Welcome To Percy Island Walking Tracks

West Bay is the most popular anchorage with the PIYC Percy Island Yacht Club house nicknamed the “A-frame” where seafarers meet, share stories and partake in a longstanding tradition of leaving a memento for others to enjoy. From West Bay, visitors can take the short track, 2.5km to the historic Homestead, with original timber from the Col. Armitage House in 1878 and take the long track back to West Bay, 4.5 km via scenic lookouts: or visa versa.

Whites Bay is also a popular anchorage when northerlies are blowing. Both bays are approximately a 45 min walk to the historic Homestead, located at the top of the hill, near the center of Percy Island. Whites Bay is renowned for its’ white sandy beaches surrounded by bushland and reef.

Bush walkers are encouraged to pack adequate water and head off early, before 9 am or after 3 pm to enjoy bush walking during the cooler part of the day. From West Bay, take the short track 2.5km to the homestead or the long track 4.5 km. Please remember the sun sets rapidly in the wintertime and the tides are large. Please anchor your dingy safely at all times.

 Percy Island Homestead 

Whites Bay Walking Track to the Homestead:- There is a well sign-posted track which starts up on top of the rocky promontory between Whites Bay and Dolphin Beach up to the Homestead.(please follow red and white markers) The 2.5Km trail passes through wooded country and steep sections to the ‘main road’; turning left to the Homestead and right past the Hoop Pines of  Mt. Armitage and  towards  the ‘airfield’ (not serviceable yet;- although any help offered to remedy that could be  appreciated!) .

The track is steep at the middle section, so you may need to stop here to enjoy the view on the rocky hillside (maybe communications will work up there, but only on Telstra systems).

Once up the top of that track turns left to the Homestead (1Km) with a lovely view of South Percy at ‘Weather Station Hill’ (formerly known as’ ‘Dead Sheep Hill’ referring to the remnant sheep from the Whites flock, which grazed the Island between 1921-64).

Alternatively, turn right to explore the cool Hoop Pine Forest at Mount Armitage and the grassy area overlooking Whites Bay with a wonderful view of North-East Percy (which looks like a giant floating on its back from this angle; one can then understand how legends arose).

The varied vegetation is very different from the West Bay route and well worth the effort. So, get those legs working with different muscles and have a walk if you have time to spare.

Our famous Bush honey and limited seasonal vegetables, will also be available from the Homestead. Please supply yourself with sufficient drinking water for your adventure, as we are in very limited supply. 

For those folks who like to stay on the beach, try exploring between the central sand dunes to find the tranquil cool forest, smelling the Native Frangipani if in season. This is different to the Frangipani dubbed the ‘Percy Island Frangipani’ by the Society for Growing Australian in 1989 which is on the West Bay to Homestead track above the A-frame area lining the road for 1km.

The entrance to this beautiful forest is at the back of the sand-dunes near the center of Whites Beach and is hidden between the dunes.  It is found by walking between the dunes lined with windblown Casuarinas (stunted by the gale force SE winds) and into the more protected area behind the dunes which grows wonderful Paperbark trees.

Continue walking up the sandy seasonal creek to enjoy a refreshing change from the beach. The creek, when flowing, can offer sandy bottom pools to play in, prepared to be nibbled by yabbies!. This area was reputedly settled by the Kanaka trader, Capt. Cook Till in 1850s when he had a settlement of Islanders and Torres Strait peoples. These folk were taken to Mackay and Townsville for work on the Cane Fields, were often forcibly removed from their homes, for trade by their Chiefs and Kanaka Traders.

The creek bed ends at a rocky cliff with seasonally flowing waterfall which leads to the grassy hills above the Whites Bay towards the site of the potential airfield. Upon finding the track follow left to the Mt. Armitage – Whites Bay turn off with possibility of continuing the 1Km over Weather Station Hill to the Homestead.

For more History of Captain Cook Till and more, please take the time to read the fascinating article by his family in www.thecoatsal passage.com and the ‘History of the Percy Isles; Past to Present’ by former residents Jon and Liz Hickling available in State Libraries via Internet.

Please remember to take sufficient drinking water and any personal applications and clothing to protect you on your adventurous safari.

Check out the ‘mud maps’ for reference of walks. No injuries please; however, we do have the RFDS medical chest if needed

REMEMBER THAT you are on national park land until you enter the Regional Park area of the Homestead

There are no deadly poisonous snakes on Percy Is. but please be advised that:-

1) The daytime ‘skinny snake’ is a Collared Whip Snake; sunbathing or scurrying across the path. Not aggressive but could bite if surprised in the leaf litter and it perceived threatened in that situation. Worst case scenario will be a need for anti-histamine pills from the RFDS Medical Chest at the Homestead (ch:73)

2) The nighttime snakes being approximately one meter long, not a problem for us, but both deadly for baby birds, eggs and reptiles: –

a) Spotted Python

b)  Brown Tree Snake

3) Giant Centipede nippers may adversely affect you, so anti-histamine in your kit could be essential for some folks.

Royal Flying Doctor advice -…”any travelers on the oceans are recommended to have a valid Tetanus injection as a prevention from possible serious infection whilst adventuring in different places in the local tropical climate”

A medical kit is kept at the Homestead if you require medical assistance contact “Percy Homestead” on VHF CH 73

Marine Radio for Stanage Bay Coast Guard on VHF CH 81 or 83

Mackay: VHF CH 80

Please remember you are on the National Park zone at Whites Bay, Camping is not permitted by QPWS. Camping is available at West Bay which is part of the Conservation Park under section 34 of the Nature Conservation Act. Please make prior arrangements from the Homestead (accessible via VHF Channel 73, percyisland@gmail.com or see the Contact page for phoning the caretakers).