Surge events at periods of high tide will become more problematic in Torres Strait communities with sea-level rise. The focus to date has been on the north-western island communities of Saibai and Boigu and the coral cay island communities of Masig, Warraber and Poruma. The future for ‘high-island' communities where sea level rise will impact infrastructure and other important sites on low and narrow coastal strips (particularly Mabuiag, Erub and Mer) has been given less consideration. Community specific issues, adaptation options, and the results of community consultation processes undertaken over the period 2006-2013 are presented. For Boigu and Saibai, the cost of protection of the entire community area is likely to be prohibitive, and a model that reduces the community footprint is presented. The cay island communities (Masig, Warraber and Poruma) all have high areas where community infrastructure needs to be concentrated in the future, and adaptation can be achieved through careful long-term planning and investment. Some high island communities must re-focus activities away from low coastal strips. Most high island communities will have localised but solvable problems. Barriers to effective community-based adaptation to sea level rise are identified, and include planning processes, infrastructure provision, funding and land ownership.