Leslie Massey
Australia is surrounded by 8,222 islands within its maritime borders, ranging from small rocks that are uncovered during low tide to islands over twice the size of the Australian Capital Territory. These islands are scattered across the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans, as well as the Coral and Timor Seas. The largest islands by land area include Tasmania, Melville Island, Kangaroo Island, and K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island. K'gari is the largest sand island in the world, boasting a diverse landscape of freshwater lakes, sand dunes, wetlands, crystal-clear lakes, and dense rainforests. Other notable islands surrounding Australia include Rottnest Island, Whitsunday Island, Lord Howe Island, and Macquarie Island. These islands offer a range of experiences, from wildlife encounters to gourmet dining and outdoor adventures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of islands within Australia's maritime borders | 8,222 |
| Largest sand island in the world | K'gari (Fraser Island) |
| Size of K'gari | 165,280 ha |
| Location of K'gari | Off the coast of southern Queensland |
| Distance covered by K'gari | 123 km in length and 25 km at its widest point |
| Largest islands by area | Tasmania, Melville Island, Kangaroo Island, Groote Eylandt, Bathurst Island, K'gari, Flinders Island, King Island, and Mornington Island |
| Islands accessible from the mainland | Whitsundays, Rottnest Island, Lord Howe Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Islands near Australia | Bali, Tonga, Fiji, Erakor Island (Samoa), Tiwi Islands |
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What You'll Learn
- The Whitsundays: 74 islands in the Coral Sea off the east coast of Queensland
- Rottnest Island: 63 white-sand beaches, just off the coast of Western Australia
- K'gari: the world's largest sand island, off the coast of Queensland
- Lord Howe Island: a biodiverse coastline and mountain-studded interior, 600km from the Australian mainland
- Macquarie Island: one of Australia's most distant possessions, located in the Southern Ocean
The Whitsundays: 74 islands in the Coral Sea off the east coast of Queensland
Australia is often referred to as an island continent, with 8,222 islands within its watery borders. One of the most notable groups of islands surrounding Australia is the Whitsundays.
The Whitsundays are 74 continental islands of various sizes in the Coral Sea, off the east coast of Queensland, Australia. They are located 900 kilometres (560 miles) north of Brisbane, with the northernmost islands off the coast of the town of Bowen and the southernmost off the coast of Proserpine. The traditional owners of the area are the Ngaro and Gia people, with the Juru people holding the only legally recognised native title in the Whitsunday Region. The first inhabitants of the islands were the Ngaro people, who lived there for thousands of years and are among the earliest recorded indigenous groups in Australia.
The Whitsunday Islands are a popular tourist destination, particularly for travellers to Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. They offer turquoise waters, swirling white sands, secluded beaches, and world-class luxury accommodation. The islands are known for their excellent sailing, diving, and snorkelling opportunities, with many visitors choosing to charter a yacht or bareboat to explore the area. The Whitsundays also offer mild temperatures and about 300 days of sunshine each year, making them an ideal tropical paradise to visit.
The largest of the Whitsunday Islands is Whitsunday Island, which features the award-winning Whitehaven Beach. This four-mile-long beach boasts white sands made of 98% silica and crystalline waters, although it lacks facilities, so visitors should come prepared. Other notable islands in the main Whitsunday group include Dent, Hamilton (the commercial centre), Hayman, and Hook. Hamilton Island also has an airport, making it a convenient gateway to the Whitsundays.
The Whitsundays were discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770, who believed he had stumbled upon them on Whit Sunday (although it was actually Whit Monday). They are part of a chain of islands named the Cumberland Isles by Cook, now officially known as the Cumberland Islands. The name "Whitsundays" is a contraction of the "Whitsunday Islands" designation.
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Rottnest Island: 63 white-sand beaches, just off the coast of Western Australia
Australia is often referred to as an island continent, with 8,222 islands within its borders. These islands range from small rocks that are submerged during high tide to islands that are more than twice the size of the Australian Capital Territory.
One such island is Rottnest Island, which is just off the coast of Western Australia. Rottnest Island is an idyllic holiday destination, with 63 white-sand beaches, translucent swimming waters, and a network of walking and cycling trails. The island is also known for its quokkas, furry marsupials that are known as the 'world's happiest animal'. These creatures are friendly and unafraid of humans, making Rottnest Island one of the best places to interact with them.
Rottnest Island has a rich history, having been used as a prison and forced labour camp for Aboriginal men from 1838 to 1931 and as an internment camp during both World Wars. The original custodians of the island are the Whadjuk Noongar people, and it is also known as Wadjemup. The Wadjemup Museum showcases artefacts over 40,000 years old and honours the island's Aboriginal heritage.
The island is easily accessible, with a 30-minute ferry ride from Fremantle, making it a popular day trip for tourists and locals alike. Rottnest Island offers a range of accommodation options, from eco-glamping to historic cottages and beachfront hotels. The island is car-free, contributing to its conservation-minded Class A reserve status.
With its abundance of pristine beaches, aquamarine bays, and diverse wildlife, Rottnest Island is a nature lover's paradise, providing an unforgettable adventure for all who visit.
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K'gari: the world's largest sand island, off the coast of Queensland
Australia has 8,222 islands within its maritime borders, ranging from tiny rocks that are only visible at low tide to islands over twice the size of the Australian Capital Territory.
One of these islands is K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), the world's largest sand island, off the coast of Queensland. K'gari stretches over 123 kilometres in length and 25 kilometres at its widest point. The island is characterised by its diverse landscapes, including freshwater lakes, sand dunes, wetlands, crystal-clear lakes, and dense rainforests. One of its famous features is its coloured sands, which have been stained by decayed vegetation over thousands of years, with some deposits dating back eight million years. The Cathedrals on the eastern beach is an excellent example of this natural phenomenon.
K'gari also boasts the Great Sandy National Park, which covers 52,400 hectares on the northern half of the island and is recognised as a World Heritage site. The island offers a unique blend of natural attractions, wildlife experiences, and outdoor activities. Visitors can explore Lake McKenzie, with its crystal-clear blue waters and white silica sand, or discover the Maheno Shipwreck, an iconic landmark on the eastern beach.
In addition to K'gari, there are several other notable islands surrounding Australia. These include Kangaroo Island, located off the coast of South Australia, known for its unforgettable wildlife experiences, dramatic coastal sights, and gourmet dining. The Whitsundays, a collection of 74 islands off the east coast of Queensland, offer white-sand beaches, national parks, and excellent sailing opportunities. Rottnest Island, just off the coast of Western Australia, is renowned for its 63 white-sand beaches, translucent swimming waters, and the famous quokkas, furry marsupials unique to the island.
Beyond the islands within its maritime borders, Australia also has several external territories in the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans, as well as the Coral and Timor Seas. Macquarie Island, located in the Southern Ocean, is one of Australia's most distant possessions, featuring unique geological characteristics and serving as a research and Antarctic support station.
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Lord Howe Island: a biodiverse coastline and mountain-studded interior, 600km from the Australian mainland
Australia has 8,222 islands within its borders, ranging from small rocks that are uncovered at high tide to islands over twice the size of the Australian Capital Territory. One of these islands is Lord Howe Island, a biodiverse paradise 600km from the Australian mainland. This irregularly crescent-shaped island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, boasting a unique ecosystem that is home to threatened species and natural habitats.
Lord Howe Island is an isolated, volcanic outcropping in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. It is part of the Australian state of New South Wales. The island is 600km (370 miles) directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, 780km (480 miles) northeast of Sydney, and about 900km (560 miles) southwest of Norfolk Island. It is about 11km (6.2 miles) long and between 0.3 and 2km (0.19 to 1.24 miles) wide, with an area of 14.55km2 (3,600 acres). The island is named after Richard Howe, the 1st Earl Howe.
The island is characterised by a dramatic volcanic peak, Mount Gower, which rises 875m (2,871ft) above the sea. Mount Gower is the highest point on the island and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The island is also home to Ball's Pyramid, the world's largest sea stack, located 23km (14.3 miles) south of the island.
Lord Howe Island has a diverse range of natural attractions, from its rugged coastline to its pristine beaches. The island is surrounded by a coral reef and lagoon, with a mixture of temperate, subtropical, and tropical marine species. The waters are home to a variety of fish, corals, and cetaceans, making it a popular destination for snorkelling, swimming, and diving. The island also offers hiking trails that wind through its mountain-studded interior, leading to breathtaking viewpoints such as Kims Lookout and Malabar Hill.
To preserve its delicate ecosystem, Lord Howe Island has a limited number of tourists allowed at any one time, with only 400 licensed tourist beds available in hotels and apartment accommodations. Visitors can enjoy a range of luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, and outdoor activities such as hiking, surfing, and diving.
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Macquarie Island: one of Australia's most distant possessions, located in the Southern Ocean
Australia has 8,222 islands within its borders, ranging from tiny rocks that are submerged during high tide to islands larger than 1,000 square kilometres. Macquarie Island is one of Australia's most distant possessions, located in the Southern Ocean, 1,500 kilometres southeast of Tasmania. Macquarie Island is actually 200 kilometres closer to the Antarctic continent than Tasmania. Covering 128 square kilometres, Macquarie Island measures 34 kilometres by 5 kilometres at its widest point.
The island was discovered in 1810 by Frederick Hasselborough, an Australian sealer, who named it for Lachlan Macquarie, then governor of New South Wales. Hasselborough noted the presence of a wrecked ship of "ancient design", presumably Polynesian. Macquarie Island was a centre for seal hunting until 1919 and has been governed as part of Tasmania, Australia, since 1880. It became a Tasmanian state reserve in 1978 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Macquarie Island is the exposed crest of the undersea Macquarie Ridge, raised where the Indo-Australian tectonic plate meets the Pacific plate. It is the only place on Earth where rocks from the Earth's mantle are exposed above sea level. These unique exposures include excellent examples of pillow basalts and other extrusive rocks. The island is home to the entire royal penguin population during their annual nesting season. Ecologically, the island is part of the Antipodes Subantarctic Islands tundra ecoregion.
The Tasmanian government declared Macquarie Island a wildlife sanctuary in 1933. The status was changed to a conservation area in 1971, and then in 1972, it was redesignated as a state reserve known as the Macquarie Island Wildlife Reserve. In 1977, the island was declared a Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has 8,222 islands within its maritime borders, including the Whitsundays, Rottnest Island, and Kangaroo Island.
The Whitsundays is a collection of 74 islands scattered in the Coral Sea off the east coast of Queensland. They are known for their white-sand beaches, national parks, and excellent sailing.
Rottnest Island is famous for its quokkas, a type of furry marsupial. The island also offers 63 white-sand beaches, translucent swimming waters, coral reefs, and walking trails.
Kangaroo Island is a nature lover's paradise, offering unforgettable wildlife experiences, natural attractions, gourmet dining, and fine flavours. You can see endangered Australian sea lions at Seal Bay Conservation Park, swim with dolphins, and marvel at the Remarkable Rocks in Flinders Chase National Park.
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