Barbie cars and Bays | Magnetic Island Part Two

We began the first full day of our Magnetic Island adventures at a car rental pickup in Nelly Bay. Very appropriately with a popular new release in the headlines, we were collecting our very own Barbie car to explore the island with. Jumping into our new set of bright pink wheels, we decided to head north, to Horseshoe Bay.

When we’d gotten off the ferry the day prior, we’d seen that there was a weekly market on Sundays 9-2 in Horseshoe Bay. We arrived in the area around 8.30 and decided to get a coffee before we mooched the stalls. When we did, we poured over tables of antiques mixed with bric-a-brac, rails of upcycled clothes, stands of twinkly jewellery, and more. I tried on a pair of secondhand trousers in the market stallholder’s campervan, and find them a perfect fit. 

A kid played a small stringed instrument at one part of the market, and a woman sang at another. We stared out at the beach when we’d done a full loop, reading the sign that had been set up by the lifeguard, noting the swimming area that had been cordoned off by ropes. Many boats bobbed behind on the calm surface.

Our next stop was at the other end of the island: Picnic Bay in the south-west. The car was a novelty, so we let it take us up and down the small hills, reaching a record of 60kmph during a descent – whew! When we arrived we walked along the ‘mall’ and out on the jetty, admiring the view of Townsville, and of the beach when we looked back.

After lunch back at the Airbnb, we headed out with the intention of grabbing some snorkelling equipment and heading to a bay. But we faced some obstacles: the closed (for lunch) Sealink terminal, the soon-to-be-closed snorkel hire stores, some foreboding clouds gathering. So, we decided to put our aquatic adventures on hold and do the iconic Forts Walk instead.

The Forts walk starts from a carpark between Nelly Bay and Horseshoe Bay, and heads upwards, offering fantastic views of the island and some history, too. Most excitingly, though, are the koalas you can spot, snoozing and scratching themselves in the trees. You have to have a patient and have a keen eye to spot them, unless someone else gives you a hand. The first koala we saw because another couple were gazing towards it, and some of the others were pointed out by sticks and marks in the dirt that had been left by other walkers. We went off the main path at the faint impression of an arrow in the sandy dirt, to find a koala scratching and wriggling in one of the trees. Whilst we were there, people seemed to maintain a somewhat respectful distance from the creatures who were just living their lives as normal – helped no doubt by the fact that they rested well above our heads.

We drove back to the apartment via the same cafe we’d drank at the day before, where our curlew ‘friend’ was waiting to stare at us again. After a soft drink, I decided to take a dip in the waters of Geoffrey Bay to cool off – a refreshing end to the day out.

After showering at the Airbnb, we headed back to Horseshoe Bay to watch the sunset. The sky was gold with it, and even though people gathered as the show went on, it wasn’t crowded. We stayed until the sun disappeared behind the hills, and then some, before heading to Sandi’s for dinner.

My mum and I shared two tasty dishes – a vegan pizza and a burger – and a cocktail jug. Dad had his own burger and we all shared some wedges, too. When we returned to the apartment with full tummies, we had an early night, knowing that our adventures had only just begun.