Life’s a Beach! A Day on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland Australia

A surfer walks away from the waters at Main Beach, Stradbroke Island, Australia.

In from the Surf
Off the east coast of Australia, just 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of central Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), attracts surfers to the consistent waves coming off the Coral Sea. Nature-loving visitors are drawn to the pristine beaches, dramatic landscapes, and abundant wildlife.

I love an excuse to explore my own backyard!

I had driven up to Brisbane to participate in a friend’s birthday party, and decided to stay an extra day to visit nearby North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah). This had been on my “list” for a while. To keep life simple and take advantage of local knowledge, I decided to book a day trip.

This turned out to be a good plan, in spite of the very early start. Although North Stradbroke Island – or “Straddie” as locals call it – is only 30km (18.6mi) southeast of Brisbane, the ferry terminal is a 45 minute drive, and the SeaLink ferry only runs every hour or less. So, you want to be at the Cleveland terminal on time!

I made my trip-choice based on the itinerary, which promised a scenic walk and the possibility of koalas in the wild. Although seeing kangaroos (and even wombats and echidnas) are regular occurrences, I’ve only seen koalas outside reserves or zoos once before, in Cape Otway National Park (see: The Great Ocean Road).

The sub-tropical North Stradbroke is the world’s second-largest sand island; a fact which is not necessarily apparent when you are on it! Unlike the much larger UNESCO-listed Fraser Island (see: Weekly Wanders: Fraser Island) which requires a suitable 4WD, most of the more residential Straddie is accessible by normal passenger vehicle and paved roads. Except for the beautiful beaches, I kept forgetting we were on sand!

Come for a visit:

A Sealink Ferry in Toondah Harbour, Cleveland Queensland Australia

Cleveland : North Stradbroke Ferry
After collecting all our guests from around Brisbane, we arrived at Toondah Harbour in time for a coffee and a rest stop before boarding the vehicle ferry.

A mangrove in Moreton Bay, Cleveland Queensland Australia

Mangrove in the Harbour
Mangroves fascinate me! A vital part of the coastal ecosystem, these trees are uniquely adapted to thrive in saline or brackish water. Moreton Bay is a relatively shallow tidal lagoon with the kind of sandbanks and mudflats mangroves love; we are utilising one of the deeper shipping channels.

Into the Woods
Our first stop once we reach the island is at the southern start of Point Lookout Gorge Walk.

Through the Casuarinas
Australian pine – also known as she-oaks – are a beautiful native trees whose needles ‘sing’ in gentle winds.

Main Beach from the Boardwalk
As we walk around the point the views are stunning – and the colours change every minute.

The Colour of Water
Although the island is predominantly sand, there are a couple of notable rock outcrops – including the volcanic rhyolite here around Point Lookout.

Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service
If swimmers get into difficulty, or if sharks are spotted, there is help in the sky …

Surf Lifesaving Jet Ski
… and on the water.

Watchful Osprey
Meanwhile, a couple of eastern osprey (Pandion cristatus) keep a keen lookout for fish.

Pandanus over the Gorge
The colours change and deepen again as we reach a sharp gorge. All of the water and some of the land here is protected under the zones established within the Moreton Bay Marine Park.

Parasol Leaf Tree – Macaranga Tanarius

Rocks Under Water
Far below in the gorge, water rushes over partially submerged volcanic rock.

That Coastline!

Into the Mists
Looking north over Frenchman’s Beach and the rocky headland separating it from Deadman’s Beach, the colours are completely different.

Dolphins
A small pod of dolphins – probably Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) race through the waters below.

Eugaries – Big Pipis
Eugaries (or ugari) are edible saltwater clams (Donax deltoides), commonly called pipis in Australia. Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, the artist who installed these beautiful place-markers in the park at the other end of the Gorge Walk writes:
My artwork reflects the moment the low gentle waves bring the eugaries (shellfish) into a vertical position which then dig down and disappear within a second – sharing a truly special moment.

South Gorge Beach
After a lunch break, we drive back to the beaches for a chance to swim or sun or just people-watch. South Gorge Beach is directly under the path we walked before lunch. This protected cove is popular for swimming and snorkeling.

Watching Water on Main Beach
We head to the other side of the Main Beach Headland Reserve, to where Main Beach starts. This popular beach runs 32 kilometres (20 mi) down the east coast of the island, and offers powerful and consistent swells suitable for competent surfers.

Surf Rescue
Main Beach is patrolled, making it safer for swimmers. The volunteer surf lifesavers, in their distinctive red and yellow uniforms, are happy to pose for the camera.

Surf Rescue into the Waves
With their reflections shimmering in the sun, the lifesavers launch their Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) into the water.

Incoming Waves

Silver Gull – Chroicocephalus Novaehollandiae

At Water’s Edge
It’s hot, and watching the reflections play on the shallow waters is soporific.

Childlike Focus

Laughing Kookaburra – Dacelo Novaeguineae
The next portion of our day is a visit to Amity Point – one of the island’s three small townships – in search of wildlife. I never tire of seeing our iconic Australian kingfisher: the laughing kookaburra.