Torres Strait, Maritime passage between Australia and New Guinea.
Torres Strait is a waterway between Cape York Peninsula in Australia and Papua New Guinea, containing numerous small islands and extensive coral reefs. The water is shallow in most places and links the Coral Sea in the east with the Arafura Sea in the west.
A Spanish navigator sailed through this waterway in 1606 on his way to Manila, documenting the route for European maps for the first time. The region later served as a key passage for trading vessels between oceans.
The waterway takes its name from the Spanish navigator who charted this route in the early 17th century, while indigenous communities on the scattered islands continue to maintain their own languages and traditions. Visitors often notice the close connection islanders have with the sea, which shapes their way of life and daily food gathering.
Sailing through the waterway requires experience because of the many shallow areas and coral formations below the surface. Large ships follow marked channels while smaller boats have more flexibility but still need to exercise caution.
Large populations of dugongs live in these waters and use the seagrass meadows between the islands as a food source. An agreement between two countries has regulated traditional fishing practices and protection of these marine mammals for decades.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
