 Although the island had been used as a turtle cannery in the 1920s, after this was abandoned, it was taken over as a resort in the 1930s, by Captain Christian Poulsen.A number of researchers travelled to the island from the 1930s using the resort facilities.The island became a National Park in 1943, and following the end of World War II, saw the first groups of university students from the University of Queensland arrive.