A family was joined by an unexpected dinner guest when dining at Peppers Blue on Blue Resort on Magnetic Island.

I’m halfway through my cured salmon entrée at Peppers Blue on Blue Resort when I hear a commotion. Looking up, I’m surprised to see a small grey koala crawling out of the restaurant onto the verandah where my son and I are having dinner, soaking up the sunset over the marina and the bushy escarpment beyond.

The wayward marsupial ambles down the nearby ramp, before returning to glance at its reflection in the stackable glass doors. A fellow diner phones a wildlife rescue service, but by the time they arrive, the koala is long gone.

“Up for Unexpected" is the tagline of local tourism body Townsville Enterprise, and it couldn’t be more fitting for our visit.

But while the encounter caught me off guard, it didn’t completely shock me. Magnetic Island, off the coast of Townsville in North Queensland, has one of the largest concentrations of koalas in Australia.

On the way back to our room that night, I tell Deb at the front desk about our unusual dinner companion. “We had one in reception last week," she replies.

The prime season for koala spotting

We also happened to be there during dispersal season, which runs from August to March, when young koalas leave their mothers to establish new territories, and older koalas are also active trying to find mates. Unfortunately, it’s also known as “trauma season", when koalas are more vulnerable to risks such as car strikes and dog attacks as they move through unfamiliar areas.

My son and I are unabashed devotees of the hit Netflix TV series Izzy’s Koala World, which is filmed on Magnetic Island, so we’re no strangers to the challenges these furry locals face. The heartwarming doco follows the adventures of a young girl called Izzy Bee as she helps her mum – a veterinarian at Magnetic Island Koala Hospital – rescue, rehabilitate and release injured and orphaned koalas.

Where to see koalas on Magnetic Island

The Aussie icons can often be seen snoozing in treetops across the island, but the two-kilometre Forts Walk is widely regarded as the prime place to catch one. For a sure-thing encounter, make tracks to Magnetic Island Koala Park, which offers small-group tours led by expert rangers. During our two-hour wander, we’re treated to close-ups of overweight wombats, shy echidnas and even a freshwater crocodile.

The wildlife magic spills out onto the water as well. While cruising between some of the island’s 23 magical bays with Aquascene Magnetic Island, our guide Adam Hinks — who was crowned Australia’s Top Tour Guide in the 2024 Australia’s Top Tourism Towns Awards — notices a whale breaching on the horizon. We motor over and are treated to a spectacular display.

During a kayak tour at the turtle-filled Horseshoe Bay the next day, our guide Craig Crichton mentions he doesn’t have a TV at home. Instead, his kids are up at dawn, hiking the island’s bush trails in search of echidnas.

More than just wildlife

With its abundance of wildlife, it’s little wonder that Maggie — as locals affectionately call it — is a drawcard for nature lovers. But that’s really just the beginning. The island also basks in more than 300 days of sunshine a year and carries hints of South-East Asia on its northern side, with beachside massages and open-sided restaurants where you can view blazing orange sunsets.

There’s a laidback vibe here, and quirks around every corner, from toad racing at the Arcadia Village Hotel to the colourful Daihatsu Mira convertible hire cars that cruise its streets. On Maggie, the unexpected is definitely part of the adventure.