Wilson Island (Queensland) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilson Island Queensland
Wilson Island Location in Queensland
Nearest town or city	Gladstone
Area	2 ha (4.9 acres)
Managing authorities	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

Wilson Island is a small, beautiful island located in the Gladstone Region of Queensland, Australia. It's one of eight special coral islands, called cays, that are part of the Capricornia Cays National Park. This amazing island is found north of the Tropic of Capricorn. It's about 72 kilometres (45 miles) northeast of Gladstone, Queensland and just 15 kilometres (9 miles) from Heron Island.

Wilson Island is a very important place for birds. It's part of the Capricornia Cays Important Bird Area. It is also a special part of the famous Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. This means it's protected because of its unique natural beauty and wildlife.

Island History

Wilson Island got its name from a person called Sub-Lieutenant William T.P. Wilson. He was an officer on a ship named HMS Waterwitch.

Amazing Wildlife

Wilson Island is like a busy nursery for many animals. It's a key place for both turtles and birds to lay their eggs. The island has soft, white coral beaches and is covered with a special type of forest called pisonia forest.

Birds of Wilson Island

You can find the Capricorn silvereye here. This small bird lives only in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef. From November to March, many wedge-tailed shearwaters come to the island. These birds are busy building nests and raising their young.

Turtles and Whales

Wilson Island is also a nesting spot for green turtles. From November to March, female green turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. The island is closed in February to protect these nesting birds and turtles.

From January to April, something truly magical happens! Tiny baby green turtles hatch from their eggs. They then make their brave journey from the beach into the big ocean. If you visit between June and September, you might even see huge humpback whales. They swim past the island on their way to and from their feeding grounds.

Visiting Wilson Island

Wilson Island is a very special place to stay. It has an exclusive resort run by the Aldesta Hotel Group. Only a small number of guests can stay on the island at one time. There are nine tents that provide comfortable places to sleep. This means only eighteen guests can be on the island at once.

To get to Wilson Island, you travel by boat from nearby Heron Island. Heron Island is also owned by the Aldesta Hotel Group. This helps keep Wilson Island quiet and protected for its amazing wildlife.