In 1859, Captain John Murray was surveying the Queensland coast when he stumbled upon a small, beautiful island fringed with coral reefs, crystal-blue water and rugged headlands. He named it Orpheus — shorthand for calm, tranquillity and beauty.

Orpheus Island is a long, narrow ribbon of reef and rainforest.
Eleven kilometres of quiet.

Most of the island is national park, alongside a research station and a small resort lease — where we hung out for a few days this summer.

It sits a short boat ride from the Great Barrier Reef for snorkelling, right next door to exclusive Pelorus Island, and is Traditional Land of the Bindal people. Low-key eco-tourism has existed here since the 1970s and has remained tight, small and carefully managed — protecting the island from mainland crowds.

This was our second visit. I’m not usually a fisherman, but on Orpheus… I am. It’s that good.

We were lucky with the weather, catching the island before ex-tropical cyclone Koji hit this week. I hope all is well on the island — I’m sure it copped a soaking.

Just a 30-minute helicopter ride from Townsville, Orpheus is perfect for families.
My little men absolutely love the joint.

— uge