Dividing Australia from Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait is one of the frontiers on earth and is sprinkled with stepping-stone islands. Of these islands, 17 are inhabited and Thursday Island is seen as the ‘capital’. This tiny speck of an island, just visible from the Australian mainland, was once called the ‘Sink of the Pacific’, reflecting the sheer variety of people who have passed through since its pearling heydays – Aboriginal, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, Melanesian and Anglo. In this now lies its charm. Photo by: bauplenut

In the 19th century, Europeans quickly discovered the Strait’s rich pearl beds and Thursday Island was once a thriving centre for pearl diving. For decades this was the only job on the island and Japanese pearl divers tragically lost their loves there, and are buried in the local cemetery. Most died of compression sickness. Photo by: ailanpair

Many foreigners have influenced the island’s history. In the late 1800s the London Missionary Society landed on Darnley Island – and the advent of Christianity stabilized the community, but also led the demise of traditional life. South Sea Island teachers also came, and brought with them a new dance culture and crops, and intermarried with the locals. Photo by: ailanpair

Access to the smaller more remote islands is limited, but a few are little gems. Badu is fringed by mangrove swamps and is the centre of the Straits burgeoning crayfish industry. Saibai, just 16 km from New Guniea mainland is the only one place in Australia from which you can see another country. In many ways Thursday Island is the easiest and most interesting island to visit with the laid-back attitude and multifunctional mix. Here the hotel clock has no hands – paying homeage to the leisurely pace of life. Photo by: philippe_wt

When to go: Avoid the monsoon season. Population: 8,089 (2001). How to get there: Ferry from the mainland to Thursday Island. Access to other islands limited and more expensive. Flights form Cairns to Thursday Island via Horn Island – a few minutes by water taxi from Thursday Island. Small airlines operators service other islands. Photo by: ailanpair