Dunk Island

Dunk Iceland is a small island of Australia, located in the north west in the state of Queensland 4.5 km off the coast of Mission Beach. The island is 6 km long and 2 km wide. It belongs to the group of the Family Islands. The largest part of the island (730 ha ) consists of a National Park and a small airstrip for airplanes, the rest (240 ha ) share in the North West a resort and farmland. The reef surrounding the island belongs to the Great Barrier Reef National Park.

Dunk Iceland is by far the largest island in the Family Islands National Park, which are all made of granite rock. All the islands were part of the mainland before the sea level rose 8000 years ago. The topography is varied, with sandy beaches and rocky shores, undulating slopes, but also steep terrain. The highest elevation of the island is Mount Kootaloo (271 m). From the viewing platform situated on the summit of other islands in the Family Islands are seen. A part of the tropical rainforest and smaller beaches ( for example Muggy Muggy and Coconut Beach ) are accessible via the 13 kilometers of hiking trails on the island.

There are over 100 species of birds on Dunk Iceland, including rare and endangered seabirds. During the summer months, the island is a breeding ground for terns. The lack of predators, along with a rich supply of food from the surrounding waters, make it an ideal Brütort. Dunk Iceland is also home to reptiles such as pythons, tree snakes, lizards, geckos and lizards. The island surrounding reefs and surrounding waters are home to a variety of marine life such as turtles, dugongs, corals, fish, mussels and crabs.

History

The original owner of Dunk Iceland are the Aboriginestämme Bandjin and Djiru who have lived in this area for more than ten thousand years. After rising sea levels, they used the island to gather food and materials. The Aboriginal name for Dunk Iceland is Coonanglebah, or "Island of peace and plenty ." His English name was given to the island by James Cook, who sailed past her on 8 June 1770 and it was named after George Montague - Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax.

The first inhabitants of the western world was Edmund James Banfield (born September 4, 1852, died June 5, 1923 ), who lived 1897-1923 on the island and among other things, their flora and fauna examined. Banfield in 1908 became famous for his novel The Confessions of a Beachcomber, which he wrote on Dunk Iceland. He and his wife are buried on the island.

The island was purchased in 1934 by Captain Brassey. Banfield Bungalows formed the basis for the start of today's department. The Royal Australian Air Force occupied the island during the Second World War and built the runway in 1941. They built a radar station on the island on the highest point a year later, which was dismantled after the war. The Brassey family sold Dunk Iceland to Eric McElree of Avis Rent -A-Car in 1956, which extended the facilities of the resort. In 1976, finally, the Trans Australia Airlines Dunk Iceland bought. The island was formed in 1992 in the possession of Qantas Airways, following its merger with the TAA, which was called since 1986, Australian Airlines. On 24 December 1997, the island was purchased by P & O, which in turn was bought out in 2004 by the current owner Voyages.

The maximum temperatures on Dunk Iceland between 25 ° C in July and 32 ° C in December and January.

On the island you can reach either by plane or by ferry from Mission Beach.

Left

• Article (English) on Dunk Iceland from the Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald

• Island (Australia and Oceania)
• Island (Queensland )
• Island ( Coral Sea )