the Isle of Dreams

"In September of the year 1896 with a small party of friends we camped on the beach of this Island - the most fascinating, the most desirable on the coast of North Queensland.....having for several years contemplated a life of seclusion in the bush, and having sampled several attractive and more or less suitable scenes, we were not long in concluding that here was the ideal spot...sea, coral reefs, forest, jungle afford never-ending pleasure.." E.J Banfield

The Banfield's


Ted and Bertha along with Barney the dog lived on Dunk Island for about 25 years (not so Barney) establishing a home with fruit trees, goats, jersey cows and vegetable gardens.  This was made possible with the assistance of "Tom", one of four remaining descendants of the island's original owners and Essie their Irish housekeeper. Ted was a journalist working on Townsvilles' Bulletin when the pressure of work and ill health (he was given months to live) took him to Dunk. 


Ted was a naturalist and a prolific writer and his book "Confessions of a Beachcomber" and the compilation of essays in ":Further Confessions of a Beachcomber" have been favourites of mine so I have been eager to visit "the Banfields'" Isle of Dreams.


Dunk Island lies amongst the Family group of Islands about 20nm north east of Cardwell. We arrived on the 10th of September after a calm sail across from Cardwell, anchoring in Brammo Bay, the site of the Banfields' home. Any remnants of the Banfields' era has vaporised, with the cyclone ravaged resort occupying the site. The Banfields are buried on this site but access is denied as the islands freehold is owned by Peter Bond, a coal mining entrepreneur (bet Ted and Bertha are turning in their graves!). Mr Bond discovered after Cyclone Yasi swept through the area that he could "buy" a whole island for 10 million bucks and build a "kick-arse" house rather than purchase a property on Hamilton Island. It does feel like he "owns" the entire island! His "workers" roam the island and his personal chef operates a café weekends out of a shipping container near the jetty, which is very pleasant. Day trippers arrive in droves from Mission Beach. Most of the island is national Park with fantastic camping facilities near the sand spit. Ruby was given permission to walk along the border of the freehold land so she was mighty chuffed!

heading to the Family group





Every day we explored in the dinghy, sometimes having a breakfast picnic on Mungo Mungo beach after shooing off the scrub fowl.



early morning Mungo Mungo beach







solitude at Mungo Mungo





Another of our favourite places was Coconut Beach, with stingray reef just offshore. "Here are elaborately armoured crayfish, upon which the most gaudy colours are lavished,
grotesque crabs, fish brilliant in hue as humming birds" EJ Banfield on Coconut Beach.

Stingrays and turtles could be seen in the clear waters and the reef (which we passed over between Kumboola Island and Dunk) was home to a mob of manta rays.




Coconut Beach, looking out to Bedarra Island









inviting waters of Coconut Beach





We'd return to Brammo Bay, tired and hot and partake of sundowners with other cruisers and enjoy a warm shower courtesy of National Parks.

The Family Islands were famous for their artists - Noel Wood on Bedarra and Deanna Conti on Timana. Bruce Arthur established a colony on Dunk in 1975 which has not re-opened since cyclone Larry  but we were lucky enough to catch an exhibition in Townsville "to the islands"






potters gallery Bruce Arthur/Henry Holt







Yvonne Cohen "Mango trees"



tapestry by Deanna Conti



Noel Wood "Dunk Island"

view from the lookout

rainforest on Mount Koo-Tal-Oo





secretive frog in leaf litter





amazing fungus


The name Dunk Island was given by Captain Cook as he sailed past, it had been known as Coonanglebah-place of peace and plenty. As I walked the island circuit I could understand why. It is magical.