New tourism experience bringing travellers to Torres Strait Islands
Queensland tourism’s final frontier – a spectacular mix of dazzling islands and ancient culture - is opening up to travellers.
Lifestyle
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It’s Queensland tourism’s final frontier – a spectacular mix of dazzling islands and ancient culture set to give the Sunshine State the “wow factor” in the looming battle for tourist dollars.
The remote archipelago of Torres Strait Islands, geographically closer to Papua New Guinea than Cairns, have laid largely undiscovered until now, but a new tourism experience launched on Saturday during Reconciliation Week is the first step in opening the region for cashed-up travellers keen to burst out of the shackles of the coronavirus pandemic.
Strait Experience will bring small-group tours to the region to experience the history and culture of Horn Island and Thursday Island once a month in a slow and steady approach to unlock the tourism potential of the most far-flung corner of the continent.
With views ranging from the tip of the Australian mainland to sparkling coral cays that look like a scene straight out of the Maldives, the Torres Strait could become Australia’s next big bucket list destination, giving Queensland the edge in the increasingly competitive race to captivate travellers.
Travel is already possible to the region, with flights landing on Horn Island and a network of ferries linking other inhabited islands such as the main administrative hub of Thursday Island, population 3000, but tourism numbers have remained relatively low.
Before the pandemic, a handful of cruise ships had stopped at Thursday Island and a smattering of hotels and home stays cater to visitors, but new tours taking tourists from Cairns to the Strait and back in a single day for $1399 are set to place the region within reach of well-heeled travellers.
Founded by Thursday Island-based business partners John Palmer and Fraser Nai, Strait Experience aims to take tourists where few have gone before.
“Most people still don’t know where it is – it really is the last frontier of Australia,” said Mr Palmer, a former Queensland Health worker who has lived on Thursday Island for eight years.
“There is such incredible diversity up here,” he said.
“From islands similar to what you find on the Great Barrier Reef, to volcanic landscapes you would see in Hawaii to coral cays that look like the Maldives, through this brilliant turquoise water that is unlike anywhere else, it’s an amazing region.”
Mr Nai, born and bred in the Torres and a former councillor on the Torres Strait Islands regional council, said the focus would be on low-impact and sustainable eco-tourism.
“We’re very conscious of not trying to overreach with what we’re doing,” he said.
“We have a huge responsibility to the region to build something that is sustainable that at the same time can be a place for people to launch their island dreams.”
They believe the high price point won’t be a deterrent to travellers looking for a unique experience and are confident the time is right to launch the venture as tourism emerges from two years of Covid pain.
Tourism and Events Queensland and Tourism Tropical North Queensland are both keen to support cultural tourism in the Torres Strait, where local life is a unique blend of indigenous Australian, Asian and European influences.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen said the Torres Strait had a “wow factor” as one of the “absolute jewels of the Pacific”.
“It’s an incredible region, there’s really nowhere like it on Earth,” he said.
“It’s one of the last groups of islands that has yet to be touched by the kind of modern tourism that we see in other parts of the world.
“Many people have probably thought about it, but they haven’t been able to make it work to actually get there, but now they can go up and back in a single day and still have an incredibly immersive experience.”
He said it was eventually hoped to expand offerings in the region to include outlying islands and packages for multi-day visits.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Brett Fraser said there was a growing appetite for cultural tourism experiences that showcased our indigenous culture and heritage.
“Providing cultural experiences for guests on Country is an important step towards not only revitalising our tourism sector, but also towards honouring the rich history of our state,” he said.
“As the home to the world’s oldest living culture, no one is better placed to provide visitors with a deeper cultural understanding of the earth.”
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