North Stradbroke Island

North Stradbroke Island is an island off the coast 30 km south-east of Brisbane in South East Queensland.

Understand
Known as Straddie by the locals and Brisbane residents, North Stradbroke Island protects the shoreline of Southern Moreton Bay. North and South Stradbroke Islands where connected until a cyclone removed a block of unstable to create the Jumpinpin bar and separate the islands. (South Strabroke Island continues all the way to the Southport Seaway at Southport, on the Gold Coast)

Get in
The only way to get into the island is by ferry from Cleveland across Moreton Bay. There are three main ferries, all of them leaving Cleveland at the same point on the east side of Cleveland at the end of the bus line 258. Local buses at North Stradbroke meet most of the passenger-only ferries, but check with the bus company.


 * Stradbroke Flyer, also called Gold Cats offers 14 daily passenger-only "water taxis". The trip takes approximately 25 minutes, cost is $13 one way and $19 return. There is a courtesy bus that links Cleveland rail station with the ferry terminal for the ferries from 6:55am to 6:25pm.
 * Stradbroke Ferries has two types of ferries, a large vehicle ferry (11 daily services, $135 return) and a smaller water taxi for passengers only (12 daily services, $12 single, $17 return). Travel time is about 50 minutes.
 * Big Red Cat offers 8 daily car ferries and accepts passengers as well. Their ferries sell food and drinks. The trip is about 45 minutes and costs $5.5 one way and $11 return for passengers, and $135 return for cars. Note that local buses at North Stradbroke are not timed to meet this ferry, though since these ferries stop at the same place as the Stradbroke Ferries you can just wait (up to one hour) and catch the bus.

Fees and permits
If you are visiting Minjerribah Recreation Area, you will need a vehicle access permit fee. These can be booked on Minjerribah Camping's website. A 1-month permit for a car costs A$57.80.

By car
By far the most convenient way to travel the island is by car. You can rent a car at Brisbane and take the car ferry, or rent it at North Stradbroke. Many accommodation options at the island have their own shuttle service so you don't need a car if you don't plan to move from your location.

Unlike a lot of the other islands of the region, North Stradbroke Island has bitumen roads, which makes it accessible by regular vehicles. You can, however, drive on Flinders Beach and Ocean Beach by four wheel drive vehicle provided you have the appropriate permit (it is not recommended to drive on the sand in all wheel drive vehicles!). You can also camp along Ocean Beach, but you will need to be self-sufficient as there are no facilities. You will also need a permit to camp, if choosing this option.

By taxi
There is a taxi van waiting on arrival of every ferry so you can use this as well.

By bus
Stradbroke Island Buses connect Dunwich with Point Lookout and Amity Point and are timed to meed most of the passenger-only ferries. A one-way ticket is $4.50, and a one-day pass is $9.

Scuba diving
Point Lookout offers some of the best scuba diving in the area and boasts the Manta Ray Bommie where Manta rays congregate, together with other large fish such as bull rays and (non-dangerous) leopard sharks. The Manta Lodge and Scuba Centre, at the Youth Hostel, is the local diving company and offers diving PADI courses.