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Territory capital · Australia

Thursday IslandWaibene

Give Thursday Island 1–2 nights, not a week: it is a small administrative town with a fort, a cemetery, a cultural centre and no swimmable beach.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
AUD
Best months
May–Oct (dry season)
avoid Jan–Mar (wet season, cyclone risk)
Airport
HID
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
  • Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
  • Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
  • Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
  • Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.

Thursday Island (Waibene) is the administrative centre of the Torres Strait Islands, population about 2,900, and the only place in the strait with a supermarket, a bank, a few pubs and a handful of beds. There is no airport and no public transport: you fly to Horn Island, cross by ferry, and walk the rest. Come for the history, the fishing and the Torres Strait Islander culture, not for a resort.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Thursday Island, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or espressoA$5–8 (≈ US$4–6)
  • BeerBeer at a pubA$8–12 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi island tourup to A$100 (≈ US$70)
  • Museum or sight ticketGreen Hill Fort bunker museum entryThe fort ruins above ground are free.A$4 (≈ US$3)
  • Budget bedHotel or motel room, a night, per roomA$150 (≈ US$100)
  • Mid-range bedHotel or motel room, a night, per roomA$200 (≈ US$140)
  • High-end bedHotel or motel room, a night, per roomA$330 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$150 (≈ US$100) · Mid A$230 (≈ US$160) · High A$400 (≈ US$300)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Green Hill FortTorres Strait Islander culturePearling historyReef fishing
Airports
HID Horn Island Airport (No airport on Thursday Island. Fly Cairns–Horn Island, then ferry across; both ferry companies run buses from the airport to the wharf.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Thursday Island: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

31°C

25°C

18 rd

Feb

31°C

25°C

17 rd

Mar

31°C

25°C

19 rd

Apr

30°C

24°C

15 rd

May

29°C

23°C

10 rd

Jun

28°C

21°C

7 rd

Jul

27°C

20°C

6 rd

Aug

28°C

21°C

5 rd

Sep

29°C

22°C

4 rd

Oct

30°C

23°C

6 rd

Nov

31°C

24°C

9 rd

Dec

31°C

25°C

14 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

On foot. Anywhere on the island is under an hour's walk, but it is hot, humid and hilly. Taxis exist and will run island tours; rental cars are expensive and there is little road to use them on. No public transport.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Horn Island

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Ferry from the Thursday Island wharves, about 5–20 min depending on operator

Most travellers pass through it on the way in; the airstrip and WWII heritage are the draw. Check what is open before you go.

Friday Island

go

Door to door: Half day

Organised excursion boat

Pearl farm tour and shop; pearls are often cheaper here than in the Thursday Island shops.

Seisia and Cape York

caution

Door to door: check

Peddells Ferry from Seisia, twice a day on three days a week in the wet and six days a week in the dry

Book ahead in the dry season; seats sell out.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Waibene town centre (Douglas Street and Victoria Parade)

Walkable to the wharf, pubs, supermarket and cultural centre; the only realistic base for visitors.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
A$120–180 (≈ US$80–120) excl. bed
Mid
A$180–280 (≈ US$120–190) excl. bed
High
A$280 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel or motel room1 × 2 nights × A$200A$400
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × A$230A$920
Ferry Horn Island → Thursday Island, one way2 × A$12A$24
Ferry plus airport transfer, one way2 × A$27A$54
Taxi island tour1 × A$100A$100
eSIM, about a week of data2 × A$25 · checkA$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeA$155
Trip total≈ A$426 per person per day, bed includedA$1,703≈ US$1,200

check

2026 estimate in Australian dollars; flights to Horn Island excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or espressoA$5–8 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub meal (burger, pizza, seafood)Take-away can carry a small surcharge.A$15–25 (≈ US$10–17)
Beer at a pubA$8–12 (≈ US$6–8)
Supermarket groceries for a dayA$30–50 (≈ US$20–35)
Ferry Horn Island → Thursday IslandA$10–12 (≈ US$7–8) one way
Green Hill Fort bunker museum entryThe fort ruins above ground are free.A$4 (≈ US$3)
Taxi island tourup to A$100 (≈ US$70)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Safe for tourists; the real hazards are the sea (crocodiles, sharks, stingers) and the heat. Walk, drink water, and do not swim.
  • Do not swim in the sea: crocodiles, sharks and marine stingers are all present. Use the motel or sports-centre pool instead.
  • Accommodation is expensive for what it is; budget beds are almost absent.
  • Shops, the bank and the post office keep short weekday hours and close on Sundays and public holidays.
  • Groceries are among the priciest in Australia; bring some of your own food if you are on a budget.
  • Wild camping near the fort is illegal.
  • Pubs are noisy on Friday nights until about midnight.
  • Steep hills, narrow ferry gangways and few footpaths make the island hard going for wheelchair users and anyone with mobility issues; there is a flat concrete path of about 200 m along the water from the port.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
000
From a mobile
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Thursday IslandWaibene

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Please, this addressTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance000
  • From a mobile112

Embassy

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Horn Island airport → wharf bus: included with both ferry operators' through tickets
  • Ferry Horn Island → Thursday Island: A$10–12 (≈ US$7–8) one way, A$25–27 (≈ US$17–18) with the airport transfer
  • Peddells Ferry Seisia → Thursday Island: A$60 (≈ US$40) one way, A$120 (≈ US$80) return

Say or show

  • Eso — Thank you (EH-so)
  • Mina epol — Good morning (MEE-na EH-pol)
  • Wharf ai? — Where is the wharf? (wharf eye)

Mobile data is strong across the island and well out over the water. Free Wi-Fi for patrons at the Grand Hotel.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Thursday Island. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct (dry season) · avoid Jan–Mar (wet season, cyclone risk) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 1 area to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 3 day-trips, door to door
  6. 7 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Australia

Sources