The south-eastern corner of Hinchinbrook Island forms the northern boundary of the Hinchinbrook Channel. At its mouth the channel is 2 to 3 km wide, with tidal shoals extending up to 5 km seaward. The strong tidal currents and waves have built an extensive coastal plain up to 2 km wide and containing over 4 square kilometres of sandy sediments. The eastern side of the plain is called Mulligan Bay and the southern side, facing into the channel, is Picnic Beach. Mulligan Bay Beach (825) is 4 km long, faces east and extends from a 60 m high headland at the northern end down to sandy George Point in the south. It is backed by a sediment-filled valley behind the first 2 km of beach, that is drained by a small creek flowing out against the northern headland. An 80 m high knoll backs the centre of the beach, with a small creek draining across the beach on its southern side. Beyond is the wider coastal plain extending down to George Point. The beach receives waves averaging over 0.5 m, that combine with the medium beach sand to form a moderately steep high tide beach, fronted by a 200 m wide low tide bar. The bar commonly has rips spaced every 100 m along its outer edge. At and beyond George Point, tidal shoals extend off the beach and lower the wave height. read more

Beach Length: 4km