Torres Strait Islands (redirected from Torres straight islands)

Torres Strait Islands

Island group, in the Torres Strait between Australia and New Guinea. The inhabitants are a mixture of Polynesians, Melanesians, and Aboriginals. Administratively part of Queensland, Australia, they consist of three clusters: Western (high, rocky, and barren), Central (coral), and Eastern (volcanic, with dense vegetation); each has its own local government. The islands may be remnants of a land bridge that once linked Asia and Australia. They were annexed by Queensland in the 1870s. Pearls, fishing, and tourism are the main sources of income.