Making the most of Thursday Island
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships are not able to dock here, you will be tendered ashore.
The terminal is very close to the main town area. It’s generally just a short walk, approximately 1 kilometer
Printable map to take along.
Thursday Island is the most developed island in the Torres Strait Islands group. Located just north of Cape York Peninsula, Australia's most northern point, Thursday Island offers tourists an inviting glimpse into a lovely cultural mosaic. This cultural fusion exists because of the Torres Strait Islands are situated just south of Papua New Guinea and approximately 39 kilometers north of Queensland's coast.
Thursday Island is rich in history. In 1893, 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. The island is only about three square kilometers and is a wonderful destination to enjoy…
Getting around
Peddells Ferry Island Tourist Bureau (adult/child $31/15; 8.30am-5pm) offers bus tours of Thursday Island, taking in all the major tourist sites.
Money
Australian Dollar
Opening Hours and
Shops and services are generally open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and until lunchtime on Saturday. In cities and larger towns, many shops stay open late on Thursday or Friday evening - usually until 9pm - and all day on Saturday. Shopping malls are often open on Sundays as well.
In remote country areas, roadhouses provide all the essential services for the traveler and, on the major highways, are generally open 24 hours a day. In tourist areas, even ones well off the beaten track, tourist offices are often open every day or at least through the week plus weekend mornings; urban information centers are more likely to conform to normal shopping hours.
Tourist attractions such as museums, galleries and attended historic monuments, are often open daily, though those in rural communities may have erratic opening hours.