Nelly Bay, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nelly Bay Magnetic Island, Queensland
Rocky Bay (foreground) and Nelly Bay foreshore, showing Magnetic Harbour in the distance.
Nelly Bay Location in Queensland
Population	1,213 (2021 census)
• Density	258.1/km2 (668/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4819
Area	4.7 km2 (1.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	City of Townsville
County	Elphinstone
Parish	Magnetic
State electorate(s)	Townsville
Federal Division(s)	Herbert
Localities around Nelly Bay: West Point West Point Arcadia West Point Nelly Bay Coral Sea Picnic Bay Picnic Bay Coral Sea

Nelly Bay is a town on Magnetic Island in Queensland, Australia. It is also a suburb of the City of Townsville. Nelly Bay is a popular spot for tourists on the island. It is very important because it has the main ferry terminal. This terminal connects Magnetic Island to Townsville on the mainland. In 2021 census, about 1,213 people lived in Nelly Bay.

History of Nelly Bay

Early Days and Tourism

A local business person named Robert Hayles started tourist activities in Nelly Bay around 1911. By 1917, there was already a jetty in the bay. A jetty is a long structure built out into the water.

During the Second World War, a special gun battery was built on the shore. This battery was used to shoot down enemy aircraft. The concrete parts of this battery still exist today. They are now covered by plants and surrounded by houses.

Post Office and School

The Nelly Bay Post Office first opened on July 1, 1927. Before that, a smaller "receiving office" had been open since 1923. The post office closed in 1982 but opened again in 1994.

Nelly Bay Provisional School opened on September 15, 1924. A "provisional" school is a temporary school. In 1928, it became Nelly Bay State School. The school closed for a short time in 1942 but reopened in 1943. In the 1970s, its name changed to Magnetic Island State School.

Developing Magnetic Harbour

Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal (on right) with construction at Magnetic Harbour

In February 1984, a new plan was announced for Nelly Bay. Bob Katter Jr., who was a government minister, spoke about a big project. It was a $100 million plan to build a harbor and marina. A marina is a place where boats can dock. This project was proposed by Geoff Orpin. It was going to be called Magnetic Keys.

At first, there were worries about how the project might affect the environment. It took about 18 months for the developer to get permission to study the area.

In 1987, the project was sold to new companies. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) was careful about giving permission. They worried about the environment. In October 1987, they allowed the harbor to be built. But they waited until October 1988 to give the final building permit. The permit had special rules. For example, the developer had to get "rehabilitation insurance." This money would help fix the environment if the project stopped.

The Townsville City Council also approved the project. They allowed a hotel to be built nearby. They also let the developers use rocks from a nearby hill for the harbor walls.

Construction and Challenges

Building work started in August 1989. Many local people and environmental groups were against it. They tried to stop it with court cases, but the building continued.

In 1990, one of the main companies funding the project had problems. Then, the main group of companies working on the project also collapsed. It was then found that the special insurance to fix the environment had not been bought. The project was then taken over by the state government.

In 1995, new ideas came up to finish the project. None of them worked out. In 1998, the plans were changed to be smaller. Finally, a new plan was agreed upon.

In 2003, the new ferry terminal opened. This terminal has some shops and is close to bus stops and car parking.

Population Changes

The number of people living in Nelly Bay has changed over the years:

• In 2011 census, there were 1,055 people.
• In 2016 census, the population grew to 1,196 people.
• In 2021 census, there were 1,213 people living in Nelly Bay.

Getting Around Nelly Bay

Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal

Nelly Bay is home to Magnetic Harbour. This is the biggest development on Magnetic Island. It includes the new ferry and barge terminal. It also has a helipad for emergency services, shops, a marina for boats, and apartments.

There are frequent ferry services. Sunferries operates passenger ferries to Townsville. Fantasea runs a barge that carries vehicles to South Townsville.

Education in Nelly Bay

Magnetic Island State School is a primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located at 16 Mandalay Avenue. In 2017, the school had 134 students. It had 11 teachers and 11 other staff members. The school also has a special program for students who need extra help.

There is no high school on Magnetic Island. The closest high school is Townsville State High School in Railway Estate.

Local Services

The Townsville City Council runs a mobile library service. This library on wheels visits the Lions Park at Nelly Bay every Tuesday. However, the times it visits might change depending on the ocean tides.

Famous People from Nelly Bay

• Julian Assange, who helped start WikiLeaks, lived in Nelly Bay for some of his early childhood in the 1970s.