Level 4, 66 Wyndham Street
Auckland, New Zealand
Thursday Island, also known as TI or Waiben, is the administrative and commercial centre of the Torres Strait Islands. It is located 39 kilometres (24 mi) north of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia in the Torres Strait.
On Thursday Island visitors can experience one of Australia's Indigenous cultures, local art, community markets, relics of the pearling industry, colonial architecture and tours of significant sites from World War Two.
Thursday Island is also rich in history. In 1893, the Green Hill Fort was built in 1893 on fears of a Russian invasion. Also, that same year, the All Souls Quetta Memorial Church was built in memory of the Quetta shipwreck in 1890, which killed 133 people when it struck an unknown reef. The Japanese Pearl Memorial is dedicated to the hundreds of pearl divers who died from decompression sickness.
Things to See & Do
* Green Hill Fort
* Peddell’s Thursday Island Tours
* Thursday Island Historic Cemetery
* Walking trails
* Japanese Pearl Memorial
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Australian Dollar (AUD$)
Language – English
Population – 3,500 approx
Land Area - 3.5 km²
Electricity – 2 angled pins and 1 flat pin centered below Australian style
Time – GMT plus ten hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 61
Port Location – There is a port located at Thursday island in the Torres Strait Island Group.
Transport Links - There are daily planes from Cairns to Horn Island. From Horn Island you can get a taxi to the wharf, and from the wharf you can get the ferry over to Thursday Island (commonly known as "T.I.") the ferry cost $10 each way. There are regular boats from Thursday Island to most other populated Islands, but you will need to get permission from the appropriate indigenous land council beforehand.
You can also get in from Papua New Guinea if you have your own boat. If you do so, you will need to check in with the department of immigration once you land.
Peddell's Ferries provides twice daily passenger transport by boat to Thursday Island from Seisia, Cape York. Check their website for up-to-date timetables and fares. Tickets can be booked online.