6am
start to be ready for the ferry to Thursday Island. Clear sky and still.
Walked
around to the Seisia jetty as our ferry arrives.
1
hour and 10 minute journey to TI. Very comfortable and the sea is calm. Around
the other side of Red Island.
Nice
trip across. Prince of Wales Island is huge but only a few people live on it.
Took a video as we zoomed along.
Thursday
Island is so small in comparison. The island has a population of approximately
3000. It is the main township and port for Torres Straight.
We
docked at Engineers Wharf and got onto our tour bus for a 90 minute tour around
the island. Up Green Hill to check out the fort. Our tour guide was from
Babinda but she is very passionate about TI and was very informative. She said
there is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Islands. What happened to the
others – they were the long weekend!
We
stopped near the top to hear about the fort barracks. Nothing much left after
fires went through but she passed around a picture of Victoria Barracks about
1910 and a map of the island.
Around
to the fort and we all got out for a half hour walk around. We also get access
to the museum housed inside the fort which was built between 1891 and 1893. The
fort was built in response to a Russian war scare. It was manned in both World
Wars.
Checked
out one of the guns and the magnificent view over Alpin Passage and Hammond
Island.
Continued
further around to the other gun and more wonderful views. Looking across to
Horn Island then around over the passage we came through then Prince of Wales
Island. Friday Island then Goods Island. Fairly clear day so you can see back
down the passage to Entrance Island and mainland Australia. Took a video too.
Further
around to the lookout. Unfortunately the board needs redoing.
Went
down into the museum. Great aerial photo.
Inside
there was so much to see and read in each of the rooms.
More
to see in the ‘Shell Store’.
Down
the narrow passages were lots of great photos but hard to photograph with their
glass fronts. Good one of the barracks.
A
lamp recess.
In
another room is the lens from the lighthouse that was on Booby Island.
Good
map, more info and lots of interesting things to check out.
Lots about the pearling industry.
Back
outside I checked out the Depression range finder and other info boards near
the guns.
Time
up and back onto the bus. Our guide passed around info about the big engine
that kept the cordite and fort cool.
There
are a few suburbs on the island. We continued around to Aplin to check out the
cemetery. Walked up past many Japanese graves, most being pearl divers. A
lovely memorial has been done as well.
Islanders
have taken to tombstones with a passion and most of them have a lot of
information about the person on it. Great from a family history point of view.
They have a ‘tombstone opening’. The tombstone is kept wrapped for a year after
the burial for mourning purposes and then unveiled to signify the end of mourning
and they have a big celebration.
Laura
from school is from TI and I found many of her family’s graves.
Continued
around past Milman Hill where two wind turbines are standing not going around.
The guide admitted she has no idea why they are working.
We
passed the Quetta Memorial Anglican Church and she passed around some
information about the stained-glass windows there.
Back
to Victoria Parade and the end of the tour. We got a TI postcard and map in our
tour package too.
We
wandered up the street. This big chap is behind a fence where the welcome sign
was.
The
pavers tell the story of the island. Great turtle.
Big
pearls and shells.
Up
the street to the Anzac Park and RSL Memorial. Our guide had said about the
fierce islanders who fought each other a lot. But they banded together and
enlisted in the Defence Forces to fight in World War 2 to protect their
country. Over 800 Islanders formed the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion
to fight along other Allied forces in the area.
Nearby
was the first church of area, built in 1886, Our Lady Sacred Heart Catholic
Church.
Further
along was the Anglican Church – former Cathedral, Quetta Memorial Church. It is
the world’s smallest cathedral. This cathedral was erected in the memory of
those lost in the wreck of British India ‘Quetta’ which about 9pm on Friday, 28th
February, 1890 struck an uncharted rock in the Adolphus Channel whilst outward
bound from Brisbane to London. Although in calm waters and bright moonlight it
sank within three minutes with the loss of 133 lives out of a total of 293 on
board.
The
memorial to the missionaries.
Went
inside.
This
porthole from the Quetta was recovered in 1906 and the lifebuoy was washed
ashore on Albany Island.
Headed
back up Douglas Street. Steve spotted Anton Demolition’s truck – maybe Martin
is in there.
Into
the Grand Hotel for lunch. Tuesday is $10 steak special. Bit different to the
post WW2 building which burnt down but still very nice.
Across
the road is the Customs House.
Some
nice boats around as we head over to the General Store and Post Office to get
an icecream. There were some nice carved fish for sale.
Walked
down to eat our icecreams overlooking Bayo Beach and across to Horn Island.
That
ferry looks familiar – Steve thinks it is the original one we came over in
1986.
Sadly
there is a lot of ‘bad’ rubbish around.
Headed
back to the jetty to wait for our ferry at 2.30pm. Great murals on the toilet
block.
Lots
of fishing boats to hire.
Good
trip back on the ferry though the wind had come up but the ferry cut through
the water nicely. Kerry, Steve and Bob had a snooze on the way back. Margaret,
Malcolm and I enjoyed the fresh air outside. Seisia jetty comes into view. Our
trucks are still in the campground.
Malcolm
checked out how to drive the boat – just need to work a little control like a
Gameboy and it is easy to park alongside the jetty.
Walked
back to camp and had a cuppa. Back to the jetty to try and get some more fish
for dinner. Bit crowded tonight but we managed to squeeze in. Malcolm hooked
one but it got off just as I took the photo – you can see the splash.
He
then got one onto the jetty. A big shark came through and grabbed someone’s
fish then the groper popped out for a snack. We ended up with 3 fish for
entrée.
As
we walked back I spotted a plaque. A memorial to a chap who was taken by a
crocodile.
We cooked dinner and sat around chatting. A lovely warm
evening.
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