‘The Sticks' is named after a place where there were markers to help fisherman navigate safely. The channel was usually called “The Chimneys” by local fishermen. “The Chimneys” were a landmark, created by the remaining limestone chimneys from a smokehouse, built by the Hallidays (the Hallidays had left in 1911, but the limestone chimneys remained and were always a landmark).

The channel is the area running to one side of the islands, in the Peel Inlet, where the water from the ocean meets the Peel Inlet. It was known to be treacherous and was marked out with sticks. The stick closest to Peel Inlet was big, and the last fisherman out at night, used to hang a hurricane lamp from it. This provided a bearing point so that fishermen could get back into the channel. Although many of the sticks disappeared, the big stick was preserved and was kept there. The stick was superseded when the Fisheries Department installed a proper beacon. The beacon was lit by one of the fisherman at night. Fishermen would use the lights of Perth to guide them north and then pick up the beacon light.