Ultimate holiday guide to travelling Moreton Bay Islands
With another (de facto) long weekend coming up, we have listed a range of fun, affordable things to do on the Moreton Bay Islands. Some just need a Gocard, no booking required, to spend a day relaxing on a sandy beach. SEE THE LIST
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With many people expected to take this Friday off work/school to have a four-day weekend, we have taken a closer look at some affordable holiday options on Moreton Bay’s islands.
While some require bookings or even a boat, you can spend a day relaxing on a sandy beach or wet a fishing line with just a Gocard
See the list below to start your adventure.
MORETON BAY ISLANDS:
PEEL ISLAND (TEERK ROO RA NATIONAL PARK)
Snorkel and explore the shipwrecks on Peel Island
Peel Island is a small, heritage-listed island and national park located in Moreton Bay.
Just 4km from the mainland at Cleveland, the remote island paradise can be enjoyed by many locals and visitors and is only accessible by private boat.
Horseshoe Bay on the southern side is the most popular beach on the island and the only one with sand.
For keen snorkellers, Platypus Bay offers a unique historic shipwreck that attracts fish and other marine life, while the rest of the island is surrounded by mangroves and closed to the public.
There is also the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef, which was constructed to the north of Peel Island.
The only facility located on the island is a composting toilet at Horseshoe Bay, so please ensure you bring everything you need for your day out and take your waste with you.
BRIBIE ISLAND
Visit the Bribie Island Seaside Museum
Visit the Bribie Island Seaside Museum to learn all about its history of Bribie Island.
It features stories from First Nations elders on a video archive, a theatre showing films about the S.S Koopa, collections of preserved fish from Moreton Bay waters, stories of Bribie Island’s important role during World War II and the story of internationally renowned artist Ian Fairweather.
Learn to surf with Bribie Island Surf School
Live your own Blue Water High dreams and learn to surf Bribie Island Surf School with experienced staff and beautiful ocean surroundings
You can learn to Surf or Stand Up Paddle Board in a private group, community group or within a school group.
Camping at Mission point Bribie Island
If you’re a boatie, you’ll love Mission Point at Bribie Island, where you can camp on a secluded site with expansive views of the Glass House Mountains and access to great fishing in Pumicestone Passage.
The incredible spot, which is only accessible by boat, has walking tracks and fishing opportunities.
NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND
4WD down Main Beach
Take your 4WD to North Stradbroke Island for a day trip like no other.
Hop onto Main Beach to find beautiful and rugged tracks with far less traffic than the more popular Bribie and Fraser Island.
Take a swim with the family in tow at Main beach or Cylinder Beach
Go for a swim with family or friends at a Straddie beach that will suit you. There’s Main Beach and Cylinder Beach, patrolled on weekends and during school holidays, a little beach at the base of North Gorge walk (be careful in rough weather) or local favourite Deadman’s (Deadies).
Take a stroll along the North Gorge Walk
Take a stroll along North Gorge walk, a 1.2km graded path which is an ideal place to spot dolphins, manta rays, turtles, fish and even the occasional shark.
suitable for both young and old with reasonable mobility, but not wheelchair accessible.
Swim in a tea-stained lake
Brown lake may sound unappealing but it is glorious and the beach spot of choice on rough or windy days when Straddie’s beaches are not safe for swimming.
Tea trees (melaleuca) stain the lake brown but the water is pure and clear.
There is a large carpark and picnic facilities including toilets.
Take a walk in the woods to Blue Lake
This gorgeous lake is located in the Naree Budjong Djara National Park and is a 5.2km return walk.
The walk will allow you to take in the stunning wildlife and serenity of Blue Lake.
This lake is culturally significant for the Quandamooka people who call the lake Karboora, meaning “deep silent pool’’.
Indigenous people ask that you do not swim here, only look, and keep noise to a minimum.
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND
Visit Couran Cove Island
Take a ferry across to Couran Cove Island Resort for a quick getaway.
The resort has heaps of activities on offer from speed boat rides and jet ski excursions to learn-to-surf classes, fishing and 4WD tours.
You can spend time relaxing and floating in the man-made lagoon, join the kids for some fun on Stand Up Paddle (SUP) boards and kayaks or spend a few hours poolside.
Sip on a cocktail at the Sunset Beach Bar
On Couran Cove Island you’ll find a beautiful Sunset Beach bar that serves cocktails and other refreshments.
There is also a beach volleyball court to keep you busy with the family.
Hiking and Wildlife adventures
South Stradbroke Island is home to 200 species of birds, dugongs, turtles, wallabies and other fauna.
Between June and October, humpback whales.
South Stradbroke Island is also one of the few places on Australia’s east coast where you can experience the sun setting over the sea.
MORETON ISLAND
Moreton Island National Park
Moreton Island National park is a must do for 4WD enthusiasts.
Catch a ferry across to the island and embark on a journey with over 420km of unsealed tracks to explore.
The tracks lead to remote coves, beaches, and even a lighthouse. Blue Lagoon is a highlight.
If you’re looking to camp, Cowan Cowan is the best place to base yourself.
Sand tobogganing
Hike to the top of Moreton Island’s sand dunes and experience a thrill like no other.
Wax up a wooden board and take a leap of faith off the edge of Moreton’s incredible dunes.
Snorkel the Moreton Island Wrecks
Snorkel or kayak around the Tangalooma shipwrecks to get a unique below-the-water experience of Moreton Island.
The artificial wrecks, started more than 50 years ago, attract a huge variety of tropical fish, rays, leopard sharks (not dangerous) and soft corals and sponges.
The wrecks are a short walk from Tangalooma Island Resort and you can swim out to them, or take a boat trip from the resort.
Be aware of strong tides and occasional jellyfish. Always snorkel in groups and do not try to climb on to the wrecks, which are rusty, sharp and prone to collapse.
Feed the dolphins at sunset
Experience feeding wild dolphins as they swim up to feed from the palm of your hand at sunset.
Each evening 10 bottlenose dolphins surface at the jetty at Tangalooma Island Resort looking for a meal.
This is one of the few places on earth where this spontaneously happens. There are strict rules in place to protect the dolphins, but littlies love the experience.
If you are a guest of the resort the experience is free, otherwise you can get a dolphin feeding package.
Quad bike around the island
Jump on a quad bike and explore the beach and through the bushland of Tangalooma on an ATV tour.
Professional guides will assist you, regardless of your experience, and will provide you with the basic skills to handle yourself on the tracks.
The tour takes you on the beach and over sand dunes in a fantastic experience like no other.
LAMB ISLAND
Explore the second smallest island in Southern Moreton Bay
Lamb Island is the second smallest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.
The island is easily navigable, has its own general store, recreation club and a swimming enclosure for cooling off.
COOCHIEMUDLO
Take the family over for a swim at Coochiemudlo Island.
You can almost walk to Coochie at low tide, just don't try it - soft mud/sand will make the 200m-odd hike from the mainland a nightmare.
But there are regular, cheap ferry services (bring your Gocard).
It’s a seven-minute ferry ride from Victoria Point with services about every half an hour.
You can take the car ferry but the island is so small there is no need.
Main Beach is where most visitors hang out - a lovely sandy beach popular with day trippers and anglers.
Coochie Boat Hire has small boats, pedal boats etc for short-term hire.
You can walk around the island to more secluded beaches in an hour or less, or cycle around.
Have a bite to eat at The Curlew cafe
The Curlew Cafe, on Coochiemudlo Island, is a great spot for a cake and coffee, with several other hospitality outlets as well.
Choose from their delicious all day brekkie options, seafood, burgers, toasted wraps and sandwiches, open grill or stick around for their Italian styled menu on Friday’s with creamy pastas, fresh seafood and more.
KARRAGARRA ISLAND
Explore the serenity of Karragarra Island
A tiny island nestled between Russell and Macleay Island, Karragarra is an ideal place for day trips.
Take a passenger or vehicle ferry from Weinam Creek Marina, Redland Bay and enjoy a picnic or barbecue on the sandy beach and swim in the netted enclosure near the jetty with the family.
Just 2km long and only 500m wide, there are no shops on Karragarra Island, which allows you to take on the pleasure of escaping from the real world and entering a realm of relaxation and rejuvenation.
There are barbecues, picnic tables, shade and public amenities available to watch the sun go down.
VOTE FOR YOUR #1 PLACE TO VISIT IN THE MORETON ISLANDS
Cast your vote in the poll below to find out the favourite place to visit in the Moreton Islands.
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