Peel Island, Heritage-listed island in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia
Peel Island is a 519-hectare island located 4 kilometers from Cleveland's coast within Moreton Bay Marine Park. The landscape features sandy beaches and sandstone rock formations throughout the site.
The island served as a leper colony from 1907 to 1959, housing patients from different backgrounds in one of the rare mixed-race facilities of its time. Buildings from this era remain the only intact multiracial lazaret example in the country.
The Quandamooka people called the island Teerk Roo Ra, meaning place of many shells, and gathered here for ceremonies long before outsiders arrived. Visitors today can sense this cultural connection through the landscape itself.
The island is accessible only by boat, and visitors must bring their own water, food, and sun protection since facilities on-site are extremely limited. Plan ahead and arrive well-supplied, as the only amenity is a composting toilet.
A large historic shipwreck lies in Platypus Bay and serves as a draw for marine life, creating an unexpected underwater attraction. The surrounding waters support more than 70 bird species as well as dugongs, turtles, and dolphins.
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