North Stradbroke Island

2-3 days is just enough to get around and see the sites on this lovely island. Depending on your accommodation it would be worth staying even longer if you can during this non-busy period of the year. Our highlights were the Gorge and Whale walks, Cylinder, Frenchmans and Flinders beaches. All very different and absolutely pristine with white sand and clear warm seas. Our accommodation was at Kangaroo Point which was literaly 3 minutes walk to Cylinder beach.

We found it all very casual on this island. No upmarket 5 star restaurants rather casual and budget friendly dining with friendly and professional staff. We recommend taking your food with you and doing lots of BBQ's or experience some of the fresh seafood shops for your outdoor dining.

We also recommend trying the Saint Stradbroke wine bar in Dunwich. They are open past 3pm and offer excellent service, wines, and coffee plus light meals. Right behind the Saint Stradbroke wine bar is also the Brewery, which is worth a visit as well.

The island offers great camping spots by the sea. Very handy to the ocean beaches if you prefer waves. There were no large hotel resorts or high-rise hotels we could find. The island manages to balance the crowds, the development, national park and natural aesthetic as well as you can find anywhere. Also, we loved that there were no fast-food restaurants on the island. The locals are very friendly and helpful, and it is an island that is very respectful to its indigenous owners, history, and visitors.

If you visit in the month of May, (during a non-school holiday period) you will find few tourists and plenty of parking and access to everything. So, we felt we had the beaches to ourselves. Incredibly quiet and beautiful with lots to explore. Amity Point was full of birdlife, with flat seas and lots of wilderness right up to the water. 4WD best for exploring there.

We discovered a golf course up in the middle of the island with some nice views as well. Brown lake was nice, but not amazing. Lookout Point was the jewel of the island. You will find some dog friendly beaches there and good access to the headland with its vast sturdy and winding wooden boardwalks that hug the coastline. Top on our list was the Cylinder, Gorge and Whale Walkways. We were enthralled by the beauty of the island. The Main Beach stretches thirty-eight klm long and 11 klm wide. 4 Wheel Driving is a must on this beach, however when we visited it was not permitted due to the high tides. On our brief stay we spotted lots of kangaroos; kookaburra's; wild dolphins; two wedge tail eagles; many sea birds and bush stone curlews. In summary a nature lovers haven. NOTE: Patchy internet across the island and please be mindful of the speed limits on this island, i.e. 30klm per hour at Point Lookout. Wildlife crosses the roads regularly. Remember to take your rubbish and if you walk along the beach and you see some plastic washed up, pick it up and remove it to a bid up on the roadside. If we all do our bit, this will remain another Southeast gem of the Queensland coastline.

We went on 6th December 2023. It was a hot day. We went through Sea Link Ferry.
It was a beautiful island with lots of places to visit. Picnic spots with BBQ machine and Toilet are available. Dont forget to go Amity Point. If you have 4WD, its an advantage. Beautiful beaches and beautiful scenes. 👍

I regret I spent only one day here. The island is very beautiful and I saw wild kangaroos, koalas, birds and goanna. If you plan to go around the island by bus plan ahead a bit as they are not very frequent, but the bus drivers are very friendly and gave good advice.

Beautiful place, natural beaches, yummy fish/chips and lots of fun, make sure you pack up lunch if you don't want to spend big time on food.ferry as foot passengers is$20 return (less for children and students), you can get bus day pass at one mile jetty.
Point look out, amity point and cylinder Beach

Awesome place for a holiday and we had an absolutely fantastic time. Whales, dolphins, turtles, and more we saw. Will be back in the near future...

A great little getaway where you can fish, bush walk, sightsee, buy food/drinks, or just relax. The 4WD pass is a little expensive, as there's no day pass, but apart from that it's chill. Fine sand.

The ferry ride is pretty short and worth the island view. There are many lookout points which are fun to explore, but google maps still needs some work on this place. Good :D

We went to North Stradbroke Island for a school excursion, and it was fantastic! We headed out to see the wildlife in the water, where unfortunately, I suffered some painful burns on my ankle.

for me, a BIG CHUNK OF HEAVEN!!! a must visit place…

Amazing experience. Island where you can find one of the best fresh water sources in the world. Make sure you visit lakes. Crystal clear water. Also the beach, 32 KM stretched. You practically see whales in the ocean. Take a Bino too...

A must visit if you re in Brisbane.
We stayed for a night but its also good for just a day trip.
Catch the ferry from Cleveland. Book ahead for both to and from journey on the ferry.
Amazing views from the ferry as well.
A cloudy day was a plus.

Spent two weeks here and had a blast, we were here in March which was amazing as being off peak there were few people, the weather was still warm, and the water was warm. Some absolutely amazing beaches! Crystal clear water. Saw plenty of kangaroos, dolphins, kookaburas, a turtle. So much wildlife. We will definitely come here again with the family.

A truly serene and beautiful island with amazing beaches. The ferry is an enjoyable experience with picturesque views. Watching the sunset was definitely a highlight. Would definitely recommend visiting, even for the day. Totally worth it !!!

So worth a day trip! Getting there is pretty cheap, 20$ for the ferry from Cleveland (including return) onto the Island and 10$ for a bus day ticket on the Island (no go card accepted). How I recommend to spend your day on the Island: Take the bus to Point Lookout to do the North Gorge Walk where you see an amazing shoreline made of sandstone cliffs😍. After that get yourself some ice cream on a hot day and take the bus from there to get to Home Beach/Cylinder Beach. Enjoy your time there and walk along the beach to Sunset Point in the evening to watch the sunset👌.

What a fabulous place! Caught the ferry, then the bus to the top of the Island. Some stunning scenery / beaches & nice walks. Was able to see dolphins & whales

If you visit North Stradbroke Island once, you will become hooked and it will become your favourite island. Wether you go for a few days, or longer there is so much to see and do on this gem , 30 odd kilometres from Brisbane. There are two ways that you can travel from Cleveland by water taxi (you can catch the bus which is included in your ticket price which will cost you $14) .
* note that there are 2 water taxis, if taking your dog with you one of the ferries will ask you to muzzle your dog whatever the size of your furry friend.

Or if going by car ,the vehicle ferry ( check the Stradbroke Ferry site for price as they do have specials at times)
You are able to just go on a day trip which is becoming popular.
A 4wheel drive is not a necessity but if you do wish to 4wheel drive you will need a permit.
As for accommodation you have a wide and varied choice from budget accommodation, including back packers to renting house , wild camping or at a campsite, and various resorts.
Best thing to do if you want more information best to Google the island to see it for yourself.
Beaches are beautiful, much to do, different places to vist such as the brown fresh water lake and the blue lake. great for all ages a must place to see. Even for just a day, You will never forget North Stradbroke Island.
If you love photography it is the place to go , between the land and the beach , wildlife and beautiful vegetation. You will love it.

Absolutely stunning day spent on the island. Easily accessible via ferry. We took the car across and explored. The gorge walk is a must!. Caught glimpses of whales breaching.. definitely would suggest taking binoculars. Certain spots along the wall, I could have sat at for hours.. absolutely calming.
Another calming and relaxed spot is at Brown lake.

Beautiful island, so close to Brisbane! We have stayed at Flinders beach camp area twice. First time was in zone 2-4 and second was in 7-8. We found 2-4 has more open space and less tree cover, so a gazebo or tarp is essential to get shade from the midday sun. 7-8 has heaps of free cover, and the toilet close by. Beach fishing is a must, you will need to be comfortable and capable of sand driving to access these campsites.

Awesome and HUGE island that is a must to explore at least once in a life. But once is not enough at all, it's just too big. Seen wild kangaroos, dolphins, tartules. The sea is so stunning blue.

Amazing place. Bring some binoculars for a great viewing.
Do the board walk, have a swim and get some fish and chips.
Bus service needs cash, only ATM is foodworks short walk from lookout.

Simply wonderful place to be in nature and get away from the fast paced life. Not much to do but enjoy the natural beauty of the island and spot a few kangaroos hanging about the place.