Thursday Island was once called home to a thriving pearl fishing industry. From the late 19th century, divers came from Japan, Malaysia and India to harvest these precious stones. The diving has declined, but traces of Asia’s diverse influences remain.
The island’s Green Hill Fort was built during the 1890s with growing concerns of a potential Russian invasion. The fort was shut down just 30 years later and reactivated during World War II as a wireless station. Many islanders, still to this day, abide by a no-footwear policy out of respect for the spirits of their ancestors.
