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About This Guide
We visited Magnetic Island on a day trip from Townsville during a six-week journey along Australia’s east coast. During our visit, we photographed the island’s allied rock-wallabies at Geoffrey Bay and searched for wild koalas along the Forts Walk. This guide is based entirely on our first-hand experience and is designed to help you plan a responsible and rewarding wildlife encounter like ours.
Magnetic Island is one of the best places in Australia to see wild allied rock-wallabies. The friendly colony living amongst the granite boulders at Geoffrey Bay is easy to reach, free to visit and offers some of the country’s best opportunities to observe and photograph these charismatic marsupials in their natural habitat.
As zoologists and wildlife photographers, we spent an amazing day exploring Magnetic Island and photographing both its allied rock-wallabies and wild koalas. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly where to find the wallabies, the best times to visit, and how to enjoy this incredible wildlife experience responsibly.
And if the wallabies aren’t enough, Magnetic Island is also home to Queensland’s largest wild koala population. Don’t miss our guide to seeing wild koalas on Magnetic Island while planning your visit.
Table of Contents
Where to Find Wallabies on Magnetic Island: Geoffrey Bay
One of the best places to see wild allied rock-wallabies in Australia is Geoffrey Bay on Magnetic Island. A well-established colony lives amongst the granite boulders beside the shoreline, making this one of Australia’s easiest places to observe and photograph these remarkable marsupials in the wild.
Although the wallabies can sometimes be seen throughout the day, visiting around sunrise or sunset gives you the best chance of seeing them active outside the rocks. During our visit, we found them easy to spot within a short time of arriving at Geoffrey Bay. They are remarkably tolerant of people, allowing excellent viewing and photography opportunities while remaining completely wild.
Getting to Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island lies around 8 km off the coast of Townsville in north Queensland and is easily reached via the SeaLink passenger ferry. The ferry journey from Breakwater Ferry Terminal in Townsville to Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal on Magnetic Island takes approximately 40 minutes, making it one of the easiest Australian islands to visit on a day trip.
We recommend catching one of the early morning ferries, especially if you’re hoping to see both the allied rock-wallabies at Geoffrey Bay and the island’s famous wild koalas along the Forts Walk. An early start gives you the best chance of seeing both species during their most active periods while allowing plenty of time to explore the island.
The first ferry to Magnetic Island departs Townsville at 5:30 am, while the last ferry back to Townsville departs at 10:00 pm, giving you plenty of time to explore the island and its wildlife on a day trip.
Getting to Geoffrey Bay
Once you arrive at Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal, Geoffrey Bay is easy to reach either by local bus (our recommended option) or on foot. If you’re planning to explore several parts of Magnetic Island during the day, purchasing an all-day bus pass is an excellent choice, allowing unlimited travel between the island’s main attractions for just AU $7.60 (as of July 2026). This is perfect for exploring the rest of the island – and you definitely don’t want to miss out on the Forts Walk where you can find wild koalas.
During our visit, we used the bus to travel between Geoffrey Bay and the Forts Walk, making it easy to see both the allied rock-wallabies and the island’s famous wild koalas in a single day. If you prefer walking, Geoffrey Bay can also be reached in around 30 minutes from the ferry terminal via the coastal road.
Once you arrive at Geoffrey Bay, head towards the granite boulders along the shoreline and take your time scanning the rock crevices. The wallabies often emerge from these sheltered areas to feed or move between the rocks, so a slow and patient approach usually rewards you with excellent close-up views of these adorable animals.
Responsible Wildlife Tip
Although the Magnetic Island wallabies are accustomed to people, they are still completely wild animals. Avoid feeding them, move quietly around the rocks and allow the wallabies to approach you naturally if they choose.
Best Time to See the Wallabies
Although allied rock-wallabies can be seen at Geoffrey Bay throughout the year, choosing the right time of day can make a big difference to both wildlife activity and photography opportunities. Planning your visit around cooler parts of the day will usually reward you with more active animals and some beautiful natural lighting.
Time of Day
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see the wallabies, as they are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are generally most active around sunrise and during the last few hours before sunset. At these times, they are more likely to emerge from the granite boulders to feed and explore the surrounding rocks.
We recommend visiting Geoffrey Bay either at the beginning or end of your day on Magnetic Island. During our visit, we arrived shortly before sunset and had no trouble spotting several wallabies within minutes of reaching the rocky shoreline.
The wallabies can still be seen during the middle of the day, particularly if you’re patient, although they may spend more time sheltering amongst the rocks during hot weather. Even outside the peak activity periods, Geoffrey Bay remains one of the most reliable places in Australia to observe wild allied rock-wallabies.
Time of Year
One of the great things about Magnetic Island is that allied rock-wallabies can be seen throughout the year. However, the dry season between May and November generally offers the most comfortable conditions for wildlife watching, with warm sunny days, lower humidity and less rainfall.
The wetter summer months can still provide excellent sightings, but temperatures are higher and tropical showers are more common. Regardless of when you visit, the resident wallaby colony remains at Geoffrey Bay year-round, so your chances of seeing them are consistently extremely high.
Photography Tip
The first and last hours of daylight not only coincide with the wallabies’ most active period but also provide the soft, warm lighting that’s ideal for wildlife photography. Midday sun can create harsh shadows across the granite boulders, making early morning or late afternoon the best time for both sightings and photography.
What Are Allied Rock-Wallabies?
The allied rock-wallaby (Petrogale assimilis) is a small kangaroo-like marsupial found across north-eastern Queensland, where it has evolved to thrive amongst the rugged rocky outcrops, cliffs and granite boulder fields. Magnetic Island is home to one of the most easily accessible wild populations, giving you a rare opportunity to observe these fascinating and adorable mammals up close in their natural habitat.
Unlike larger kangaroos, allied rock-wallabies are specially adapted for life amongst the rocks. Their powerful hind legs, long tail for balance and soft, grippy foot pads allow them to leap between boulders and easily navigate the steep, uneven terrain. Watching them hopping around the granite shoreline at Geoffrey Bay is one of the highlights of any Magnetic Island trip.
Although they have become accustomed to people at Geoffrey Bay, they remain completely wild animals. The colony has learned to tolerate respectful visitors, making this one of Australia’s best places to enjoy prolonged close-up views and photograph allied rock-wallabies without disturbing their natural behaviour.
Tips for Wildlife Viewing
Once you’ve reached Geoffrey Bay, the key to seeing the wallabies is simply to slow down and be patient. Spend a few minutes quietly walking along the granite boulders and you’ll often notice movement as the wallabies emerge from crevices and hop between the rocks.
Although the wallabies are relaxed around humans, these are still completely wild animals, so move quietly, avoid sudden movements and give the wallabies plenty of space so they can continue their natural behaviour without feeling disturbed. If a wallaby chooses to approach you, remain still and let the interaction happen on its terms. During our visit, we were fortunate enough to have several wallabies approach within just a few feet of us while we sat quietly observing them – to the extent that I had to change lenses multiple times when they got too close to focus with my telephoto zoom lens.
One of the most important things you can do is avoid feeding the wallabies. While you may occasionally see other visitors offering food, feeding wild animals can alter their natural behaviour and encourage dependence on humans. We always feel that the best wildlife encounters are those where the animals behave naturally, allowing everyone to enjoy them for years to come.
Wildlife Photography Tips
Photographing Magnetic Island’s allied rock-wallabies is a real highlight for wildlife photographers. Unlike most wild mammals, these wallabies are remarkably tolerant of humans, allowing prolonged opportunities to observe and photograph them.
A telephoto lens is ideal for capturing up-close portraits while maintaining a comfortable distance from the animals. However, don’t be surprised if the wallabies come much closer than expected. During our visit, several individuals approached within just a few feet of us, and I even had to swap my telephoto lens for a wider one to keep them in frame. But this is also just a great opportunity to put the camera down, sit back, relax and enjoy the moment with these awesome creatures.
Try to photograph the wallabies at eye level whenever possible, as this creates a much more intimate perspective than shooting down from above. The granite boulders and coastal backdrop also make excellent natural settings that help tell the story of where these remarkable marsupials live.
Finally, remember that no photograph is worth disturbing wildlife. If a wallaby changes its behaviour because of your presence, take a step back and allow it to continue in its natural behaviour. In our experience, remaining quiet, respectful and patient resulted in the best photographic opportunities.
Conclusion
Rock-wallabies are some of the most adorable and charismatic little creatures you can encounter in Australia. As wildlife lovers and wildlife photography enthusiasts, Magnetic Island is the perfect travel destination. It is an island filled with gorgeous landscapes and stunning nature, with amazing opportunities for close encounters with precious native Australian wildlife.
With thriving colonies of allied rock-wallabies and koalas, it is the ideal wildlife destination and one you have to add to your Australian wildlife itinerary. Hop on a ferry across from Townsville, head over to Geoffrey Bay, and you will be greeted by many friendly rock-wallabies beside the picturesque ocean.
It is best to arrive either early morning or late afternoon as these are the most active times for the wallabies, and when you will have the best chances of seeing lots of them amongst the rocks. However, if you can’t manage those times, you will still most likely be able to see them throughout the day, but just in fewer numbers.
And don’t forget, once you have spent your time enjoying and experiencing the wallabies, Magnetic Island also has one of the largest colonies of wild koalas in Queensland. So go check out our guide on How to see Koalas on Magnetic Island’s Forts Walk and have an amazing time enjoying Australia’s wildlife!
For more of our Australian wildlife guides, keep an eye out for our posts on Australia Wildlife & Travel, including guides on how to see wombats, flying foxes, whales and a whole host of other iconic Australian creatures!
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