Ethan Boroughs, from the University of Richmond, talks about his experience of Magnetic Island in Australia’s North Queensland. He writes:

Balding Bay, Magnetic Island

One of my favorite places that I visited in Australia was Magnetic Island, a small but special piece of land off of the eastern coast of North Queensland. While we were there, we stayed in Bungalow Bay Koala Village, which doubled as a hostel and a wildlife sanctuary.We had several days at Bungalow Bay and were able to explore a lot of the island. The hostel where we stayed was very comfortable and homey, and offered additional activity options for our free time, including getting out on the water of the Coral Sea.

Maggie Island Kangaroo, up close and personal

We also went on several hikes while we were there, including hikes to Balding Bay (easily the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen) and to spot koalas in the wild. During our stay on the island, we were educated about the animals and plants around us by Ranger Tony, a wilderness expert who shares his expertise about the natural environment of Magnetic Island. On one of the evenings on the island, we had an Australian-style BBQ dinner hosted by the hostel where we were able to hold and interact with the animals that they kept in the wildlife sanctuary. Being able to see the animals up close while eating a delicious local meal was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had.

One of the days on the island we helped Ranger Tony and other members of Bungalow Bay do research on koala populations on Magnetic Island. We biked across the island to a grove of Eucalyptus trees, and examined the area for signs of koala activity. We did this by laying a transect line, and systematically searching the ground and leaf litter for koala scat, which indicated how many koalas were in the area, and what their sizes and ages were.

Maggie Island Koala in the wild

I immensely enjoyed that experience, and I was able to learn how researchers used field data and scientific analysis in order to determine what koala populations were like on the island. However, that being said, the cherry on top of that experience occurred when we returned to Bungalow Bay, where we were told we’d actually get to see and hold a koala! I could barely contain my excitement as they brought out a koala named Thor, and gave each one of us turns holding and petting him. This was an amazing experience as I was able to learn about koala populations in Australia and on Magnetic Island, AND I was also able to see a koala up close when I got to hold him! If anyone I know is able to visit only one place in Australia, I would easily recommend Magnetic Island, as it felt like that island encompassed the true heart of Australia.