North Stradbroke Island, known as Straddie and by its Quandamooka name Minjerribah, is a sand island in Moreton Bay with surf beaches, whale watching, freshwater lakes and beach camping. It is about 38 km long and 11 km wide, and you reach it by ferry from Cleveland.
Most visitors base themselves in one of three towns: Dunwich (Goompi) where the ferries land, Amity Point (Pulan) and Point Lookout (Mooloomba) on the ocean side. You can do it as a day trip on foot with a water taxi and a bus, or take a 4WD across and camp on the beach.
Getting to North Stradbroke Island
All ferries leave from Toondah Harbour in Cleveland and land at Dunwich. There is no bridge.
- Passenger water taxis: about 25 minutes across. The Stradbroke Flyer lands at One Mile Jetty on Yabby Street, Dunwich, and the SeaLink water taxi lands at the pontoon on Junner Street.
- Vehicle ferries: SeaLink runs car barges, and the trip takes 45 to 50 minutes. Bookings are highly recommended for vehicles. Timetables can change without notice, so check SeaLink before you go.
Fares and current timetables are on the operators’ websites, and the island’s tourism site links both.
Other Moreton Bay islands also need a ferry: see Coochiemudlo Island (from Victoria Point), Russell Island and Moreton Island.
Point Lookout: beaches and the Gorge Walk
Point Lookout is the headland at the island’s north-eastern tip, and it is where most day visitors go. Its beaches are Main Beach, Cylinder Beach and Frenchmans Beach, and the Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club patrols Main Beach and Cylinder Beach. Read the Point Lookout guide for the town and the Cylinder Beach guide for the most popular swimming beach.
The Gorge Walk follows the headland and is one of the best places on the island to watch for dolphins, turtles, manta rays (November to February) and humpback whales. Redland City Council describes it as one of the best land-based vantage points in Australia for this. Humpback whales pass from June to November.
Dunwich and Amity Point
Dunwich is where you land, and it has a swimming enclosure near Ron Stark Oval, and a skate bowl park. The Quandamooka Arts and Culture Centre is on the bus route between Dunwich and Amity Point.
Amity Point is a quieter settlement with its own swimming enclosure, a jetty and a campground. The beach outside the enclosure is not patrolled.
Lakes and the national park
Naree Budjong Djara National Park covers about half the island. Blue Lake (Kaboora) sits in the dunes inside it, and the walk to the lake is 5.2 km return with a medium level of fitness needed. Bring a hat and water. Brown Lake (Bummiera) is the other well-known freshwater lake.
Dogs are not allowed in the national park, including Blue Lake, or at Brown Lake.
Camping on North Stradbroke Island
Minjerribah Camping runs the campground bookings and vehicle permits, on behalf of Redland City Council. The campgrounds are at Dunwich (Adam’s Beach, Bradbury’s Beach), Amity Point and Point Lookout (Adder Rock, Cylinder Beach, Home Beach), and they have shelter, toilet and shower blocks, barbecues and cooking facilities.
Beach camping is on Flinders Beach (200 sites) and the southern end of Main Beach (300 sites). Both are reached by 4WD or on foot, and have almost no facilities. There are limited composting toilets at Flinders Beach Tracks 3, 5 and 7.
- Book and pay before you arrive. Rangers cannot take camping fees.
- Camp sites check in at 11 am and check out at 10 am. Cabins, glamping and eco tents check in at 2 pm.
- Only small cooking fires are allowed in foreshore camping areas, and only if there is no fire ban. Bring your own firewood, because you cannot collect wood or driftwood. Our campfire rules guide explains fire bans.
- Dogs are allowed at the Flinders Beach and Main Beach camping areas on a leash.
Book through Minjerribah Camping. For more places to camp see the camping page, camping with kids and camping with dogs.
4WD permits and beach driving
You need a vehicle access permit to drive on Main Beach and Flinders Beach, and only 4WDs are allowed. All-wheel-drive vehicles, motorbikes and quad bikes are not permitted. Permits last one month or one year, and you can buy them online or at the campground offices, which are open 8 am to 4 pm every day.
- Speed: 40 km/h on Flinders Beach and 60 km/h on Main Beach.
- Tides: do not drive for two hours either side of high tide.
- Drop-offs: both beaches have drop-offs of 30 cm or more, and washouts happen, especially at the Adder Rock end.
- Entrances: some can be soft, rough or impassable, so check the beach conditions report first.
Is North Stradbroke Island dog friendly?
Partly. Dogs can travel on both the water taxi and the vehicle ferry. They must be on a leash on Main Beach, Frenchmans Beach and Flinders Beach, and they are banned at Cylinder Beach, in front of swimming enclosures and in the national park.
There are two off-leash areas: Home Beach at Point Lookout, in front of the Point Lookout Hotel, and the Skatebowl Park on Barton Street in Dunwich. Neither has drinking water or shelter.
Planning your visit
- How long: a day trip covers Point Lookout and the Gorge Walk. Stay two nights or more for Blue Lake and the beach camping.
- Best time: whale season runs from June to November. Summer suits swimming.
- Accessibility: accessible bathrooms and ramps are at Amity Point, Adder Rock, Cylinder Beach and the Flinders Beach drop toilets.
- What to bring: a hat, sunscreen, water, a leash if you have a dog, and your own firewood if you are camping.
Getting there and parking
Toondah Harbour is about 40 to 50 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD, about 30 km away. There are hundreds of public car spaces near the harbour, but some areas have time limits and some spaces are shared with boat trailers. Read the signs carefully to avoid a fine. Redland City Council also opens free temporary overflow parking in peak holiday periods, and lists the dates on its Toondah Harbour parking page.
By public transport, take a train or bus to Cleveland station. The Stradbroke Flyer runs a free shuttle bus from Cleveland station or the Cleveland Shops bus stop before its departures (some early and late services excluded), and a Transdev bus runs to the SeaLink ferries. Check the Translink journey planner.
On the island, Stradbroke Island Buses meet most water taxis. Route 880 runs between Dunwich and Point Lookout, stopping at Cylinder Beach, Frenchmans Beach and the Gorge Walk. Route 881 runs between Dunwich and Amity Point. Check current times with Translink.
Nearby
- Point Lookout – the headland, beaches and Gorge Walk.
- Cylinder Beach – the patrolled family beach.
- Coochiemudlo Island – a small island with a short ferry from Victoria Point.
- Victoria Point – another Redlands ferry port.
- Islands, North Stradbroke Island and beaches – more places to visit.
Quick answers
How do you get to North Stradbroke Island from Brisbane?
Drive or take a train or bus to Cleveland, then catch a ferry from Toondah Harbour to Dunwich. The water taxi takes about 25 minutes and the vehicle ferry 45 to 50 minutes.
Do you need a 4WD on North Stradbroke Island?
Only to drive on the beach. You need a 4WD and a vehicle access permit for Main Beach and Flinders Beach, and you can reach Point Lookout, Dunwich and Amity Point by road or by bus.
Can you take dogs to North Stradbroke Island?
Yes, on the ferries and on leash at most beaches. Dogs are banned in the national park, at Brown Lake and at Cylinder Beach, and off-leash is allowed only at Home Beach and the Dunwich Skatebowl Park.
Where can you swim?
Swim between the flags at Main Beach and Cylinder Beach in Point Lookout, or in the swimming enclosures at Dunwich and Amity Point.
Where can you camp?
At campgrounds in Dunwich, Amity Point and Point Lookout, and on the beach at Flinders Beach and Main Beach. Book and pay before you arrive.
When can you see whales?
Humpback whales pass from June to November. The Gorge Walk at Point Lookout is the best land-based spot.
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