Torres Strait Islands, Australia

The Torres Strait Islands are a group of islands to the north of the Australian mainland stretching nearly as far as Papua New Guinea. There are 14 inhabited islands, but only the two neighbouring islands of Thursday Island and Horn Island have developed visitor facilities. These two islands are the most visited, and have regular scheduled air and ferry connections. The other islands are left to the more intrepid voyager or those with business with the indigenous communities. Scheduled light aircraft, helicopter, water-taxis, barges and private boats allow access to all this inhabited islands, or even the possibility of spending a day or night on an entirely uninhabited island.

The Torres Strait Islanders were the first Indigenous Australians to gain legal recognition of their ownership of the land. Traditionally they were fierce headhunters until the arrival of the missionaries (celebrated yearly throughout the Islands on July 1st as "The Coming of the Light".) Due to the missionary influence, Islanders are often very generous and keen to share their culture.

Most residents of the islands are still Indigenous Australians (with the ratio of around 6 to 1). Many of the non-indigenous residents are temporary, employed in education and health, policing and military, and overseas workers in hospitality.

Thursday Island is the main administrative centre, with a population of around 4000 people on an island only 3.5 square kilometres. It has a permanently manned military barracks. Neighbouring Horn Island has the main airport, with air links to Cairns and light aircraft links to several other inhabited islands. It has a smaller population of around 600, but a much larger land mass of 60 square kilometres. Most residents of Horn commute to Thursday for work and education, and there is a regular ferry service between the two.

The fishing is absolutely amazing in the crystal clear waters of the Torres Strait. Although quarantine regulations control what can be taken back to mainland Australia, freshly caught fish in ice boxes are permitted. Snorkelling on the reefs is pretty good too, but caution is required as some reefs house sharks and crocodiles.

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