Michael Ferns (SH 53/58) writes:

"Do you know of and where the following are in the world?

St Bees Island, Scawfell Island, Keswick Island, Carlisle Island, Calder Island, Wigton Island, Cockermouth Island, Penrith Island, Derwent Island, Brampton Island or Aspatria Island along with Silloth Reef, Workington Reef and Whitehaven Beach. For those who have a taste for Baileys, there is also Bailey Reef. A hint is that they are not in the Northern hemisphere.

In fact they are islands and reefs in the southern part of the Cumberland Group of Islands on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia, north east of Mackay to be more precise. Most are National Parks. I suggest that for more information you refer to Mr Google.

Two years ago St Bees Island was on the market for $AUD 1.95 million or about £1.07 million at current (2021) exchange rates. Sorry - it has been sold. It has some very basic accommodation but also has development approval, so it will be interesting to see what the new owners do in the future. I was just wondering if any Old St Beghian was the purchaser?

Most of the islands in the group are uninhabited, however they can be accessed by private charter boat from Mackay or Seaforth. The group was named by Captain Cook, although the earliest visitors were probably the local aboriginal clans in bark canoes. It is estimated that European settlement and grazing began around 1900 on St Bees Island.

This information could form the basis of some interesting trivia questions. There are several posts on the web site and my immediate reaction is to compare St Bees, beach and hinterland in Cumbria with St Bees Island, the latter being very tropical as it is north of the Tropic of Capricorn and has a great sandy beach."

 

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