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
As cruise ships cannot dock here, you will travel ashore by tender.
The terminal lies very close to the main town area, generally an easy walk of approximately 1 kilometer.
A printable map to take with you.
The Torres Strait Islands’ most developed island, Thursday Island sits just north of Cape York Peninsula, Australia’s most northern point. It offers tourists an inviting view of a lovely cultural mosaic, created by the islands’ position just south of Papua New Guinea and approximately 39 kilometers north of Queensland’s coast.
Thursday Island has a rich history. In 1893, fears of Russian invasion led to Green Hill Fort being built in 1893. That same year, All Souls Quetta Memorial Church was erected in memory of the 1890 Quetta shipwreck, which killed 133 people after striking an unknown reef. The Japanese Pearl Memorial honours the hundreds of pearl divers who died from decompression sickness. During World War II, the island was also an important Australian and American troop base. Pearling and fishing are its main industries today. Only about three square kilometers in size, the island is a wonderful destination to enjoy…
Getting around
Bus tours from Peddells Ferry Island Tourist Bureau (adult/child $31/15; 8.30am-5pm) cover all Thursday Island’s major tourist sites.
Money
Currency: Australian Dollar.
Opening Hours and
Monday to Friday, shops and services generally open 9am to 5pm, with Saturday trading until lunchtime. Many shops in cities and larger towns stay open all Saturday and late on Thursday or Friday evenings, usually until 9pm. Shopping malls often open on Sundays too.
Remote-country roadhouses provide every essential traveler service and, on major highways, generally operate 24 hours a day. Tourist offices are often open daily, or at least on weekdays plus weekend mornings, even well off the beaten track; urban information centers are more likely to follow normal shopping hours.
Museums, galleries and attended historic monuments are tourist attractions often open daily, although those in rural communities may keep erratic hours.