Moreton Island is a long sand island in Moreton Bay, 75 to 90 minutes by ferry from Brisbane, with shipwreck snorkelling, giant sandhills, freshwater lagoons and more than 420 km of unsealed beach and tracks. Its Quandamooka name is Mulgumpin, and its official park name is Gheebulum Kunungai (Moreton Island) National Park.
You can come for a day on a ferry with no car, or take a 4WD across on the Micat barge and camp on the beach. Either way there are no sealed roads and no public transport on the island, so a little planning makes the trip.
Getting to Moreton Island
There is no bridge, so every trip starts with a booking. Two ferry services cover most visitors.
The Micat vehicle ferry
The Micat carries 4WDs and foot passengers from 14 Howard Smith Drive at the Port of Brisbane. The terminal is about 40 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD, and the closest train station is Wynnum North. Secure terminal parking is from $20 a day, with limited pre-booking that often sells out on weekends. The crossing takes about 90 minutes and the barge lands on the western side of the island near Middle Road, close to the Tangalooma Wrecks.
The service is demand based. Busy periods can run up to five sailings a day, quiet periods usually have no Wednesday service, one daily sailing on most days and two on Fridays and Sundays. Gates open one hour before departure. Bookings are essential for passengers and vehicles, and the operator suggests booking walk-on tickets about a week ahead (two weeks in school holidays), 4WD trips on a weekend or long weekend at least four weeks ahead, and September, Easter and Christmas school holidays up to six months ahead. The operator is Moreton Island Adventures, and fares are on its Micat page.
The barge turnaround is about four hours including loading, so a day trip from Brisbane leaves a good stretch on the island. Walk-on passengers are limited to three pieces of luggage, such as an esky, chair or backpack.
The Tangalooma passenger ferry
Tangalooma Island Resort runs launches from Holt Street Wharf, 220 Holt Street, Pinkenba, about 20 minutes by car from the CBD. The crossing takes about 75 minutes. Check-in is at least one hour before departure and pre-booking is required. This is a passenger ferry only, not a vehicle barge. Day visitors book a day cruise, and the resort lists the current prices and times on its website.
The wharf car park costs $20 a vehicle per day, paid on arrival, and cannot be pre-booked. There are no public bus or train services to the wharf, according to Tangalooma. The resort sells shuttle transfers from selected Brisbane and Gold Coast hotels.
For the resort itself, see our Tangalooma guide.
The Tangalooma Wrecks and snorkelling
A line of old ships sits just off the beach on the western coast, and they are the island’s most visited spot. The wrecks are close to the Micat landing, or about a 15 to 20 minute walk north of the resort along the sand. Our Tangalooma Wrecks guide covers the snorkelling in detail.
Sunset Safaris runs guided tours on the island that include shipwreck snorkelling, sandboarding and transparent kayaking, and Moreton Island Adventures lists them with its day trip. Check where they depart from when you book. If you are self-guided, bring your own snorkel gear.
Dolphins, whales and sand tobogganing
Wild bottlenose dolphins come to the Tangalooma jetty at dusk, around 7 pm in summer and 6 pm in winter. Dolphin feeding is part of the resort’s Dolphin Feeding Cruises, and the Dolphin Viewing cruise lets guests watch from the jetty.
The whale watching season runs from June to October. Sand tobogganing down the dunes is the resort’s Desert Safari, and it is physically demanding. Check the options before you book, because the standard day cruise and the whale watching cruise leave the resort at 4 pm, before the dolphins arrive.
Driving on Moreton Island
The island is all sand with no sealed roads, so only 4WD vehicles are allowed to travel on it. A vehicle permit is mandatory for driving on the island.
- Speed: the maximum is 60 km/h and the limit is 30 km/h near the Micat, the Wrecks, the Ben-Ewa campground and Bulwer.
- Tyres: many locals drop to around 18 PSI, though all vehicles are different. Air hoses on the Micat let you re-inflate before the return trip.
- Tides: low tide is the best time to travel. Avoid driving within two hours either side of high tide. The eastern beach is extremely tidal, so travel to Kooringal only on a mid tide or lower.
- Creeks: cross creeks slowly, at walking pace, and never stop in a creek bed.
- Night driving: the operator recommends avoiding it.
Permits are booked through Mulgumpin Camping, which is owned and operated by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation. You can buy a vehicle access permit on its own or with a camp site. Call (07) 3506 2371 or use the contact form on the Mulgumpin Camping website. Current fees are listed there.
Camping on Moreton Island
Moreton Island camping is popular beach camping in South East Queensland. The campgrounds and zones are Ben-Ewa, Blue Lagoon, Comboyuro Point, North-East Zone, North-West Zone, North Point, South-East Zone, South-West Zone, The Wrecks and Yellow Patch.
- You must book before you arrive. There is no self-registration on the island.
- Show the camping tag with your booking number at your site at all times.
- Only one vehicle is allowed per camp site, and you must camp in the campgrounds and zones listed above.
- Natural wood cannot be collected in the national park, so bring your own firewood. Our campfire rules guide explains Queensland fire bans and permits.
New to camping? Read camping with kids and camping on a budget. More options are on the camping page.
Cape Moreton and the island’s sights
Cape Moreton Light, at the northern end, was first lit in 1857 and is the oldest lighthouse in Queensland. A 4WD is needed to reach it. Mount Tempest, the island’s highest point at 280 m, is reputedly the highest stabilised coastal sandhill in the world.
Blue Lagoon is the largest of the island’s freshwater lakes, with Honeyeater Lake, Dolphin Lake and Lake Trusiak also on the island. The settlements are Bulwer, Cowan Cowan and Kooringal, and Tangalooma is a private resort.
Is Moreton Island dog friendly?
No. Moreton Island is a national park and pets are not allowed in it. Tangalooma also does not allow pets. Pets are allowed in the island’s townships, which sit within the Brisbane City Council area. If you are camping with a dog, camping with dogs lists places in South East Queensland where you can.
Planning your visit
- How long: a day trip gives you the wrecks, snorkelling and a beach. A 4WD camping trip needs two nights or more to be worth the ferry.
- Best time: whale watching runs June to October. Dolphin feeding is at dusk all year.
- Food and fuel: Castaways in Bulwer sells ice, petrol and diesel in 20 litre jerry cans (which must be returned), and may have firewood in stock. Ice is also sold at the Micat terminal and on board. The Tangalooma shop, restaurants and bars are for resort guests only.
- Mobile reception: it varies across the island, and Telstra generally offers the best coverage and other networks can be limited.
- Accessibility: Tangalooma is wheelchair friendly with ramps and accessible toilets. The rest of the island is soft sand with no sealed roads.
- What to bring: a hat, reef-safe sunscreen, drinking water, a change of clothes, snorkel gear and cash or a card for the shop.
Nearby
- Tangalooma – the resort, jetty and dolphin feeding.
- Tangalooma Wrecks – the sunken ships you can snorkel.
- Russell Island – a quieter Moreton Bay island reached by ferry.
- Bongaree, Bribie Island – the island you can drive to.
- Islands and Moreton Island – more places to visit.
Quick answers
How do you get to Moreton Island from Brisbane?
By ferry only. The Micat vehicle ferry leaves the Port of Brisbane and takes about 90 minutes. The Tangalooma passenger ferry leaves Holt Street Wharf at Pinkenba and takes about 75 minutes.
Do you need a 4WD on Moreton Island?
To drive on the island, yes. There are no sealed roads, and only 4WD vehicles are allowed. You also need a vehicle access permit. You can visit without a vehicle as a foot passenger on a ferry or day cruise.
Can you take dogs to Moreton Island?
No. Pets are not allowed in the national park, and Tangalooma does not allow pets either.
Can you do Moreton Island as a day trip?
Yes. The Micat turnaround is about four hours including loading, and Tangalooma runs day cruises with options such as dolphin feeding and whale watching in season.
Where can you camp on Moreton Island?
At ten campgrounds and zones, including Ben-Ewa, Blue Lagoon, The Wrecks and Yellow Patch. Book a camping permit before you arrive through Mulgumpin Camping.
Are there shops on Moreton Island?
Castaways in Bulwer sells ice and fuel in jerry cans. Pack the rest of what you need before you board.
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