REDLANDS... so close to Brisbanes city centre but light years from the pace, Redlands on Moreton Bay is a daytripper’s and holiday maker’s dream. Arts, crafts, nature, food and wine, superb beaches, resorts, four wheel drive tours... plenty to do, but relaxation in Redlands has become an artform!... Things to do on the water include sailboat charters, adventure sailing excursions, houseboat rental and boating day trips, cycling and walking tours... Four wheel drive eco touring on North Stradbroke introduces visitors to a great array of marine life. Self-guided arts trails and heritage trails guides for arts and history buffs. Sunday markets at Cleveland, combined with harbourside dining... Take the scenic Gorge Walk, an absolute “must do” on North Stradbroke Island... enjoy a Victoria Point seafood picnic on the beach at Coochiemudlo – a family favourite.

REDCLIFFE... just 30 minutes and 42 kilometres north from Queensland’s capital city Brisbane, the delightful holiday centre of Redcliffe, nestled on the edge of beautiful Moreton Bay, is a perfect combination of sun, sand and sea... Safe sandy beaches and scenic parks span Redcliffe’s 22km of glorious coastline, visible from the sea are the rocky red headlands that give the city its name... Redcliffe’s stunning views of Moreton Bay, Hays Inlet and the Glasshouse Mountains are also something to be savoured.

Redcliffe was the site of the first European settlement in Queensland in 1824. Since then, Redcliffe has blossomed into a festive city and thriving coastal centre, ideal for families... The Seafood Festival, Kite Fest and First Settlement Festival, are just some of the local celebrations... Discover Redcliffe’s rich and fascinating history at the museum, or be entertained viewing vintage movies, browsing art galleries, or watching whales and dolphins at play!

NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND... just 90 minutes from downtown Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island is the largest of Moreton Bay’s islands, covering 27,530 hectares…and while North Stradbroke is inhabited it still retains a secluded atmosphere where you can get away from it all... The island is mainly sand, although there is also a beautiful national park on the east coast of the island called Blue Lake National Park. Affectionately referred to as “Straddie”, the elongated sand island of North Stradbroke shields much of the southern part of Moreton Bay and the smaller islands from the ocean swells.

Points of interest include the old quarantine station at Dunwich, Main Beach on the eastern side, with extensive Aboriginal shell middens, and Blue Lake, Brown Lake and Keyhole Lakes for freshwater swimming…once you get to Point Lookout there are plenty of water activities available. There are some great surfing spots around the plentiful northern beaches, with sea kayaking and snorkelling also popular. You can join tours offering various activities including sand boarding, snorkelling, kayaking and 4WD adventures. There is whale watching from Point Lookout during winter and there is good surfing throughout the year near Point Lookout... The ideal way to see the island is by four wheel drive. North Stradbroke attracts anglers and holiday makers to the its expansive stretches of sandy coast and the island offers a range of accommodation based around the three main centres, including a number of campsites, hostels, cabins and self contained accommodation all of which you can rent.

There are some interesting bushwalking trails around North Stradbroke Island. The longest walk being from Dunwich to Point Lookout via Myora Springs... There are also a number of walks around the Blue Lake National Park where you will see plenty of wildlife. You can also swim in Blue Lake, as well as in Brown Lake and Tortoise Lagoon. From Blue Lake you can walk along the beach to Point Lookout via Keyhole Lake, which is about 11km.

A water taxi service, boating day trips and a vehicular ferry operate on a daily basis from Cleveland just a 30 minute drive from downtown Brisbane. Buses meet every water taxi once you arrive at the island and taxis are also available. All townships are linked by sealed roads which are accessible by conventional vehicles. A four wheel drive is required for the beach and you must obtain a permit from Redlands Tourism or Stradbroke Island Tourism.

MORETON ISLAND... is a sand island which is home to Mt Tempest, the highest coastal sandhill in the world at a height of 280 metres. The island mainly National Park, is 17,000 hectares and 38km long, has lush forests, and glistening lakes and lagoons... There is an abundant supply of wildlife on Moreton Island which you see on the islands numerous beaches, and along the walking and 4WD trails. Many wading birds can be found on the island, in particular between September and April when many birds migrate from Northern hemisphere countries that experience a cold winter season. You may also be lucky enough to see Green and Loggerhead turtles on boating day trips which often nest between November and February.

The main resort on the island is at Tangalooma on the western coast of the island. There are plenty of activities and day trips you can get involved in while at the resort, including snorkelling, diving, fishing, or just relaxing by the pool. The main attraction, however is the dolphin feeding which happens early every evening... unfortunately this is only available to the resort guests, although anyone can go to watch. See... Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort. Other settlements include Bulwer to the north of the island, Cowan Cowan between Bulwer and Tangalooma and Kooringal to the south of the island. The only accommodation at these settlements are holiday houses and flats.

There are four ferries servicing Moreton Island:

• the Moreton Venture is a vehicle ferry which leaves from Lytton 6 days a week and travels to Reeders Point
• the Tangalooma Flyer runs to Tangalooma and leaves daily from Holt Street, Pinkenba
• the Combie Trader is a vehicle ferry which leaves daily from Scarborough, and travels to Bulwer
• the M.V. Sirenia leaves from Redland Point and travels to Reeders Point

BRIBIE ISLAND... just one hour from downtown Brisbane, Bribie Island is an attractive and unspoilt 31 kilometre long island. It is Queensland’s only offshore island linked by a bridge and is separated from the mainland by Pumicestone Passage, a stunningly beautiful passage of water that is home to more that 350 species of birdlife, dugongs, turtles and dolphins. It also provides excellent fishing and a limited choice of boating day trips.

Bribie has a wide range of accommodation available in hotels, motels, seaside apartments, bed and breakfasts and several caravan parks. Most of the island is declared national park and offers endless kilometres of white, sandy beaches and superb bushwalks.

The Bribie Island Recreational Area provides a variety of coastal camping experiences, some accessible by four wheel drive, others accessible by boat. You will need a vehicle service permit to travel to four wheel drive accessible camping areas.

Camping areas accessible by four wheel drive:

• Gallaghers... this area offers a limited number of bush camping sites. There are no toilets or other facilities here.
• Poverty Creek... this large camping area has open grassy sites and shady trees, and includes sites suitable for camper trailers and group camping. Toilets, picnic tables and fireplaces are provided.
• Ocean Beach... the designated camping area is 16km north of the beach access point on North Street, Woorim. Campsites just behind the dunes are accessible from defined track entrances. There are no toilets or other facilities here.

Camping areas accessible only by boat:
Campsites are provided at Mission Point for campers arriving by private or charter boat. Toilets, picnic tables and fireplaces are provided.

Pumicestone Passage’s extensive tidal wetlands are essential breeding areas for many fish, crabs and prawns. During winter, the passage between Bells Creek and Caloundra Bar is one of the south-east Queensland’s principal spawning areas for yellowfin bream. Flathead, bream, whiting, tailor and mangrove jack are often caught around Bribie Island. Many people catch sand and mud crabs during summer months.

The passage is part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park. Recreational fishing activities are permitted in the marine park, except in the Tripcony Bight Protection Zone (see recreational area map and Moreton Bay marine park map). Fishing, crabbing, bait collecting and other forms of harvesting are prohibited in this zone. Important habitats including mudflats, seagrass beds, mangroves, saltmarsh and claypan communities are protected here.

Bribie Island also has safe family swimming on the western side of the island and surf beaches on the eastern side. Being surrounded by water has made Bribie a haven for lovers of water sports. It is a popular venue for family holiday makers or those looking for boating day trips.

ST HELENA ISLAND... St Helena houses the historic ruins of the former colonial prison which finally closed in 1932. once known as the “hell hole of the South Pacific” it is now a national park and can be visited as part of boating day trips to the island. St Helena Island is located eight kilometres from the mouth of the Brisbane River and seven kilometres north east of Manly. It was Queensland’s first historic national park. Tours of the ruins for people arriving by private boat or on sailboat charters are conducted by park rangers by prior arrangement. St Helena Island is a national park of extreme historical value. Therefore only day trippers visiting on boating day trips are allowed on the island but there is no overnight camping.