Snorkel Trails

Welcome to the Magnetic Island Snorkel Trails. Before you start, please help to protect our reef and DO NOT stand on the coral or hold onto the subsurface numbered floats.

Here are the two snorkel trails on Magnetic Island:

1. Nelly Bay Snorkel Trail
The trail starts approximately 100m off the beach near Base Backpackers and turns left from the beach to follow the reef closest to shore. Follow these five yellow surface floats (SF) that outline the trail and offer flotation for snorkelers to rest.

The Nelly Bay Trail offers easy access from the beach and a great swim for beginners. There is a great selection of corals at Nelly Bay including Lettuce Coral, Cauliflower Coral, Boulder Coral and Staghorn Coral.

2. Geoffrey Bay Snorkel Trail
The trail starts approximately 390m from the beach opposite Hotel Arcadia (parallel with the old barge ramp).

The Geoffry Bay Trail offers a good selection of fish to see around the Moltke wreck.

For stronger swimmers the WWII aeropane propeller and engine block (from a CW-22B Curtiss Falcon) also is a great adventure.

Surface floats
Follow the yellow surface floats (SF) that outline the trail and offer flotation for snorkelers to rest.

Important
Inner yellow buoys show where the snorkel trails start and finish and are close to the shore and very safe.

Outer yellow buoys further out to sea (and fringing Magnetic Island) are the baited shark lines. DO NOT swim up to the outer yellow buoys.

SAFETY ADVICE:
1. We strongly advise you wear stinger suits between the months of November to April as stingers (marine jellyfish) are usually present. If you are stung, wash with vinegar and seek medical attention immediately.

2. Water clarity is poor during and immediately after strong SE winds.

3. Avoid very low or high tides during new or full moon phases. You’ll
find tide times tides.willyweather.com.au/qld/northern/townsville

Maps & $5 Swim Cards
Download a map of the Snorkel Trails, and remember to pick up your handy $5 Swim Card from participating retail outlets. (Money raised from these cards goes towards the maintenance of the snorkel trails):

1. Sealink, Breakwater Terminal (Townsville) & Nelly Bay Terminal
2. Magnetic Island Ferries (Barge) Ross St, South Townsville
3. Base Backpackers, 1 Nelly Bay Rd, Nelly Bay
4. Aquasearch Aquarium, 6-10 Elena St, Nelly Bay
5. Fish'n N Fuel'n, 36 Mandalay Ave, Nelly Bay
6. Island Palms, 13 The Esplanade, Nelly Bay
7. MI Post Office, 98 Sooning St, Nelly Bay
8. Pleasure Divers, 10 Marine Pde, Arcadia
9. Arcadia Newsagency, 7 Marine Pde, Arcadia
10. Magnetic Island Museum, Granite St, Picnic Bay
11. Pro-Dive, 43 Sooning St., Nelly Bay
12.Tropical Topless Car Rentals, 138 Sooning St., Nelly Bay
13. Horseshoe Bay Store, 7 Pacific Drv, Horseshoe Bay

The swim cards wrap around your wrist while you're swimming and have handy information about the types of coral and fish that you'll find on the trails, as well as a location of where you'll find the buoys on each trail.

Enjoy your adventure and spread the word!

What did you think?
We'd love to hear from you about the trails. Just send us an This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Are you a trail blazer?
You may also like these other Magnetic Island Trails:

• Shipwreck Trail
• Bushwalking Trails