Paradise on Deadman’s Beach
It sounds like the setting for a pirate movie, but Deadman’s Beach is a patch of paradise on North Stradbroke Island, just off the coast of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The grassy hill overlooking Straddie's Deadman's Beach is a perfect place for whale watching
Clayton’s on Cylinder Apartments are a short headland walk from Deadmans Beach, and it offers a quieter option than the more family friendly Cylinder Beach.
The secluded beach at Point Lookout got its name after a gruesome discovery in 1902, when a ship named Prosperity, en route from Sydney to north Queensland with a cargo of sugar machinery, sank in the Coral Sea off Point Lookout.
A local stockman cared for five survivors of the shipwreck but more than 50 years later a skeleton and a boot were uncovered in the sand on a nearby beach. He was believed to be the ship’s cook and the beach was named Deadman’s Beach following the discovery of his remains.
Although it has some grim history, Deadman’s Beach is one of the prettiest spots on the world’s second largest sand island.
Whale Watching over Deadman's from Beachies Townhouses
From June to November each year, Deadman’s is one of the best places in the Point Lookout area to view the annual migration of humpback whales. The majestic mammals pass by “Straddie” and Queensland’s eastern most point of Point Lookout as they travel between their calving grounds in the Great Barrier Reef and Antarctica.
Whether they’re spouting water or breaching their massive bodies above the waves, these giants of the deep are compulsive viewing.
The whale shows are almost matched by the more frequent sight of pods of dolphins, often playing and feeding just off the beach.
Snorkling is popular around the rocks at Deadmans.
Besides being a great place to spot marine life, Deadman’s Beach is possibly the pick of Point Lookout’s beaches. It offers shelter and seclusion for those keen to soak up the sun in peace.
But also for families there’s rock pools, plenty of space to play ball games and at the far end a massive sand dune which is a magnet for kids.
Although there’s no lifeguards patrolling Deadman’s Beach, conditions are usually calmer than at neighbouring Cylinder or Frenchman’s beaches or at the more open Main Beach.
Behind Deadman’s Beach, a walking track has been built through the bushland between the beach and the main road.
If you walk or run through the bush track, then continue down the main road to the 1.5km long North Gorge Walk on the Point Lookout headland.
Humpback Whales abound on Stradbroke island
Combining this with a return journey down steps to Frenchman’s Beach and then along Deadman’s Beach must be one of Australia’s most picturesque fitness trails.
Although secluded, Deadman’s Beach is well serviced with a local supermarket, surf wear shop and takeaway food outlets.
But the area is typical Straddie, which is probably the most low-key place for a beach holiday in southeast Queensland.
There’s no theme parks, no big shopping centres, no high rise buildings, no nightclubs or cinemas and no traffic jams getting to and from there.
While the popular Stradbroke Island Hotel is being redeveloped, there are no major plans to change much else.
A 2003 Tourism Queensland survey of visitors to Straddie asked how they wanted the island to progress a decade later. More than 80 per cent of respondents said they were happy with the way the island is, with just nine per cent calling for more development and facilities.
Besides relaxing on the beach or surfing, fishing, diving, kayaking and sand-boarding are just some of the activities to keep kids and adults busy on the island.
Accommodation ranges from camp sites, to rented houses and apartments with ocean views as well as a handful of resort-style hotels.
Those who come in 4WD vehicles can venture onto the long stretches of Main Beach or Flinders Beach at low tide.
Straddie also has ecologically renowned wetlands in its interior with numerous inland lakes and lagoons on the island.
Visitors to Straddie arrive by vehicle barge or water taxi at the historic town of Dunwich – just a short journey across Moreton Bay from Brisbane’s bay-side suburb of Cleveland.
The trip across the water is part of the Straddie adventure. The Big Red Cat, which has a kiosk, takes around 45 minutes and is a smooth crossing even in wild weather. Water taxis do the journey in about 25 minutes.
All who arrive at Dunwich have the same sense of blissful disconnection from the mainland.
IF YOU GO:
From Brisbane it’s a 30 minute drive to the terminal at Middle Street, Cleveland, where water taxis and vehicular ferries depart regularly for North Stradbroke Island.
Suburban trains also stop at Cleveland and a Free buses connects to the ferry terminal.
Cars cost $135 to take there and back on the barge, while the water taxi fare is $19 return for adults and $14 for children.
Bus services connect Dunwich with Point Lookout and the other township of Amity.
For a detailed guide to accommodation and travel information on Stradbroke Island visit Discover Stradbroke Island.
