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Updated 7 November 2026. This is the story of our 2017 walk, including a difficult scramble down to Rocky Bay with the boys in carriers. We would not present that scramble as a suitable family walking route. Choose signed tracks that suit the least confident person in your group, and use current maps and conditions.

Adventurous Day Trip to Magnetic Island | Hiking from Nelly Bay to Picnic Bay via Rocky Bay

A day trip to Magnetic Island is easy peasy if you are just looking for a day out at the beach.  A 25 minute ferry ride from Townsville and then a short bus ride will get you to the main popular beaches in Magnetic Island.  However, if you’re like us and need more adventure then this article is just for you.  Keep reading to find out how you too can go on an adventurous day trip to Magnetic Island, hiking from Nelly Bay to Picnic Bay via Rocky Bay

Getting To Magnetic Island

See our original Instagram post

For foot passengers, SeaLink Magnetic Island runs the fast ferry from Townsville. Magnetic Island Ferries operates the vehicle ferry, which also takes walk-on passengers. They use different Townsville terminals. Allow roughly 20 minutes for SeaLink and 35 to 40 minutes for the vehicle ferry, plus check-in time. The old $33 and $26 return prices have been removed; check the operators for current fares, departure times and boarding requirements.

The start to our day trip to Magnetic Island

We started our day a bit later than we would have liked as I was in serious need for a bit more sleep.  Once we got organised and all packed, we headed out for breakfast and then quickly made our way to the city.  Something we love about Townsville is how easy and fast it is to get anywhere!  We headed to the Breakwater Terminal for the Sealink transfer on this occasion.  While David parked the car on the onsite car park, I went inside and picked up our tickets.  Ten minutes later we had boarded and were on our way to Maggie.  It is recommended you are ready to board 15 minutes before hand, however once you are there, the process is very straight forward and quick.

The logistics

We each carried one of our boys in our carriers.  This hike is definitely not suitable for a pram of any kind. We also decided to only bring one big backpack instead of two smaller ones.

The adventure begins

Once we arrived at the ferry terminal in Nelly Bay, we got off the ferry and quickly got moving.  We started our walk by heading to the Esplanade.  Once there we continued our hike by walking on the beach.  The disconnect is immediate!  The salty air and the soothing waves instantly welcome you to the relaxed Maggie feel you’ll come to love.

We continued walking until we reached the hostel Base Magnetic Island.  At this point we moved onto the path adjacent to the road as you can’t continue on the beach.  A quick climb up leads you to the entrance to Rocky Bay.  We do warn you though, it isn’t for the faint of heart!

Open Trip.com to search for accommodation in Magnetic Island. The link opens the Trip.com homepage, where you can enter your destination and dates.

Rocky Bay on our original visit

See our original Instagram post

We had been here before, however the descent to the beach with young kids who are strapped to you is definitely a different ball game!  We do not recommend scrambling over these rocks while carrying a baby or toddler.  The descent, although not long, is through huge boulders.  I moved Javi on to my back so I could see better in front of me.  Also so I could effectively balance and use my arms in pretty high stretches.  Once concentrated on the task ahead, we rapidly made it all the way down to the beach.

Now, although there is no sign before you descend to Rocky Bay, we encountered people sunbathing nude.  If the big writing on one of the boulders wasn’t obvious, then the man walking around in his pure glory I happened to see as soon as I put my feet on the sand, made it perfectly clear.

Don’t let this deter you though!  The beach at Rocky Bay is simply astonishing.  The amazingly huge rocks in and surrounding the beach give the place an out of this world feel.  The sand is gorgeously fine and surprisingly a pale shade of yellow.

We walked past the rocks to the second part of the beach where we stayed for about half an hour.  The boys were enjoying themselves in no time.  The rocks were perfect for Javi to climb and Joaquin was loving the sand.  Believe it or not, I actually had time to take in the view and relax for a few minutes.

 

The encounter

During our original visit, a beachgoer approached David because he was uncomfortable with the drone. We explained that we were filming our family trip. Looking back, the important point for visitors is that a beach being public does not settle every question about drone use or privacy. Check CASA’s current rules, local restrictions and other people’s privacy before flying. Our old footage is not a guide to what is permitted today.

Exiting Rocky Bay

On that trip we found a rough route through the bush towards Picnic Bay. We no longer include those informal directions as walking advice: tracks and access can change. Use the official walking information and signed routes. A bus between Nelly Bay and Picnic Bay is an alternative to the rocky detour.

Additional detour

When you get to Picnic Street, take a left turn and follow the path at the end of the street to the look out.  The views are worth it!  We didn’t do it on this occasion as we had family waiting for us at Picnic Bay.  We definitely recommend it if you are not short on time and up for the climb.

Picnic Bay

See our original Instagram post

Even though it’s not one of my favourite beaches in Magnetic Island, it is still worth the visit.  It’s a lot quieter than Horseshoe Bay and the food options are limited here.  However it has a beautiful tree lined and shady Esplanade where you can relax and absorb the views.  As well as a great jetty to take a picture or two.  What I did love though is how tranquil it was.  We truly had the section to the right of the jetty to ourselves the majority of the time we were there.  The water was also the perfect temperature for a swim.  Once in it was hard to get out!

We spent roughly three hours at Picnic Bay.  We ordered a light take away lunch from the Picnic Bay Hotel and took turns at riding my dad’s jetski.  The boys spent lots of time playing in the sand and later Javi became obsessed with climbing a near by boulder.  We had planned to get back on the 17.10hs ferry so started our walk back to the Nelly Bay terminal at just after four in the afternoon.  We couldn’t think of a better way to finish off our day trip to Magnetic Island than by walking and enjoying the view along the way.  However there is a bus service on the island so you can catch that back to the ferry if you prefer.  Check the current bus timetable and payment options before setting off.

Thanks for reading about our adventurous day trip to Magnetic Island, hiking from Nelly Bay to Picnic Bay via Rocky Bay.  Choose a route that suits your own family and current conditions.  If you have any questions or would like to share your day trip experience doing this trail, leave us a comment below!  We also hope to bring you more of our hiking experiences we have had on the island over the years, but with kids this time!

Elisa
The World n Us
Travel with Kids | Travel Blog | Travel Vlog

           

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For swimming, follow Queensland Parks guidance and lifeguard advice. Marine stingers can occur throughout the year, stinger enclosures are not completely stinger-proof, and crocodiles occur in the wider Townsville coastal region. Stay out of closed beaches and keep children within close reach.