![]() ![]() Non-indigenous residents are primarily on Horn and Thursday islands, and are often temporary, employed in education and health, policing and military, or hospitality. Residents of most of the islands are still Indigenous Australians (with the ratio of around 6 to 1). Traditionally they were fierce headhunters until the arrival of the missionaries (celebrated yearly throughout the Islands on July 1st as "The Coming of the Light".) Islanders are often very generous and keen to share their culture. The Torres Strait Islanders were the first Indigenous Australians to gain legal recognition of their ownership of the land. Eastern islands - Warraber, Coconut, Yorke, Stephen, Darnley and Murray.Central islands - Badu, Moa, Mabuiag and Yam.Western islands - Saibai, Duaun and Boigu.These islands are less visited, due to their being even more remote than the Inner Islands. These islands are a ferry/water taxi away from Thursday Island, or even Seisia on the mainland. Possession Island is an uninhabited National Park in this group. Other inhabited islands in this group, are Prince of Wales, Friday Island, Goodes Island and Hammond Island. Horn Island host the primary airport a 10 minute ferry ride from Thursday Island.Thursday Island is the main population and administrative centre.Islands and island regions False colour bathymetric map of the Torres Strait region These islands are the only place in internationally recognised Australia where it is possible to see another sovereign country. Many of these islands are however remote – some so remote that they are closer to Papua New Guinea than any other part of Australia, and some are about as far away as 170 km (110 mi) from the mainland. Scheduled light aircraft, helicopters, water taxis, barges, and private boats allow access to all inhabited islands or even the possibility of spending a day or night on an entirely uninhabited island. To visit as a tourist, plan ahead, including gaining permission from the island Chairman. The other islands are left to the more intrepid voyager or those with business with the indigenous communities. These two islands are the most visited and have regular scheduled air and ferry connections. There are 14 inhabited islands, but only the two neighbouring islands of Thursday Island and Horn Island have developed visitor facilities. The Torres Strait Islands are a group of islands to the north of the Australian mainland, stretching nearly as far as Papua New Guinea. ![]()
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