A Day on North Stradbroke Island: Saltwater, Sunsets & Kangaroo Cameos

If tropical holidays and weekend road trips had a lovechild, it would be North Stradbroke Island. Just off the coast of Brisbane (but feeling a world away), “North Straddie” is all about wild coastlines, chilled-out locals, and the kind of beach day that ends with sandy car seats and happy exhaustion.

You won’t find theme parks or shopping malls here, but you will find dolphins, sea turtles, giant sand dunes, and maybe a curious kangaroo or two. So grab your beach bag, load up the esky, and don’t forget your sunnies because Straddie is where the salt air cures everything.

Highlights

• Catch the ferry from Cleveland to Dunwich

• Coffee with a view at Blue Room Café

• Wildlife spotting on the North Gorge Walk

• Swim + chill at Cylinder Beach or Frenchman’s

• Fish & chips or seafood at Fishes at the Point

• Sunset from Amity Point jetty

• Optional: ice cream, sandboarding, or doing absolutely nothing

  
  

Morning: Ferry Rides & Island Feels

Start your adventure with the Stradbroke Flyer or vehicle ferry from Cleveland. Whether you’re walking on or taking the car, the ride over Moreton Bay is half the fun. Keep an eye out for dolphins playing in the boat’s wake (they know how to make an entrance).

Once you dock at Dunwich hop on the shuttle bus and heads to Point Lookout, swing by the Blue Room Café for a proper island breakfast. Smoothies, bacon rolls, and flat whites with a side of ocean breeze? Yes please. Grab takeaway if you’re eager to hit the beach early.

Midday: Clifftop Walks & Beachy Bliss

Start with the North Gorge Walk, Straddie’s answer to every coastal postcard you’ve ever wanted to step into. It’s a short but stunning boardwalk trail that hugs the headland, and it’s practically a wildlife safari.

Spot dolphins surfing the waves, turtles bobbing in the turquoise shallows, sting rays, whales (in season), and occasionally… a sea eagle doing its majestic thing. Bonus: kangaroos chilling on the clifftops like it’s no big deal

After your walk, cool off at Cylinder Beach, calm, patrolled, and perfect for kids or lazy floats. Prefer more drama? Head to Frenchman’s Beach for wilder waves and windswept photo ops.

Afternoon: Seafood Feasts & Salty Hair

Lunchtime calls for Fishes at the Point, an island institution known for its fresh seafood, crunchy chips, and unbeatable beachside vibes. Or bring a picnic and sprawl out under a pandanus tree like a seasoned islander.

If you’re in the mood for a low-effort adventure:

• Hire a kayak and paddle the coast

• Try your luck with a fishing rod

• Sandboard the dunes near Brown Lake (BYO boogie board = genius)

Alternatively, just do nothing. Lie on a towel. Read one paragraph of a book before drifting off. That's very on-brand for Straddie.

Evening: Golden Hours & Chill Vibes

Before you ferry home, head to Amity Point Jetty for one of the best low-key sunsets in SEQ. Kids can spot stingrays in the shallows, anglers cast lines lazily, and the sky turns 47 shades of pink and orange. It’s magic, minus the crowds.

Head back to Dunwich and grab an afternoon drink from Little Ship Club, let the kids burn some energy on the grassy lawn and breathe in the salty air one last time, and try not to get too sad about going back to the mainland.

A day on North Stradbroke Island is like a mini-vacation with no passport required. It’s equal parts beach adventure and nature retreat, with enough space to stretch out, enough charm to fall in love with, and enough reasons to come back next weekend.

So when city life gets loud and your feet start itching for sand, hop on that ferry. Straddie’s waiting with dolphins, cliffs, and maybe a cheeky kangaroo or two.