Thursday
Island:
The Hub of the Torres Strait
Story and photographs
by Roderick
Eime
Just how tiny Thursday
Island got its name is still a topic of some debate. Most defer to the
much-maligned Captain William Bligh who sailed through the straits en
route to Batavia after the famous mutiny, but Capt Owen Stanley also has
some claim after his mapping voyage of 1848.
Surrounded by larger
islands with names like, Prince of Wales, Horn, Wednesday and yes, Friday,
Thursday Island is the administrative hub of the Torres Strait Group and,
as such, boasts facilities and infrastructure that overshadow that of
the frontier settlements of Bamaga and Seisia back on the mainland.
The broad grins and
cheery faces of the Torres Strait Islanders are something the first-time
visitor always notices. Culturally and ethnically separated from the mainland
Aborigines, they nevertheless have a very long history of contact with
their southern neighbours, but also the Melanesians to the north.
Numerous maritime
industries were attempted by Europeans over the last 150 years, most notably
pearling, which brought many Japanese to the island. Their culture, although
heavily masked during WWII, remains in the form of an expansive cemetery
where hundreds of divers and pearlers are buried.
A day trip to TI is
easy. The MV Strait Magic, run by the Peddells family, runs daily shuttles
between the mainland port of Seisia and TI township. Peddells can also
arrange a wide variety of sight-seeing tours around the island taking
in such sites as the Green Hill Fort, Quetta Memorial Cathedral, Cultural
Centre and Milman Hill WWII fortifications. An inspirational trip over
to Horn Island and the abandoned WWII airbase is also available for those
wishing to delve into Australia's wartime history.
Peddells Thursday
Island Tours
Ph: (07) 4069 1551
www.peddellsferry.com.au
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See
Tourism Queensland's Map
of Cape York
Highlights
The Rainforest
Habitat (Port Douglas)
www.rainforesthabitat.com.au
Ph: 07 4099 3235
Daintree (World
Heritage) Rainforest
www.epa.qld.gov.au Search:
Daintree
Ph: (07) 4098 2188
Bloomfield Falls
with Walker sisters, Wujal Wujal
Email: ffw@bigpond.com
Ph: (07) 4060 8139
Lakefield National
Park
www.epa.qld.gov.au Search:
Lakefield
Ph: (07) 4069 5777
Jardine River
National Park
www.epa.qld.gov.au Search:
Jardine River
Ph: (07) 4060 3241
James Cook Museum,
Cooktown
www.nationaltrustqld.org
Ph: (07) 4069 5386
Best
Map
Hema ZERCAP01
RRP $7.95
www.hemamaps.com.au
Accommodation
Resort Bamaga
www.resortbamaga.com.au
Ph: (07) 4069 3050
Punsand Bay
Safari and Fishing Lodge
Ph: (07) 4069 1722
Peppers Bloomfield
Lodge
www.peppers.com.au
Ph: (07) 4035 9166
Lions Den Hotel,
Helenvale
Ph: (07) 4060 3911
Getting
to Cairns
Queenslander
www.traveltrain.com.au
1300 131 722
Thursday
Island
Peddel's Ferry
and Tours
www.peddellsferry.com.au
Ph. (07) 4069 1551
Road
Reports
RACQ
www.racq.com.au
1300 130 595
Vehicle
"All terrain,
pedigree driving that eats up the rough with the smooth", was
where we decided to start the Touareg range. And, to deliver on
this we set the mark high for standard features on the Touareg V6:
4XMOTION permanent all-wheel drive, 2-zone climate control, low
range gearing, multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, trip
computer, Delta sound system (10 speakers) and a 6 airbags (2 front,
2 side + front and curtain).
Providing power
for the performance in the V6 is a highly efficient powerhouse:
162 kW, 305 Nm at 3200 rpm. 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds and a top speed
of 197 km/h
www.volkswagen.com.au
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