Geoffrey Bay: Discover Rock Wallabies & Wreck Snorkeling on Magnetic Island

Geoffrey Bay: Discover Rock Wallabies & Wreck Snorkeling on Magnetic Island

A complete travel guide to Geoffrey Bay Magnetic Island. Check out the underwater wrecks and meet the resident rock wallabies!

Geoffrey Bay on Magnetic Island is one of the best places near Townsville to snorkel and view unique Australian wildlife. In this quick guide, I'll cover everything you need to know about Geoffrey Bay, including how to get there and what to do once you arrive.

I've also written a comprehensive travel guide to Magnetic Island, so check that out too if you're looking for more adventure ideas and inspiration for Maggie.

First: How to get to Magnetic Island

Getting to Magnetic Island is as easy as a 40-minute ferry ride from Townsville.

The best ferry company is SeaLink, which operates ferries from Townsville to Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal on Magnetic Island approximately every hour.

The cheapest SeaLink ticket can be booked online in advance at GetYourGuide, which gives you a scannable QR code to use on your phone when boarding.

The cost of a round-trip trip to Magnetic Island on SeaLink is $34 per adult, with several discount options also available.
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How to get to Geoffrey Bay, Magnetic Island?

Getting to Geoffrey Bay is just a stone's throw from the Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal. It only takes about 20 minutes to walk along the reef-dappled shoreline on Magnetic Island Road. However, there are also regular buses that travel around the island, usually on a one-hour schedule.

Those coming from Horseshoe Bay may need to consider taking a bus as the easiest way to get to Geoffrey Bay.

The cost of the bus ticket is $3.70. However, I would recommend purchasing a day pass which gives you unlimited travel around Magnetic Island for the price of just two tickets.
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Read about our sailing adventures on Maggie: Sailing Log Week 7

Snorkeling and freediving at the Moltke Wreck in Geoffrey Bay

Want to get in the water at Geoffrey Bay Magnetic Island? Luckily, this is one of the best places to explore the underwater world.

The Moltke wreck

Geoffrey Bay is the resting place of a large 50 meter wreck called the Moltke. This was a three-masted barque that came all the way from Hamburg, Germany. It sank on Australia's east coast in 1889 and was moved to Geoffrey Bay, where it joined the many other wrecks on Magnetic Island.
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It is now home to an abundance of marine life and corals. It is also very easy to access for divers and snorkelers. The wreck lies in only five to eight meters of water, making it a beginner site that is suitable even for novice divers.

To get to the Moltke wreck in Geoffrey Bay you need to go to the small car park at the end of Amand Way. I have marked the location on the Google Maps below. Coincidentally, this is also the place where you can spot the rock wallabies.

There, enter the water at the boat ramp and swim approximately 50 meters from shore. The wreck is marked by floating buoys and is easy to find.

Where to see rock wallabies on Geoffrey Bay Magnetic Island?

If you read above, you know that the snorkeling entry point is also the best place to spot rock wallabies on Geoffrey Bay Magnetic Island.

If you don't see any right away, you can continue around the rocks and pass a balancing rock tunnel. These rock wallabies are much smaller than other wallabies and kangaroos you may be used to seeing, so keep your eyes peeled.

They are used to human interaction, but it is best not to feed them to prevent them from becoming dependent on human food.
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Don't miss Florence Bay

If you have some time on Magnetic Island, be sure to visit Florence Bay. The best way is to take the bus from Geoffrey Bay and get off at the Forts Walk bus stop. You can then take the scenic hike past Arthur Bay into Florence Bay.

There are plenty of good snorkeling opportunities in both Florence and Arthur Bays.
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If you're looking for the best hiking options for the area and surrounding bays, then don't miss the full blog post.

Overnight accommodation on Magnetic Island

Below I have summarized the three best places to stay on Magnetic Island for different budgets. The links lead to Booking.com, which I personally always use to book the best deals on accommodation.

• Übernachten Sie im Koala Sanctuary: Bungalow Bay Koala Village – Dieses Hostel ist eine der am besten bewerteten günstigen Unterkünfte auf Magnetic Island. Es hat einen guten Chill-Out-Bereich, einen Pool und natürlich die Koalas vor Ort.
• Bestes Hostel mit Aussicht: Base Backpackers – Base Backpackers ist ein Synonym für preisgünstiges Reisen in Australien. Dieses Hostel bietet Mehrbettzimmer für unter 35 $ pro Nacht. Die Zimmer sind eigentlich kleine Hütten und blicken auf das Riff direkt am Wasser in Nelly Bay.
• Bestes Gästehaus für Paare: CStay in Picnic Bay – Eine der preisgünstigsten Unterkunftsmöglichkeiten für Paare ist Cstays in Picnic Bay. Es gibt mehrere Doppelzimmer für weniger als 65 $ pro Nacht.

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Beyond Geoffrey Bay: More things to do on Magnetic Island

I hope you've found this short guide to visiting the rock wallabies and snorkeling the wrecks at Geoffrey Bay, Magnetic Island. If you're looking for more Maggie adventure inspiration, be sure to check out some of my other travel guides below.

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