A Visitor’s Guide to Stradbroke Island
Stradbroke Island is an amazing and popular tourist destination just north of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. It has on offer both the wonders of the ocean as well as relaxation on land. Accommodation on North Stradbroke island is great and usually entails staying in a rented cabin that is similar to taking your own house on holiday!
With the sand mining industry on the island being wound down the island is also becoming a perfect spot for nature lovers. The large sand island will soon feature a massive national park which will encompass all of the old sand mining areas as well as the current national parks.
Getting There
Getting to Stradbroke is very easy and it is only an hour or two from Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia. You can take the passenger and vehicle ferries (there are a few to choose) from Cleveland through to Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island. The cost is not too high and you can take a car, 4WD or even a bus if you needed to. Be aware that the costs for vehicles is higher than just going on the ferry without a car.
The trip is quite pleasant and you will not be going out into open, rough seas. This is because Cleveland (the departure point) and the destination of Dunwich will be protected in Moreton bay. So don’t worry if you get a little seasick as it is a short and steady journey.
Where to Stay
Staying on the island gives you a lot of variety and opportunity on your holiday. The best option is to rent a cabin on Stradbroke Island especially if you have a family or a large group of friends. This is the most economical and comfortable way to stay on the island. Even if you have a cabin you might want to spend a night camping on the beach which is easy to do on the island.
Be aware that you will have to book the camping sites and this can be done with park rangers in advance or when you need it. While there is a lot of accommodation on the island be sure you book everything in advance especially in busy seasons. The are is quite popular for surfing, fishing, whale watching and four wheel driving so you never know when it will get busy!
Family Friendly Activities
The island has lots of family friendly activities including swimming, bush walking and other out in nature adventures. It is also a good idea to come between June and October sop you and the children can witness the whales passing by. They can be easily viewed on land where you can have a picnic at Lookout Point and do some whale watching at the same time.
Adventure Activities
The island has fantastic fishing on offer and this can be done on the beaches and other areas from land or simply on a charter boat (or your own boat if you have one). It is also a popular surf spot with some great breaks off point lookout and other areas to enjoy. The island also offers the usual water sport activities such as jet skis, kayaks and much much more!