Magnetic Island was our refuge when we came home from Japan and our travels around Asia just over a year ago. We isolated in Sydney as it headed into winter, travelled around NSW in a van for a month, and when state borders opened we flew north and into a little island we’d never heard of before. Read about all the amazing free things to do on Magnetic Island.
The optimism was strong. I signed a three-month lease and worried that we’d be stuck here to serve it out once borders reopened. Like most of us I think I just had no idea how serious this pandemic would be and just how incapable we would be of getting a handle on it. I was just so confident in humans, in governments and science – I honestly thought it wouldn’t be a huge deal – even when we flew home as the government was closing our international border I was confident we would be back in Asia soon.
I had no idea that more than a year after coming back to Australia we would still be on Magnetic Island and in Australia, and having finally given up on returning to Asia, be preparing to return to our home in Sydney.
I’ve finally accepted that we are not going anywhere for some time. And I’m (mostly somewhat) comfortable with that…now.
What it means though is a change of direction. It’s time to head back to Sydney (in fact I wish I’d left this island over summer and the horrendous northern Queensland wet season I will never go through that pain again) and commit to the burbs, and school for Emmie and really getting back into the community at home.
There is so much for us there. I really appreciate the beaches where we can swim all year round. The lack of crocs. The feeling of community. The National Park right on our doorstep. The lights of Sydney and its museums and theatre and harbour only one hour away. And family and friends to spend time with and catch up.
I’m really looking forward to getting back into our house. I’m going to turn a bedroom into an office and make a vegetable garden and maybe down the track we will even get chooks. There’s so much we can do to make it our home again and really settle in. Plus I want to join a choir, and volunteer at Nippers on the weekends and just really be part of the community – I felt so pushed out of it when Emmie’s dad and I broke up but I don’t care about that anymore. And anyone that does is so far out of my friendship range. Emmie also has to get back in the swing of things and get ready for high school next year. It’s going to be fun, I think.
Leaving the island is bittersweet. We have so many friends here, beautiful talented people that we’ve met in the past year or so who have made us happy as we’ve connected. The school community – the principal, teachers and staff are so amazing and the school is fantastic, I mean there’s koalas in the trees. Emmie wrote about her first day at school here! Here are all the fun things to do on Magnetic Island with kids.
But there are some shitty people here too, some sadly crossed our path. I think while many people move to islands and small communities because they love the life there, others are there for different reasons and create a nasty vortex . The mentality of island life means not rocking the boat, and that means that many people tiptoe around others who really should be called out on bad behaviour. Instead they get to continue…but that’s their cross to bear, not mine.
And I was bitten by a dog! And Emmie had huge welts from sealice! But at least we stayed safe from all the deadly creatures that were out to get us (animal not human hahah).
The nature here is beautiful and we’ve had some magic moments – seeing whales cruse past, watching a turtle being released back into nature, spotting koalas and hiking and swimming and just soaking up the vibe.
We’re sad to leave our beautiful friends and the beauty of the island. And since we were there during covid we did miss out on many of the awesome events they hold – if you can get to the island in winter do it, it’s just stunning.
The island has been good to us and it also taught us a lot of lessons. About generosity and being careful who you open yourself to. About inclusion – for kids and adults. And also for understanding the kind of people that places attract and making sure that they’re the kind of people for you.
It’s been another adventure, and many lessons learnt – and also a new direction has unfolded for us, of where we can do good and possibly help others.
So off we set on our six week roadtrip back to Sydney with many more adventures to come.
