Torres Strait Islands of Queensland, Australia

Photos from the Real AUSTRALIA

Thursday Island, the "capital" of the Torres Strait Islands

The Torres Strait Islands stretch between the tip of Cape York in far north Queensland to just off the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. It is a beautiful region but used to have a reputation for its treacherous waters. The islanders, not related to Australia's Aborigines but rather Melanesians with ties to nearby PNG, have their own unique culture and languages. They also run their islands through their own councils and permits are required to visit.

No permit is needed, however, to visit the main town of Thursday Island ("T.I." to its inhabitants) and Islander life may be sampled there. People are friendly and the fishing is good. It is a unique part of Australia, feeling more like a different country, which, in a way, it is. The town of Thursday island is on the southern shore of the island.

The island is just over 3 square kilometres in area with a population of around 2500. Yet T.I. is the metropolis of the Torres Strait islands.

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