Day Trip to North Stradbroke Island, Australia

jana meerman stradbroke island brisbane (10)

Stradbroke Island is split into two parts: North and South. North Stradbroke Island is the more popular of the two, a delightful island getaway with stunning beaches and a laidback lifestyle. Heading over to "Straddie" as the locals call it is the perfect way to escape busy Brisbane.

Brisbane is Australia's third-largest city (after Melbourne and Sydney) and the capital of Queensland, the northeastern-most state in Australia, and home to about 2.8 million people.

I am currently solo traveling around Australia, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport.

For over 20,000 years, the Quandamooka people have lived on the island, long before Europeans arrived, calling it Minjerribah.

The first Europeans to map the area were the Portuguese, French and Dutch in the mid-16th century. Point Lookout, Cape Moreton and Moreton Bay were named by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770 when he sailed the coast in HMS Endeavour. Matthew Flinders and his men were led to fresh water in the area by local Aboriginals in 1803. However, the first recorded settlement was not until 1825 with the establishment of a pilot station to guide ships to the Moreton Bay penal settlement on the mainland.

The first tourism started in 1935 with the launch of the Hayles Cruises passenger ferry between Brisbane and Amity Point but this ended less than a decade later with the outbreak of the Second World War. Tourism returned in 1964 with the launch of the car barge between Cleveland and Dunwich. The island was returned to the Aboriginals by the Australian government in 2011.

→ Learn the history of Stradbroke Island.

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Heading to Australia? Every single spot (and more) that I mention in all my blog posts about Australia (including its three external territories) can be found in my Ultimate Australia Map!

This is a digital map featuring hundreds of my favourite:

restaurants and cafés
campgrounds and accommodations
shops
photo spots
museums and galleries
beaches and lakes
places to see animals
bridges and viewpoints
hikes
snorkeling spots
AND SO MUCH MORE!

Each pin includes the exact location (plus the ability to open it directly in Google Maps), lots of photos for inspiration, detailed information to help you visit the spot plus a link to my relevant blog post to read lots more about it.

Useful Information for North Stradbroke Island

Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to North Stradbroke Island. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.

Language: The official language of Australia is English. On North Stradbroke Island, the traditional language of the Quandamooka people is Jandai.

→ Learn more about the language of the Quandamooka people.

Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!

→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.

Data/WiFi: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.

→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.

If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.

Free WiFi is available on North Stradbroke Island at libraries and some restaurants and other businesses.

Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.

→ Check which visa you need for Australia.

Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. North Stradbroke Island, off the coast of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, can get very hot and busy in the summer, especially around school holidays, and cool in the winter months. I recommend visiting in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May) for pleasant, sunny days.

How to Get to North Stradbroke Island

By passenger ferry: The Stradbroke Water Taxi departs Stradbroke Ferry Terminal every hour at five minutes to the hour starting at 4:55am and ending at 6:55pm with a crossing of about 25 minutes. At the time of writing, a roundtrip ticket cost AUD $14 which you can book at the ticket office or on board in cash.

You can reach the ferry terminal from Brisbane by train to Cleveland Station with a transfer to bus 271, a journey of about an hour and a half. Driving takes just under an hour.

By vehicle ferry: If you want to take your car to North Stradbroke Island, you can take the SeaLink vehicle ferry departing every hour or hour and a half between 6am and 4:30pm.

How to Get Around North Stradbroke Island

By car: If you bring your own vehicle across on the vehicle ferry, you can drive around the paved roads of North Stradbroke Island.

By bus: An island bus is timed with the arrival and departure of the passenger ferry which travels around the main highlights of the island between Amity and Point Lookout. The bus from Dunwich Ferry Terminal to Point Lookout takes about 20 minutes and cost AUD $9.60 at the time of writing for a return ticket. Make sure to check the bus schedule so you don't miss the last ferry!

Best Things to Do on North Stradbroke Island

The main reason people come to North Stradbroke Island whether for a day or for longer is to have a proper island escape. The beaches are stunning and you'll always find people surfing, swimming, diving and snorkeling.

In Point Lookout, enjoy the delightful boutique shops and restaurants. Then, take on the 1.5km North Gorge Walk, a stunning coastal walk past Frenchman's Beach and other incredible viewpoints over the stunning ocean. If you're lucky, you'll even spot manta rays and turtles swimming below!

GET READY TO TRAVEL!

— Book tours and experiences - with GetYourGuide

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— Find a place to stay - with Booking.com

— Choose a hostel to stay at - with Hostelworld

— Purchase global travel insurance - with World Nomads

— Load an international eSim on your phone - with AirAlo

— Start your own travel blog - with Hostinger

— Join the GetYourGuide Travel Creator Community - with GetYourGuide

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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