If you grew up in South East Queensland, chances are North Stradbroke Island is your go-to home away from home. Coming home tomato red after a weekend trip to Straddie is practically a rite of passage. And if you weren’t lucky enough to make the trip yourself, no doubt you had mates who went religiously, renting the same house year after year and coming back with epic tales of racing down the dunes and getting bogged near Brown Lake. Sound familiar? We thought so.
Of course, Straddie isn’t the kind of place you can tick off your bucket list and never go again. This little slice of paradise will be forever burned in your brain, making you count down the days until your next visit.
But whether this is your first trip or your tenth, we’ve rounded up the best local tips and tricks to make your island getaway one for the ages. Load up that summer playlist, these are the best things to do on Stradbroke Island, including the eateries to hit up and the best beaches to lay your towel down on.
- How To Get To Stradbroke Island
- Where To Eat And Drink On Stradbroke Island
- Things To Do On Stradbroke Island
- The Best Beaches On Stradbroke Island
How To Get To Stradbroke Island
There’s two main ways to get to Stradbroke Island, and surprise, surprise—they’re both by boat. The first decision to make is whether you’ll be bringing your car along for the ride. If you opt for the car barge from Cleveland, you’re looking at a 45 minute trip to the island, starting from $79 per vehicle. Of course, the barge fills up fast, so book in advance to score yourself a spot. If you’d rather leave the car at home, you can hop on the walk-on water taxi, which will get you to the island in 20 minutes or less for $10.
Whatever you choose, your next stop will be Dunwich on Stradbroke Island, a small town with plenty of cafes selling cold drinks to keep you cool (slushee, anyone?). If you opted for the water taxi, you can hop on the island bus to get to your next destination—it operates round the clock, and will drop you at either Amity or Point Lookout, depending on your preference. But if you’re travelling light, we recommend hiring a scooter for a more up-close-and-personal tour of the island.
And if you need somewhere to stay, you can check out the island's best accomodation options right here.
Where To Eat And Drink On Stradbroke Island
Six Beaches Fish Grill & Bar
1/29 Mooloomba Road, Point Lookout
Image credit: Six Beaches Fish Grill & Bar | Instagram
The owners of Straddie's famed Prawn Shack (more on that below) have just opened Six Beaches Fish Grill & Bar, a relaxed, breezy seafood restaurant looking right out over the blue waters of the bay. Dedicated to showcasing the island's fresh seafood, here you can tuck into seafood chowder with crusty baguette, sauteed garlic butter king prawn cutlets and barbecued whoe Moreton Bay bugs. They have a classic fish and chips too of course, but why would you? Not just a good lunch and dinner spot, they also serve a solid snack menu in the afternoons, best paired with a concoction from their creative cocktail menu.
The Blue Room Cafe
27 Mooloomba Road, Point Lookout
For delicious gourmet food alongside classic beach shack vibes, set your sights on The Blue Room Cafe. With a menu devoted to diversity, the Blue Room serves up fresh brunch bites perfect for vegans, vegos and celiacs alike. Different items are served everyday, so be sure to book in a week-long vacay so you can sample the lot. Trust us, your tastebuds with thank you.
Whale Tail Gelati & Coffee Bar
1/19 Mooloomba Road, Point Lookout
When it comes to ice cream, there’s only one place on Straddie to curb your sweet tooth. Whale Tail Gelati And Coffee Bar has recently had a name change with a new owner, but it's still beloved by locals and tourists alike. Just a stone’s throw from the start of the Gorge Walk, the gelateria serves up a range of drool-worthy sorbets and creamy gelati flavours. Watermelon mint, tiramisu and pine lime are some of our faves, but there’s simply no beating the classics. They even have a range of vegan and lactose-free options, so you can indulge in sweet treats without the side serve of guilt.
Straddie Brewing Co.
5 Junner Street, Dunwich
Image credit: Straddie Brewing Co | Supplied
Pretty new to the island but already a fave is Straddie Brewing Co, a three-story brewhouse and tap room making beers from the sand-filtered water that flows from Straddie’s aquifer. You can enjoy one of their seven brews from the Taproom, the Brew Deck or the rooftop Sunset Deck with stunning views over Moreton Bay. For eats, there's plenty of seafood, pizzas and tapas-style food platters, and if you want to get up close and personal with the brewing process you can even book a brewing tour.
The Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel
158 E Coast Road, Point Lookout
Can’t pass up a classic pub feed? Pick up a parmi with a view at The Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel, aka the best beer house on Straddie. With live performances every Saturday and Sunday, it’s the perfect place to put your feet up and kick back with a beer as you cool off post-sunburn. Bonus, you can make use of their free courtesy bus to pick you up and take you home.
Rufus King Seafoods
44 Sovereign Road, Amity
The title of best seafood on Straddie is highly contested, but having surveyed them all, Rufus King Seafoods is our top pick. Located at Amity Point, Rufus’ always had a line out the door, with locals and tourists alike queuing for a taste of freshly caught prawns, oysters, crabs and bugs. Pick up a bag of fresh prawns to eat on the beach or grab a seafood feast to cook up back at your Airbnb.
The Prawn Shack
1 Mintee Street, Point Lookout
Image credit: The Prawn Shack | Instagram
No trip to Straddie is complete without a stop at this tiny grocer-slash-butcher-slash-seafood-monger for one thing: their epic prawn roll. Little more than an aqua-coloured shed, The Prawn Shack is famed for this freshly made, two hands required feast, which is best eaten right on the sand with a big squeeze of lemon.
The Amity Tavern
21 Ballow Street, Amity
Stradbroke's newest addition, The Amity Tavern is all about good vibes, good drinks and good feeds, with a menu of pub classics like Hawaiian-topped parmis, burgers and fish and chips to pair with tap beers, wines and cocktails in the beach bar-style surrounds. There's sports on the tellies and live music on the weekends—basically, it's a coastal version of your favourite neighbourhood pub and just what your weekend getaway needs.
Things To Do On Stradbroke Island
Greet The Dolphins At Amity Point Jetty
Ever seen a dolphin out in the wild? Head down to Amity Point Jetty at sunset, and be greeted by the pod of dolphins who regularly visit. These are wild animals, so definitely don't feed them or try to hop in the water for a swim, but there’s no harm in watching from dry land as they frolic around the jetty.
Meet the Wildlife on the Iconic Gorge Walk
Image credit: North Stradbroke Island | Website
Easily the island’s most famous activity, trust us—the Straddie Gorge Walk lives up to the hype. Clocking in at just 1.5km, this iconic coastal loop consists of a gentle stroll along the Point Lookout boardwalk, with plenty of spots to snap a pic. You’ll likely stumble across a kangaroo or two, but don’t forget to cast your gaze seaward for a chance to spot dolphins, rays, whales and turtles. Up your gorge game with a $50 Indigenous Quandamooka Guide who will walk you through Stradbroke’s Indigenous history and the incredible cultural significance of the island’s natural wonders.
Explore Underwater At This Premier Dive Facility
Straddie is known for its incredible sea life, so it should come as no surprise that scuba diving is one of the island’s many attractions. Sign up for a three-day open water course and become a certified diver, so you can take those scuba skills anywhere in the world. The course will take you to four local dive sites and teach you all the skills you need to make friends with the fish—just be sure to keep an eye out for sharks.
Get Your Bowl On At The Local Lawn Bowls Club
Get a group together and lock in a day at the Point Lookout bowls club. With stupidly cheap drinks and a laid back atmosphere, it’s the perfect place for a Sunday sesh by the beach. Keep an eye out for kangaroos enjoying the bowling green—there’s a good chance they’ll try to steal your lunch.
The Best Beaches On Stradbroke Island
Being, you know, an island and all, Straddie is blessed with some of Queensland’s most beautiful beaches, almost all of which put our mainland hotspots to shame (sorry, but there’s really no competition). But depending on the vibes you’re after, you’ll want to pick your beachspot carefully, so it matches your vacay plans.
If you’re into an early morning surf, set your sights on Main Beach, which offers consistent, clean waves and rideable swells with gentle, offshore winds. For those with kids in tow, Cylinder Beach is known for its safe swimming conditions, and shady picnic spots. Home Beach is dog-friendly, and comes complete with a picturesque freshwater lagoon so clear you can see the fish swimming around you. If you’re after a bit more adventure (and came prepared with a 4WD), Flinders and Main Beach are both four-wheel friendly—just be sure to pick up a vehicle access permit before you go.
If you need somewhere to stay, you can check out the island's best accomodation options right here.
Image credit: Tourism & Events Queensland | Supplied