[3] It lies east of Cardwell and north of Lucinda, separated from the north-eastern coast of Queensland by the narrow Hinchinbrook Channel.

Natural features of this biodiverse area include 50 km2 (19 sq mi) of dense mangrove communities lining the shoreline.

[11] A shallow subhorizontal tidal zone has extensive offshore sea grass beds grazed by dugong.

[6] The eastern coastline of Hinchinbrook Island is punctuated with headland outcrops, incised drainage conduits, forest, secluded sandy pocket beaches and sand dunes.

[12] The barrier, which consists mainly of aeolian sands, extends more than 30 metres (98 feet) below the present sea level in places.

[15][16][17] The island habitat provides refuge for numerous endangered species, both flora and fauna such as the giant tree frog.

[6] Warrgamay (also known as Waragamai, Wargamay, Wargamaygan, Biyay, and Warakamai) is an Australian Aboriginal language in North Queensland.

In 1770, British Captain James Cook on HMS Endeavour sailed past at some distance to the east, naming Mount Hinchinbrook without realising that it was an island.

It was not until 1843, when Captain Blackwood on HMS Fly stayed two weeks in the area, that the British were able to verify that it was a distinct landmass, naming it Hinchinbrook Island.

[22] In his 1843 voyage, Captain Blackwood of HMS Fly also had peaceful communications with the Biyaygiri initially, but conflict occurred on several occasions when the sailors were pelted with rocks, resulting in a number of islanders being shot.

Inspector John Murray of the Native Police led a group of settlers and troopers on a month long expedition through the island in 1867, bringing some Aboriginal people back to their camp and ship to question them for information about some possible shipwreck survivors.

Reverend Edward Fuller attempted to set up a mission on the island in 1874 but was forced to abandon it after being informed of the massacres and consequently not seeing any Aboriginal people in nine months living there.

[6][19] In 1942, during World War II, an American B-24 Liberator bomber of the United States Army Air Force crashed into Mount Straloch, a mountain on the island, killing all 12 crewmen on board.

[28] After World War II, commercial crocodile hunting in the area reduced numbers nearly to the point of extinction by the 1960s.

[19] Marine nature based activities include sightseeing cruises, sailing, outrigger canoeing, swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving.

Regular scheduled coach services operate from the transit zone in Brasenose Street, Cardwell and Townsville Road in Ingham.

Hinchinbrook resorts and Helloworld in Ingham run bus shuttles to Townsville and return to Lucinda for people hiking the Thorsborne Trail.