7 seriously underrated Australian islands to add to your bucket list

Norfolk Island

Reasons to consider a winter (or summer) break on Norfolk Island, 1450km off the coast of NSW.

1. It’s got the climate of Byron Bay, as well as the surf, the swimming and the easygoing, self-sufficient vibe Byron used to have. But none of the crowds or traffic jams.
2. It has one of the world’s most southerly coral reefs, and is surrounded by a marine national park known for its diverse life.
3. Pretty much all produce is grown organically on the island, it’s great quality, and you’ll absolutely taste the difference.
4. It’s wild and beautiful, with dramatic sea cliffs, placid bays, brilliant hikes in the national park and breathtaking drives that all magically end up back in the main township of Burnt Pine.
5. Its convict history and ruins are captivating and so significant they are on the World Heritage register.
6. It’s a renowned Dark Sky zone. Being so far from any light pollution, the night skies here blaze brighter and more abundantly than you can imagine.
7. The locals, who number around 2200, are super friendly, creative, resilient and resourceful. And they might possibly have the best work-life balance of any people anywhere.

Magnetic Island, Queensland

From the northern city of Townsville it’s a quick ferry ride across the Coral Sea to one of the most laid-back and beautiful of all Queensland’s islands. Magnetic Island – Maggie to its fans – is a 52sq km slice of unspoilt loveliness, 80 per cent of it protected by national or conservation park and all of it surrounded by the World-Heritage wonders of the Great Barrier Reef.

It’s a place of simple pleasures: hiking mountain trails where koalas, rock wallabies and colourful birdlife await, and testing out the 23 beaches to find your favourite. Book a 4WD tour along the isolated west coast, chart your own adventure on an electric bike or moped or circumnavigate the island by sea with 360 Magnetic Island.

There are only four main settlements, each with distinct vibe and charms. Hotels are scarce but there are plenty of holiday lettings listed at bestofmagnetic.com and new glamping tents handy to the restaurants and services of Nelly Bay. Go in winter for warm, sunny days, stinger-free swimming and whales galore just offshore.

Despite being one of Australia’s newest – and most spectacular – national parks, the Houtman Abrolhos remain firmly off the radar of most travellers. This archipelago of 210 islands lies 60-80km west of Geraldton in Western Australia, which itself is more than a four-hour drive north of Perth. The islands’ remoteness and isolation define their appeal. Like a mini Galápagos or Madagascar, they are home to unique plants and animals found nowhere else, and the surrounding ocean abounds with marine life, including rare Australian sea lions, dolphins and whales (in September to December).

Expect plenty of ocean-based activities and a dramatic chapter of Australian history; the Dutch ship Batavia wrecked on the reefs here in 1629 sparking one of history’s most murderous mutinies. Visit on a multi-day expedition cruise with Eco Abrolhos or Blue Juice Charters, spending your days swimming, snorkelling over shipwrecks – and the southernmost coral reef in the Indian Ocean – and collecting crays for lunch. Pushed for time? Get a gull’s-eye view of the islands with Shine Aviation or Kalbarri Scenic Flights.

Louth Island, SA

In the Spencer Gulf just off Port Lincoln, Louth Island was, until recently, a privately owned sheep run firmly off the tourist radar. Then tech mogul Che Metcalfe bought the 135ha Eyre Peninsula island in 2021 and began realising his vision for Rumi – a resort hotel where fine dining meets offshore adventures.

Getting there is half the fun. Guests board an amphibious Sealegs craft that handles sand and sea with ease and deposits them on the island shore at Homestead Bay.

Current accommodation consists of five upstairs rooms in the main building and nine compact bedrooms in the smartly renovated shearing shed, but there are plans to build 26 luxury villas and a day-spa, with construction slated to start this year.

In the meantime, Louth is open to day-trippers for dining at its Samphire restaurant, where talented chef Jono Sweet puts local produce to exceptionally good use, and guided buggy tours. Catamaran cruises, beach barbecues and kayak fishing are also on the Rumi menu.

Thursday Island, Torres Strait

On Thursday Island, as a local once told me, “you find a sort of peace that once upon a time used to exist in most parts of the world”. The Torres Strait’s 200 or so islands, a mix of mangrove-fringed peaks and coral cays, are strewn between the tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea. Far removed – physically, culturally and spiritually – from mainland Australia, they offer guaranteed serenity thanks to their mellow pace of life and seductive tropical scenery.

Thursday’s the main hub and access point to the Torres Strait’s rich mix of Indigenous, Pacific and Asian cultures, military and maritime history and its endless supply of crayfish. New-ish operator Strait Experience takes the hassle out of getting there with one-, two- and three-day packages ex-Cairns taking in all the major sights and scenery including the Gab Titui Cultural Centre, traditional dance performances and World War II relics at Horn Island. They also run a two-day escape to Masig Island, a Maldives double in our own backyard.

King Island, Tasmania

Buffeted by the Roaring Forties and marooned in the Southern Ocean midway between mainland Australia and Tasmania, King Island is an exhilarating alternative to Australia’s tropical island escapes. It’s a short flight from Melbourne or northern Tasmania to this untamed land where cows outnumber residents (by about 100 to one). That explains the isle’s excellent reputation for dairy and beef products, alongside super-fresh seafood and craft brews.

Balance out the indulgence with vigorous hikes along the coast and interior (see kingislandwalks.com.au for daylong guided options) and two links courses of challenging, dune-contoured golf greens.

Accommodation ranges from farm stays and motels to self-contained cabins and the off-grid Kittawa Lodge. This luxurious property set on almost 40ha of coastal wilderness opened in 2019 offering two one-bedroom dwellings combining the drama of King Island’s elemental scenery with interior comforts such as log fires, coffee machines and chef-catered meals. New this year, Kittawa has opened a two-bedroom lodge suited to friends, families and lovers of the great outdoors.

Dangar Island, NSW

Dangar Island on the Hawkesbury River is still officially Sydney, but not as most of us know it. This car-free, carefree community reached by ferry from Brooklyn, 50km north of the CBD, comprises just a few hundred people, a sandy sweep of shoreline called Bradley’s Beach and bush paths offering wildlife and watery views.

Book a holiday rental, stock up on provisions and then hop on the ferry to this 30ha patch of semi-wilderness. There’s a general store by the jetty but this is a destination to BYO almost everything; volunteers run a paid buggy service from the wharf to take visitors and their luggage to holiday shacks. While away your days swimming, walking the coastal tracks and mingling with locals at the Depot cafe and the licensed bowling club (which serves meals Thursday to Sunday).