Keswick Island
Keswick Island is an island in the southern half of the Whitsunday Islands. Located 34 kilometres north-east of the Queensland city of Mackay, Keswick Island is part of the Cumberland Islands of islands that lay protected inside the waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Basil Bay | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Coral Sea |
| Archipelago | Cumberland Islands |
| Total islands | 70 |
| Area | 5.3 km2 (2.0 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| State | Queensland |
| Local government area | Whitsunday Regional Council |
| Capital city | Basil Bay |
| Largest settlement | Basil Bay (pop. 80) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 96 (2014) |
| Pop. density | 18.11/km2 (46.9/sq mi) |
| Additional information | |
| Official website | http://www.keswickisland.com.au/ |
Controversy was sparked in 2020 after the head lease for the island was silently acquired by Chinese developer China Bloom in 2019. The developer has been accused of blocking access to the islands airstrip, boat ramps and national parks as well as illegally erecting 'keep out' signs and excavating and flattening a shoreline without a permit during turtle nesting season.
The island is inhabited by a small number of residents. It is a semi-popular tourist destination set to expand with planned development. Visitors can stay in a small number of catered and self-catered accommodation. The island has its own airstrip and is accessible from Mackay Airport by a short plane flight or by private boat.