Dunk Island

Dunk Island is a small island off the Cassowary Coast of Queensland, Australia, and is part of the Family Islands group and national park system. It sits roughly 4 to 5 km off the mainland near the village of Mission Beach and about 60 km south of Cairns.

The island is noted for its sheltered sandy beaches, a compact interior of tropical rainforest crossed by walking tracks, and fringing reef habitat popular for snorkeling. These features made it a long-standing tourist destination with a small resort presence before severe storm damage.

Traditional ownership of the island is held by local Aboriginal peoples of the region. In February 2011 Cyclone Yasi caused major damage to the island’s resort infrastructure; since then the island has been managed primarily for conservation and day-visitor access.

Dunk Island sits in the Coral Sea off the Queensland coast, close to the mainland settlement of Mission Beach and within the Cassowary Coast local government area.

• Access: Accessible by regular passenger ferry from Mission Beach; most visitor trips depart from that mainland village.
• Best time to visit: The island lies within the Family Islands group and is part of Queensland's island national park system; the dry season (May to October) is the most popular time for visits.

What to See #

• Main beach and settlement: A sandy main beach and small sheltered bays on the island's leeward side that formed the core visitor landing and resort area prior to cyclone damage.
• Rainforest interior and walking trails: A compact rainforest interior crossed by short walking tracks that reach viewpoints and link lowland beaches with higher forested slopes.
• Fringing reef: Fringing reef habitat around parts of the island that supports snorkeling close to shore, with shallow coral and seagrass areas adjacent to the beaches.