North Stradbroke Island

North Stradbroke Island is an island off the coast 30 km south-east of Brisbane in South East Queensland.

Understand

Known as Straddie by the locals and Brisbane residents, North Stradbroke Island protects the shoreline of Southern Moreton Bay. North and South Stradbroke Islands where connected until a cyclone removed a block of unstable to create the Jumpinpin bar and separate the islands. (South Strabroke Island continues all the way to the Southport Seaway at Southport, on the Gold Coast)

Get in

The only way to get into the island is by ferry from Cleveland across Moreton Bay. There are three main ferries, all of them leaving Cleveland at the same point on the east side of Cleveland at the end of the bus line 258. Local buses at North Stradbroke meet most of the passenger-only ferries, but check with the bus company.

• Stradbroke Flyer, also called Gold Cats offers 14 daily passenger-only "water taxis". The trip takes approximately 25 minutes, cost is $13 one way and $19 return. There is a courtesy bus that links Cleveland rail station with the ferry terminal for the ferries from 6:55am to 6:25pm.
• Stradbroke Ferries has two types of ferries, a large vehicle ferry (11 daily services, $135 return) and a smaller water taxi for passengers only (12 daily services, $12 single, $17 return). Travel time is about 50 minutes.
• Big Red Cat offers 8 daily car ferries and accepts passengers as well. Their ferries sell food and drinks. The trip is about 45 minutes and costs $5.5 one way and $11 return for passengers, and $135 return for cars. Note that local buses at North Stradbroke are not timed to meet this ferry, though since these ferries stop at the same place as the Stradbroke Ferries you can just wait (up to one hour) and catch the bus.

Fees and permits

If you are visiting Minjerribah Recreation Area, you will need a vehicle access permit fee. These can be booked on Minjerribah Camping's website. A 1-month permit for a car costs $57.80.

Get around

By car

By far the most convenient way to travel the island is by car. You can rent a car at Brisbane and take the car ferry, or rent it at North Stradbroke. Many accommodation options at the island have their own shuttle service so you don't need a car if you don't plan to move from your location.

Unlike a lot of the other islands of the region, North Stradbroke Island has bitumen roads, which makes it accessible by regular vehicles. You can, however, drive on Flinders Beach and Ocean Beach by four wheel drive vehicle provided you have the appropriate permit (it is not recommended to drive on the sand in all wheel drive vehicles!). You can also camp along Ocean Beach, but you will need to be self-sufficient as there are no facilities. You will also need a permit to camp, if choosing this option.

By taxi

There is a taxi van waiting on arrival of every ferry so you can use this as well.

By bus

Stradbroke Island Buses connect Dunwich with Point Lookout and Amity Point and are timed to meed most of the passenger-only ferries. A one-way ticket is $4.50, and a one-day pass is $9.

Group tour

Discover Stradbroke, Mintee St, Point Lookout, ☏ +61 7 34153949, bookings@discoverstradbroke.com.au. Discover Stradbroke run an island day tour. Includes fish & chips for lunch and whale watching. 

See

• 1 Point Lookout Foreshore. (updated Oct 2019)
  • Dolphins. Schools of dolphins can regularly be seen in the waters around Point Lookout. The best places to see them are in the waves of Frenchman's Beach, from the Point Lookout headland. 
  • Whales. From May until September, Point Lookout is one of the best land based whale watching locations in Australia. Get an ice-cream & set yourself up on the headland to watch the whales at play as they migrate. 
• 2 North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum. (updated Oct 2019)
• 3 Brown Lake. (updated Oct 2019)

Do

• 1 Naree Budjong Djara National Park. (updated Oct 2019)
• 2 Blue Lake National Park. (updated Oct 2019)

Scuba diving

Point Lookout offers some of the best scuba diving in the area and boasts the Manta Ray Bommie where Manta rays congregate, together with other large fish such as bull rays and (non-dangerous) leopard sharks. The Manta Lodge and Scuba Centre, at the Youth Hostel, is the local diving company and offers diving PADI courses.

Eat

• Fishes at the Point, Shop2, 15 East Coast Road, Point Lookout, ☏ +61 7 3415 3444. 

Sleep

• 1 Manta Lodge and Scuba Centre, 1 Eastcoast Road, Point Lookout (On the road to Point Lookout), ☏ +61 7 3409 8888. Check-out: 10am. The lodge belongs to YHA and offers dormitory accommodation and also has a double room and a twin room. This is a 5-star PADI dive center and resort that offers scuba diving trips and courses. It also offers snorkelling, 4WD tours, surfing and kayaking. 30. 
• 2 Discover Stradbroke, 23 Mooloomba Rd, Point Lookout, ☏ +61 7 3415 3949. Discover Stradbroke Accommodation have holiday rental houses and apartments at Point Lookout and Amity Point. Available for short stays and longer breaks. Luxury or budget accommodation to suit families, groups and couples. (updated May 2024)
• Whale Watch Resort, 7 Samarinda Drive, Point Lookout, ☏ +61 7 3409 8555, reservations@whalewatchresort.com.au. Stradbroke Island's Whale Watch Resort Apartments offer a Point Lookout holiday accommodation experience and feature spacious open plan kitchen, dining and living areas as well as covered decks off each bedroom. Whale Watch Resort offers stunning views of Main Beach & the Point Lookout surf club. 
• Claytons on Cylinder, 122 Mooloomba Road, Point Lookout. A premier holiday rental at Point Lookout. Clayton's apartments feature 3 and 4 bedroom split level townhouses, with direct access to the stunning family friendly Cylinder Beach.