The best activities on Stradbroke Island - North Straddie Guide
The best activities on Stradbroke Island - North Straddie Guide
If you are looking for the best activities on North Stradbroke Island, then you have probably already heard of the epic surf, nature and the beaches of the island. Straddie is one of these places that define Southeast Queensland. It has some of the most diverse wild animals in the region, is quite quiet all year round and has some amazing landscapes that you shouldn't miss.
Many people who visit North Stradbroke Island are looking for adventures and wild animals, but have not yet planned their trip. Here is a full list with some of the best activities on North Stradbroke Island.
Arrival to Stradbroke Island
To get to North Stradbroke Island, you have to take a ferry from the mainland. The island can best be reached by ferry from Toondah Harbor in Cleveland. There are large car ferries that run from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every hour. The costs are around $ 60 for a car and $ 7 per passenger and crossing.
The entire trip from Cleveland to Dunwich takes only 30 minutes. Here you will find the schedule and ticketing.
or book a full-day tour from Brisbane for less than $ 160 per person with free lunch and transport
Transportation on Stradbroke
The absolutely best way to move and explore Stradbroke Island is by car. If you have a 4 × 4, you can even buy a stranding permit to drive on the long white sandy beaches. In my opinion it is worth it and is definitely one of the best things you can do on Stradbroke Island.
Price for 4 × 4 beach access permits: Offroad 4x4 beach access permits can be purchased online and cost $ 46.80 per vehicle registration.
The income flow into the preservation of the island's natural areas. You can purchase the approval online or in the following jobs.
- Straddie Camping reservation office
- Amity Point Camping
- campsite on the cylinder beach
- Adder Rock Campingplatz
If you don't have a vehicle, there are local buses that drive from Dunwich to Point Lookout about every 30 minutes.
Do you want to go to Cairns? Read: 21 Best things in Cairns
The best activities on Straddie
The privilege of living in the southeast of Queensland for a year gave me the opportunity to visit Stradbroke Island a few times. In the following I wrote about some of the absolutely best activities on Stradbroke Island.
Surf
It is no secret that many people visit Straddie to surf. There are several beaches on the east side of the island with good surfbreaks. The most popular surf spot on Straddie is the northern tip of the Main Beach, right next to the Point Lookout Surf Club. The main beach is a huge white sandy beach that extends over 32 km. There are flags on the north side of the beach and it is guarded by lifeguards in the summer months.
Related: Mount Beerwah Climb-summit hike in the Glass House Mountains
Look at South Gorge Beach
right next to the northern end of the Main Beach, on the other side of the Point Lookout Surf Club, there is a small gorge with a private beach. In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful corners of the island and is perfect for swimming and snorkeling.
meet the local kangaroos
on North Stradbroke Island there is kangaroos and wallabies everywhere. They love to hang up under rubber trees near the cliffs. Due to increasing tourism, most kangaroos are tame on stradbroke and let yourself approach and sit next to them while eating.
where you can find kangaroos on north stradbroke Island
The best places to watch kangaroos on North Stradbroke Island are near Cylinder Headland Foreshore and along North Gorge Walk. If you walk around the land tongues, you will see them on the small spots directly on the cliffs.
The marine biodiversity of Stradbroke Island is incredible. You can watch huge mantarochets from the many high cliffs and viewpoints in the northeast of the island.
The best place to swim with Mantaroche on North Stradbroke Island is at the Frenchman’s beach. Although they are more difficult to recognize from the beach, they can see the mantas from the headland directly above the southern end of the beach if they only want to observe from a distance.
You can often watch mantas directly off the coast on South Gorge Beach. However, they usually do not stay here for too long, and if you want to take a longer look at it, I recommend that you try your luck on the French or on the headland.
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go around the north gorge
The North Gorge Walk is one of Straddie's high -age activities. It is a fairly short walk around the headland, starting either at Headland Park or directly on the main street opposite Oceanic Gelati.
The hike leads around the headland, through paths and wooden walkways. The view of the gorge is spectacular, with turquoise blue water that falls into the steep cliffs underneath.
observe rays, sharks and turtles from the cliffs
During North Gorge Walk you can often watch different sharks, large sea turtles and mantarochets from the cliffs. On a quiet, sunny day you will easily recognize the dark figures that swim freely below them. The best place to look for them is at the top of the southern headland. Here you also have a look at the Main Beach and the Southern Gorge Beach.
Do not miss the Tangalooma wrecks on the neighboring island of Moreton: Read more
drive on the beach
If you have a 4x4 or off-road vehicle, it is one of the best things you can do on Stradbroke Island to drive to the beach. Although you need approval as mentioned above, it is worth it, especially if you can divide the costs within your group.
The largest sandy beach is located on the Main Beach, which extends over 32 km from north to south on the east side of Straddie. With a 4x4 you can also reach the most remote parts of this beach.
Spend the night at Camping
If you want to spend more than just one day on the island, it is best to sleep under the stars. Although free camping is not allowed on the island anywhere, there are several campsites with cheap rental places.
One of the best campsites is the Cylinder Beach Camp Ground. Here you will find protection under eucalyptus trees just 10 m from the beach. There are also parking spaces with a power connection and parking spaces for caravans. You can either book online or pay when you arrive, depending on the availability of the locations.
swim in the brown lake (bunmel lake)
Brown Lake is a swimming area that can best be reached from the port city of Dunwich. The lake retains its water due to an ancient accumulation of leaves and other organic material that lines the lake floor. The water also has a rich tea color that is colored brown from the tea trees that surround it. Many make the trip for a short bathroom and to suck up the clean tea water.
On paved and unpaved roads, the journey takes about 15 minutes. It is also the only lake for swimming on North Stradbroke Island. The smaller blue lake is protected by laws of the old Aborigines that prohibit swimming.
Stop through the small local cities
on North Stradbroke Island only 2026 people live. When arriving in the most important port city of Dunwich, you will immediately appreciate the small town atmosphere. There is a handful of small shops and cafés as well as a local rugby field directly opposite the ferry terminal.
If you have time, Amity Point is also worth a visit to the northwestern corner of Straddie. Likewise, there are only a few small Fish and chips shops and a park. From the coast, however, you have a beautiful view of the interior of Moreton Bay. There are also swimming areas with nets, as there are undoubtedly many sharks that patrol this part of the bank.
Discover the whales without leaving the coast
Every year there is a huge migration of humpback whales on the coast of Australia. One of the best places to watch whales is Stradbroke Island because it is relatively far from the mainland. The whales move north to the warm coastal waters from the end of April to August to mate and give birth. You can also see how to return south from September to November.
The best place to watch whales on North Stradbroke Island is from Southern Headland near North Gorge Walk. Another great place for whale watching is the sand on Frenchman’s beach. We discovered dozens of whales without looking for them while we chilled on the beach and walked through the north gorge.
Stradbroke is one of my favorite destinations in the southeast of Queensland. There is no lack of adventure and nature to discover. If you are looking for other epic islands in the southeast of Queensland, you will find a full list of travel guides and blogs here.
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