Visit to Thursday and Horn Islands

My program today was to visit Thursday and Horn Islands so I was up and ready early. The started with me somehow breaking my coffee mug. A mess to clean up, especially since I had spent time cleaning yesterday.

Anyway at 0730, the Loyalty Campground mini bus picked up 7 of us to go to the Seisia wharf. We arrived in good time and people from other locations also were there to go the same way. 

On arrival at the wharf, the coastal barge was loading to return to Cairns which is a 2 day trip. Some people drive up here and then put their vehicle on board and either fly out from Horn Island or go onto the vessel for a 2 day trip down the coast to Cairns.

Soon our vessel, M.V. Strait Magic, arrived at its berth. The on board passengers disembarked and then we boarded for the 1 hour 10 minute trip. A great description of the Islands we were passing or far into the distance. I had forgotten about the cattle and deer farming attempts on several of the islands but they have failed and now there is Native title on them and no activity. There has been gold mining many years ago, too. That has also ceased. A video was run for about 15 minutes that outlined the traditions and stories about the islands to be visited. We passed through the Endeavour Strait, obviously named after Capt. James Cook’s vessel. 

There were many explorers through this area from the 1600s until Australia became settled. Such people as Cook, Bligh, Flinders and Torres in 1606 explored and charted the coast and islands but did not stop. It was later that people stopped to live there.

On the way across, I was sitting next to a nice couple that originated from near Kingaroy. The surname was Janke which has had a strong influence in farming in NSW and Queensland, Alan was a cousin to the founders of the Janke farm implements. He and his wife know the family that bought our farm at Mullaley in 1997.

We arrived at the wharf on Thursday Island and then boarded a bus for a tour of Thursday Island. It is only about 4 square kilometres in area but houses about 4000 people who mostly are either Federal or State employees. They have one of the largest Army Reserve Units in the country made up of Islanders. The water is brought from Horn Island by submarine pipes and the sewerage goes back to Horn Island for treatment. Electricity is generated mainly by diesel powered generators supported by 2 wind turbines. There appears to be most types of businesses in the town. There are several schools along with the smallest cathedral possibly in the world but most likely in Australia.

Thursday Island is rich in history. The Green Hill Fort was built in 1893 on fears of a Russian invasion. Also, that same year, the All Souls Quetta Memorial Church was built in memory of the Quetta shipwreck in 1890, which killed 133 people when it struck an unknown reef. 

The Japanese Pearl Memorial is dedicated to the hundreds of pearl divers who died from decompression sickness. Thursday Island was also important during World War II as a base for Australian and American troops. Today, the main industries on the island are pearling and fishing. 

Following the trip around the town with a wonderful description by the tour guide, it was time for some of us to leave the group the catch a ferry to Horn Island. We were then greeted by our wonderful and entertaining guide Vanessa Seekee who is the curator of the museum and art gallery. She is also the author of Horn Island 1939-1945. The book outlines the history of World War II on Horn Island. She took us to the Resort for a beautiful smorgasbord lunch, great when one cooks for them self!

During lunch, a cousin of a friend, Steve Farley, came and had about an hour chatting. It was nice to hear his comments on the area.

Horn Island is part of the Torres Strait Islands group at the tip of Cape York Peninsula, Australia's northernmost point. Located approximately 150 kilometres off Queensland's coast and just south of Papua New Guinea, Horn Island offers a truly remarkable island experience. 

Horn Island came to prominence during World War II when it suffered eight Japanese air raids. Today the island has a small population of approximately 650 people, with a focus on pearling and fishing. Horn Island is home to the only airport in the Torres Strait Island group, as most of the other inhabited islands only have an airstrip. 

Vanessa took for a drive around a part of the Island’s history which centres on the busy airport. It has Customs and AQIS aircraft flying around from there all the time as well as the aerial taxi services to outlying islands in the Torres group as well as the Medivac Helicopter.

On the drive around we visited the site of an aircraft wreck caused by the stupidity of the pilot on takeoff which saw the destruction of 3 other aircraft. On the way we visited gun emplacements and slit trenches lined with concrete. Vanessa has sourced a lot of funds to restore these historical locations. 

Horn Island is a lovely island to experience the exciting fusion of Melanesian and Australian Aboriginal cultures.

Then back to the ferry to Thursday Island and reboard the ferry to Seisia. A day well spent looking at more of Australia