South Stradbroke Island: Getting There, Tipplers and Camping

South Stradbroke Island is a long, narrow sand island about 21 km from end to end, just north of The Spit on the Gold Coast, and you can only get there by boat. There are no cars, no roads and hundreds of wild wallabies, so a trip here is a day on the beach or a camping weekend rather than a drive.

Most people go to Tipplers, the busiest of the three council campgrounds, with its cafe, kiosk and netted swimming area. The island lies about 200 metres north of the northernmost point of The Spit, so you can see it from the Seaway.

How to get to South Stradbroke Island

There is no bridge or vehicle ferry. The ways across are a private or hire boat, a water taxi, a jet ski, a seaplane or a local cruise boat.

Tipplers ferry and water taxi from Jacobs Well

Tipplers Ferry runs transfers from Jacobs Well, and the crossing takes about 20 to 30 minutes depending on the listing. Book through the Tipplers team on 07 5577 2849 or at [email protected]. Fares and timetables are not published on the campground pages, so confirm the days, times and fare when you book.

Water taxis can also carry you and your camping gear, and can drop you on the beach in front of a Currigee campsite. Book these through the Tipplers team as well.

Jacobs Well is on the northern edge of the Gold Coast. See our Jacobs Well guide for the boat ramp and foreshore park.

Your own boat

If you have your own boat, the campground pages list five ramps with vehicle and trailer parking: Jacobs Well, Ray Street and Howard Street at Runaway Bay, Jasmine Avenue at Hollywell, and Paradise Point Boat Harbour. From Runaway Bay Marina the crossing to the Currigee campgrounds takes about 5 minutes.

What about Couran Cove?

Couran Cove is a private resort and residential community on the island, and it is not a reliable way to visit. Its power, water, gas and sewerage have been cut off since 2023 over a debt dispute, and ABC News reported in March 2026 that the Supreme Court had upheld a ruling that keeps them off. A property listing describes the resort as closed, but no official page confirms whether any visitor service runs, so check before you go. Plan your trip around Tipplers or the Currigee campgrounds, which have current booking pages.

Tipplers: cafe, kiosk and swimming

Tipplers is the social end of the island. It has beachfront campsites, island shacks, barbecue areas, a playground, a volleyball court and ping pong tables (the ping pong is free).

A licensed cafe is about 400 metres north of the campground, open seven days, and reception is at the cafe from 8 am to 6 pm. The kiosk is open daily from 9 am to 3 pm and sells water, ice, firewood and basic groceries.

The netted swimming area is about 300 metres north of the campground, and there is a pontoon. Dogs are not allowed in the swimming enclosure.

Camping on South Stradbroke Island

The council runs three campgrounds on the island, all booked through Gold Coast Tourist Parks. Each has its own feel.

• Tipplers: beachfront campsites and island shacks, with a cafe, kiosk and hot showers. The surf beach is a 1 km walk. Up to 6 people can stay on a site.
• North Currigee: tent camping only, with 29 campsites in a protected inlet on the Broadwater side. It has hot showers, toilets, a sheltered picnic area and a pontoon, and the surf beach is about 800 metres away. It has no site office or kiosk, and fees are paid at the South Currigee site office.
• South Currigee: waterfront campsites, island shacks and a self-contained 2-bedroom cabin, with barbecues, a playground and a kiosk selling ice, firewood, bait and basic supplies.

The council’s pages do not divide the campgrounds into named zones, so book by campground and site type.

Rules to know before you go

• Check-in is 11 am and check-out is 10 am.
• Campfires are allowed only in the provided fire rings, and you must sign the campfire waiver before you arrive.
• Generators are not allowed.
• Quiet time is 10 pm to 7 am, and day visitors at Tipplers must leave by 10 pm.
• Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult to the showers and toilets.
• Do not feed the wildlife.

Campground water comes from a bore. It is safe for showers and washing dishes but not for drinking, so bring drinking water or buy it at the kiosk. There is no Wi-Fi, but most areas have mobile and 5G coverage.

New to camping? Our guides to camping with kids and camping etiquette cover the basics.

Is South Stradbroke Island dog friendly?

No. Dogs and cats are not allowed on the island’s regional park or at any of the three City of Gold Coast campgrounds, and dogs are banned from the Tipplers swimming enclosure and from within 200 metres of flagged swimming areas. If your dog is coming, try The Spit, which has an off-leash beach on the mainland side.

Surfing, swimming and wildlife

The ocean beaches are not patrolled and swimming is not recommended. Swim in the netted area at Tipplers, or use a patrolled mainland beach such as Surfers Paradise.

The island has one of the best open beach breaks on the Australian east coast, with fast waves that attract experienced riders. If you are in doubt, do not paddle out.

Hundreds of wild wallabies live on the island, and they often turn up beside campers’ fires. Humpback whales pass offshore on their winter migration.

Planning your visit

• How long: a day trip needs the ferry times to work, so check the return before you go; campers usually stay a night or more.
• What to bring: drinking water, a torch, firewood if you do not want to buy it at the kiosk, sunscreen, insect repellent and food for the days the cafe or kiosk is shut.
• Cost: fees are paid at booking and are not published on the campground pages, so check the booking page. Table tennis at Tipplers is free.
• Lockers: day lockers can be hired from reception at Tipplers and South Currigee.
• Accessibility: Tipplers has an accessible toilet in each of the gents and ladies, and the cafe has a fully accessible toilet. North Currigee’s pontoon gangway is narrow and its amenities block is not suitable for guests with special access needs.

Getting there and parking

Jacobs Well is about 50 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD (about 57 km). The Tipplers ferry leaves from there, and the Jacobs Well ramp is one of the five ramps with vehicle and trailer parking listed by the campgrounds. Council’s park page does not list parking fees or time limits.

By public transport, take the train to Pimpama station and then bus 733 to the Kumgum Street stop at Lions Park, Jacobs Well. Check the Translink route 733 timetable or call 13 12 30, and allow time to meet your ferry.

There is no way across from The Spit by land or by public ferry. The island is a short boat ride from the Seaway end, but the crossing is for private boats, water taxis and cruises only.

Bookings and rules are on the Tipplers campground page. Details can change, so check before you go.

Nearby

• Jacobs Well – the departure point, with a four-lane boat ramp, jetty and foreshore park.
• The Spit Gold Coast – the beach, dog beach and walks on the island’s southern doorstep.
• Hope Island – canal parks and a river swimming spot on the mainland.
• Sanctuary Cove – a marina village on the northern Gold Coast.
• Paradise Point – a Broadwater beach and park, and one of the boat ramps.
• North Stradbroke Island – the bigger island, further north, with a vehicle ferry.

Browse more islands and camping spots on the Gold Coast.

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