For many years I have dreamt about going to Stradbroke Island and last week my dream came true with 4 days on this beautiful little patch of ground.

Having fought off the developers and mining companies, Straddie retains its slow, calm pace and its beauty. Off the beaches are dolphins surfing the waves, and, at this time of year, whales in their hundreds heading north, just off the coast, spouting water and breaching as they glide past.

The first couple of days were glorious, then the wind changed to the s-e and we had to rug up, although it was still wonderful, wild seas with spray whipping off their tops.

We did a trip to Brown Lake which is in the middle of the island, surrounded by melaleucas in full bloom, underpinned with magnificent rushes whose reflections I could not resist.

If you want a great holiday, this is the place to come. And they have first class coffee and the best ice cream I have ever tasted, home made and different choices every day.

via noo noo and friends: four days on the island.

North Stradbroke Island

Today North Stradbroke Island is an island paradise only a few hours from central Brisbane. It is one of the great sand islands being formed by the same forces which created South Stradbroke, Moreton, Bribie and Fraser Islands. It is noted for the long, clean white beaches of its eastern coastline, the rich diversity of its flora which includes wild orchids, and its isolation and peacefulness.

Dunwich

The ferries, barges and water taxis from the mainland arrive at Dunwich on the western side of North Stradbroke Island. This old settlement was first established in 1827 as a convict outstation. The shallow waters of Moreton Bay made shipping goods up the Brisbane River difficult and ships arriving (most of them from Sydney) would off-load their supplies at Dunwich. In turn the good would be ferried across to the mainland and up the Brisbane river in vessels with shallow draughts. In these early days the township of Dunwich was no more than a large warehouse and quarters for the convicts employed to load and unload the produce. It is possible to see the old stone wall of the original jetty on the northern side of the modern barge ramp.

One of the most interesting areas of Dunwich is the cemetery (listed by the National Trust) which has graves which date from as early as 1847. It was the burial site for the 42 typhus victims who arrived aboard the Emigrant in 1849 and were quarantined on the island. The graves include both those of Dr George Mitchell and Dr David Bellow, the ship’s doctor and the local surgeon. The cemetery is now one of the few reminders of the early settlement which was established at Dunwich.

Dunwich was the site for isolated medical facilities for over a century. At various times it was home to a quarantine station, an infectious diseases hospital and a benevolent asylum. Visitors interested in pursuing this history should visit the island’s Historical Museum in Welsby Street where photographs and artefacts recall the island’s colourful history. There is also a record of the shipwrecks which have occurred along the island’s coast.

via Guide to Stradbroke Island in QLD.

“The Sustainable Regions Project is the first program in Australia to work with regional operators across the state to transform Queensland into a domestically and internationally recognised sustainable tourism destination.

“We want holidaymakers to feel comfortable that their visit to Queensland will be an environmentally ‘guilt-free’ experience,” Mr Lawlor said.Mr Lawlor said the pilot phase of the program had been considered a resounding success with tourism operators having already produced measurable outcomes as a result of the initiative with many having clear plans for the future.

“The Big Red Cat ferry service to North Stradbroke Island has taken a stride towards sustainability by making changes to their timetable. These changes mean that the Big Red Cat ferry has already reduced its energy bill by 35 percent – which is equivalent to taking 181 cars of the road,” he said.

“Guests at restaurant Fishes at the Point can take comfort in knowing that the 200 litres of oil used each week to cook their meals will be filtered and reused in the fishing boats that supply by the restaurant.”

“Additionally, by recycling their food waste at a community farm, Fishes at the Point will divert 128 cubic metres of waste from landfill, resulting in a massive reduction of 45.5 tonnes in CO2-e,” he said.

via Ministerial Media Statements.

From: Wall Street Journal

Standing in Brisbane’s bustling central business district, you’re just 36 kilometers as the crow flies from a spot where the deep calm of nature prevails: North Stradbroke Island, in Moreton Bay.

Called “Straddie” by locals, the island is one of the most beautiful and rugged places off Australia’s east coast, or indeed anywhere in the country — a haunt for surfers, fishermen, nature lovers and anyone just seeking a place to relax. (Kilometers of white sand beaches line the island’s northeastern side.) But while life is not hectic on Straddie, the easy charm conceals hidden depths and a grim history.

Point Lookout, Queensland most easterly point.

Choices for accommodation are many and varied, with luxury beach front apartments, units and town houses, large family homes and houses many with expansive views of the Pacific Ocean and Coral Sea. For more information on your accommodation options go to Discover Stradbroke Holiday accommodation Rentals.



Choices for the crossing to North Stradbroke Island include water taxis and vehicular ferries. There was once a move to build a bridge to Straddie, but uproar by the 2500 local residents soon buried any prospect of that.

If you aren’t a crow, the trip to Straddie starts in the eastern outer suburb of Cleveland. From the center of Brisbane, Cleveland is 20 minutes away by car or an hour by train (it’s the end of the Cleveland line; the fare is a little over $8). Take the free bus from the train station to the ferry station; from there you can hire a car if you want to drive around the island. A car hire service (not 4WD) is available from the Islander Resort on East Coast road, Point Lookout.

In Cleveland you can also grab a water taxi; the trip to Stradbroke Island takes about 25 minutes (round trip, about $19). If you want to take a car to the island, or you’re after the cheapest option, the vehicular ferry, which takes about 45 minutes, costs about $135 for a car and all its passengers, or $11for those on foot. ( Sea Stradbroke, +61-7-3488-9777; www.seastradbroke.com)

Big Red Cat Luxury air conditioned transport to Stradbroke Island

Paved roads link all the townships on the island; four-wheel-drive vehicles are also allowed on the beach and some inland tracks, with a special permit that costs about $42.50 and is available from the ferry terminal or on the vehicular ferry. Stradbroke Island is large in size but simple to navigate. There are three main townships: Dunwich, where you will arrive, Amity and Point Lookout. Most people drive themselves but there are also taxis available.

The ferries is luxurious and  a very pleasant journey. Except during holidays they are mostly filled with high-school students (to complete secondary school they must travel to the mainland daily) and islanders on shopping trips (they can be identified on the island-bound trip by their department-store bags). The ferries are a relaxing way to chug through Moreton Bay and downshift to the Straddie pace of life; there’s also more time to look for dolphins, turtles or even the rare Dugong, a large sea mammal.

By water taxi or ferry, you’ll land at the Dunwich pier on a causeway that is one of the few remaining structures of Australia’s convict era. Hand-built by prisoners to provide access for cargo shipping, the causeway is a reminder of the brutal European colonization of the country’s east coast. Close by the Dunwich ferry stop is the North Stradbroke Historical Museum and Dunwich Cemetery, which offer more reminders of the harsh life endured by the poor during the first century and more of Australia’s colonial history.

via One Hour Out: Brisbane – WSJ.com.

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.

Stradbroke Island accommodation options are many and varied. Be it pet friendly houses, luxury houses, self-contained apartments, home style bed and breakfast or magnificent beach front camping sites, Straddie has it all.

All Stradbroke holiday accomodation budgets are catered for with beach front and hill top properties, quiet secluded back street options, to properties with some of the most spectacular views seen on the east coast of Australia.

via Stradbroke Online Accommodation bookings for Straddie Holidays.

Claytons Apartment 9, 40% OFF peak season rate – here

Cylinder Beach is patrolled by Life Guards every day of the year

Discover Stradbroke Island Holiday Rentals  has availability for Clayton’s on Cylinder for December and January weeks. Check online Accommodation Stradbroke Island for availability.

Direct Cylinder Beach access from your luxury Clayton's Apartment.

10 Luxury Beach Front Apartments over looking Cyclinder Beach

Clayton’s on Cylinder is made up of 10 luxury apartments just above the life guard patrolled Cylinder Beach. The north facing units are two level, three bedroom and feature magnificent ocean views and a private use lock up garage.

Each apartment has a large private deck are which is perfect to lounge and relax while taking in the views. Dolphins and in season (May – November) humpback whales are often seen from the comfort of your private deck.

Clayton's Apartments all have spectacular views

Check here for Clayton’s on Cyclinder images, information, tariffs and availability.