to topless Jeep Wranglers, the costs vary from AUD $80 a day for the standard SUV for a 5 seater.
If you need the traditional Instagram images although you’ll wish to lease a topless Jeep (or ‘Barbie Automotive), which is about the identical value.
Some firms provide half day rent, full day rent or 24 hour rent. If you’re staying longer, some individuals provide reductions for 3 days or extra.
With so many choices, it may be arduous to know the place to remain on Magnetic Island. That’s why we’ve put collectively our native knowledgeable information to the greatest lodging on Maggie!
For nearly the entire automobile leases on the island, their automobiles are solely allowed to be pushed on sealed roads between Horseshoe Bay and Picnic Bay.
Their automobiles are NOT allowed to transcend the Forts automobile park to Arthur Bay, Florence Bay and Radical Bay, or on the highway to West Level.
There are a selection of automobile rent firms on Magnetic Island;
- MI Leases Automotive Rent
- Magnetic Island Topless Automotive Rent
- Isle Rent Automotive Leases/Rent
- Tropical Palms 4WD
- Magnetic 4×4 Leases
- Tropical Topless Automotive Leases
- Tropical Palms Resort & 4WD Rent (Picnic Bay)
- Arcadia Seaside Visitor Home and Automotive Rent (Arcadia)
All the automobile rental firms are situated in Nelly Bay (except in any other case acknowledged), and are simple to find if you get off the ferry terminal.
One of the simplest ways to get round is to lease a automobile and discover by yourself! We suggest Rental Vehicles, which has the most important vary of automobiles for one of the best worth available on the market.
Electrical Bike Rental on Magnetic Island – The Finest (and Most Sustainable) Approach to Get Round Maggie
There’s a brand new firm on the island that’s revolutionising how you can get round with zero-emission, road-registered electrical motorbikes.
Yep, electrical motorbikes. We child you not. That is now the very best method to get round on Magnetic Island for those who haven’t introduced your personal automobile.
Magnetic Island Roaming is run by two legendary locals Tim and Pam who’ve purchased 14 UBCO e-bikes and now have them accessible for day leases and West Level sundown excursions.
This bikes go as much as 50km/h and have a 120km vary on them, that means you’ll be able to actually zip all around the island all day without having to cost or gas up.
Better of all, as a result of the velocity is capped at 50km/h, you solely want a automobile licence to drive one, not a bike licence!
They’re tremendous simple to journey, don’t have any gears, very comfy and may sort out the hills and dust tracks on Maggie like absolute weapons.
We’ve taken them out a number of occasions and they’re tonnes of enjoyable. Additionally having a automobile that’s utterly eco-friendly (Tim and Pam cost the batteries with solar energy too) is such a great addition to Maggie and one thing all us locals are getting behind.
Costs are $55 for the day and also you decide them up from Island Dwelling, throughout the highway from Scallywags Cafe.
Alternatively you’ll be able to e book a tour out to West Level for sundown with Tim, which is the one method to get out to this a part of the island with out proudly owning your personal automobile or strolling (automobile and scooter leases on the island are prohibited from taking the dust highway to West Level).
Make sure that if you e book you let the fellows know that NOMADasaurus despatched you!
Scooter Rent on Magnetic Island
One of many issues we liked most about Magnetic Island was the entire place had the ambiance of a southern Thai island corresponding to Koh Tao or Koh Phangan.
And one of many issues that helps give it that vibe is that a number of individuals drive round on scooters.
You may lease a scooter on Magnetic Island from Highway Runner Scooter Rent from simply $40 a day to zip round on.
The corporate presents single and twin seat scooters, path bikes and highway bikes. After we have been there on the island we noticed lots of people renting scooters and that is positively an ideal place to do it.
READ MORE: Right here’s how you can take advantage of with simply someday on Magnetic Island!
If you end up renting, do examine with the house owners the place you CAN and CANNOT go, as there are limitations on leases.
If you wish to head out to West Level for sundown or Radical Bay have a look at hiring a path bike if in case you have the proper licence.
If you end up renting a scooter, bear in mind to suppose critically about your security. It’s all enjoyable and video games till somebody falls off and rips their pores and skin off or breaks a bone.
Please be accountable and put on correct clothes when using across the island. Don’t journey round in your bikini or board shorts. For those who come off, it’ll harm.
Highway Runner Scooter Rent is situated in Nelly Bay and is strolling distance from the ferry terminal.
Purple Beam Scooters
These mini electrical scooters have made their method to Magnetic Island, and they’re a fairly quick and handy, if a bit costly, method to get round for those who’re simply making an attempt to get from level A to level B.
You’ll find these Beam scooters on the Nelly Bay ferry terminal, outdoors Base Backpackers and subsequent to Alma Bay.
The worth is $1 for preliminary rent and 75c a minute after that, utilizing wi-fi cost to activate.
They’re geo-locked to solely work from Base Backpackers to Alma Bay, so you’ll be able to’t take them to Picnic Bay or up the Horseshoe Bay Highway hill.
Simply please please PLEASE don’t dump these anyplace if you’re accomplished with them.
It’s grow to be a extremely detrimental factor for locals as a result of drunken backpackers will actually drop them all around the paths or roads once they run out of battery or in the event that they crash them.
If individuals hold trashing them, they’ll be banned from the island. So be good and everybody can take pleasure in them.
Bicycles on Magnetic Island
Deliver your personal bike over on the ferry (free of charge) or lease one over on Magnetic Island.
The principle roads on the island are properly maintained and sealed between the bays. There are nice strolling/biking trails by the water and on unsealed roads additionally.
Having a motorbike on the island makes it simpler (and faster) to get from bay to bay.
READ MORE: Take a look at our complete ‘Travelling in Australia‘ information to reply all of the questions you may ever have.
Strolling on Magnetic Island
For those who’re questioning how you can get round Magnetic Island by foot, now we have good and unhealthy information for you.
Sure, you’ll be able to discover on the island by strolling. However sadly you’ll not see an excessive amount of.
The bays are a fairly a little bit of distance aside, and it does take time to stroll between them.
On the plus aspect although you’ll get to some completely gorgeous locations!
If you’re into mountain climbing, going by foot is the one method to get to the well-known viewpoints, and if you wish to head over to Horseshoe Bay from Nelly Bay you’ll be able to sort out the superior path straight over the island.
There are over 26km of strolling trails across the island to discover, so be sure to pack your mountain climbing sneakers.
If you end up exploring the bays, we discover by foot is one of the simplest ways to take pleasure in it. You may slowly take every part in and also you would possibly spot belongings you would have by no means seen for those who have been on a bus or in a automobile, particularly little koalas which can be in every single place over the island.
Taxi Service on Magnetic Island
There’s a taxi firm known as Checker Cabs on the island and so they can get you and your suitcase to your lodging if you first arrive.
You’ll sometimes discover the taxis ready round on the bays, or you’ll be able to ring forward and organize a decide up from the ferry terminal.
It is a nice method to get dwelling after you may have loved a pleasant dinner or had a number of too many drinks over sundown as properly.
One factor to bear in mind although is that the taxis run on island time (ie they’re not precisely punctual or common) and they’re restricted in numbers. Ensure you give your self a number of time if it is advisable depend on one.
READ MORE: Take a look at our information on what to do in Townsville as properly when you’re within the space!
Day Excursions on Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island has a few day excursions accessible so you’ll be able to try among the essential spots, each on land and out on the water.
You may soar on a bus tour with a neighborhood information to see among the highlights of the Island and discover out a little bit of the historical past, or you’ll be able to cruise out on the water in both a speedboat or sailboat to get to locations that aren’t accessed by land.
This boat tour right here is our favorite, and we extremely suggest it.
Driving Your Personal Automotive
For those who’re planning on being on the island for a number of days, and you’ve got your personal automobile and a few mates or household to separate the fee, the very best method to get round Magnetic Island is to carry your automobile over on the ferry.
It is vitally costly, beginning at $220 return for a normal-size automobile, so it’s not value it for only one or two days. As an alternative lease a automobile on the island if that’s the way you wish to discover the place.
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