Your Weekend Guide to North Stradbroke Island

If you are searching for a relaxed spot, for a weekend away in Australia, be sure to check out North Stradbroke Island. This little slice of paradise on the east coast of Australia hasn’t been taken over by tourists…yet. North Stradbroke Island or ’Straddie’ as it’s commonly known by the locals, is truly a hidden gem in this country. And it’s the perfect place to explore after the current COVID-19 travel restrictions lift.

Stradbroke Island is known for its pristine beaches, fresh seafood, mantra-ray diving, and chilled out local vibes, making it a must-see spot on your next Australia trip. Most backpackers by-pass Straddie for Fraser Island. Because of this, Stradbroke Island is a super low key holiday destination, and it’s authentically Australian. This island is all about natural beauty and being outside, so don’t come looking for flashy restaurants or luxury hotels. Instead, you’ll find natural beauty that will fuel your soul.

Who Would Love Straddie & Why Should you Go

North Stradbroke Island would be enjoyed by anyone looking for a super relaxed holiday, where most of their time is spent outdoors in nature or on the beach. As I mentioned before, accommodation is simpler and restaurants are few, so this isn’t a luxury destination like the Gold Coast.

If simple and laid back suits your travel style, then you will LOVE North Stradbroke Island. Get ready to read a book on the beach, surf the waves, run into local wildlife, and have a cool bevy at the end of the day as you watch the sun go down.

How to Get to North Stradbroke Island

For those wanting to come here, Straddie is off the coast of Brisbane and can be reached by ferry that leaves from a town called, Cleveland. There are both passenger-only ferries and car ferries. I highly recommend bringing your car over, as buses and taxies are super limited, and it would be tricky to get around the island without a car.

Price: Ranging from $70-$114.00 one way. The price depends on the season and car size. Be sure to also add passenger fares: $4.50-$9.00 each way.  For more information on the ferries, and to book ahead, see this link.

Where to Stay on Stradbroke Island

As I mentioned before, Stradbroke is a really local spot, so you won’t find huge resorts, but there are a few hotels, condo rentals, Airbnbs, and camping spots. My biggest recommendation for North Stradbroke is to stay in the Point Lookout area, as this is where we found the best beaches and the most things to do.

We stayed at Mintee on Deadman’s condo complex and it was stunning! Super private, lots of space and it has a patio with the most incredible view of the beach. We loved that it had a kitchen and a BBQ, so we could cook up most of our own meals. This not only saved us some money but allowed us to eat healthy food. If we didn’t stay here we would have stayed at Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel.

When to Go to Stradbroke Island

Due to its location in the country, Stradbroke Island is fairly warm all year round! We went in November and had dry, hot weather, which was perfect. Even the ocean was warm! December through to February will be incredibly hot, so the shoulder seasons being October-November and March-April, are the best.

To avoid crowds or higher prices, I would also avoid January and any school holidays. For anyone who doesn’t live in Australia, school holidays are very frequent here, so look up when they are and avoid these weeks or weekends.

How Long to Go to Stradbroke Island

About 2-3 days on Stradbroke Island would be plenty of time to see this area.

However, after you see the beautiful beaches and feel the laid back vibe, you’ll be wanting to extend your trip just to relax. I’m not kidding when I say this! We planned to come for a long weekend and then extended for one more night because we were so blown away by this island’s beauty.

Beaches to Visit on Stradbroke Island

You cannot come to Straddie and not enjoy their spectacular beaches. Pristine white sand, natural rock pools, and azure coloured waters – what’s not to love?!

Fun fact: Hawaii actually ships in their squeaky white sand from Stradbroke Island for some of their beaches. Yup! You read that right. So if you’ve been to Hawaii before, you know the beaches in Stradbroke will feel like paradise.

Here are some of the best beaches on North Stradbroke Island that you should visit during your stay.

Cylicon Beach

After visiting Cylicon Beach on our first full day, this beach quickly became my favourite on the island! Not only does Cylicon Beach have beautiful sand and crystal clear water, but it also has few rip-tides because it’s in a protected bay. Plus, when we were there, the sandbank created an incredible gutter pool at low tide. This means that at low tide there would be a shallow pool in the sand where you could sit and relax without waves. And if you wanted to surf, you could go out past the sandbank to surf the waves. These conditions were perfect for small kids or people who aren’t strong swimmers. Personally, I found this beach perfect for relaxing, swimming and easy conditions for a new surfer, like myself.

Tip: In the mornings there is a coffee cart set up at the front entrance (near the parking lot). Bring your own cup to reduce waste & ask for a loyalty card. If you buy 10 coffees you get one for free!

Frenchman’s Beach

My second favourite beach on the island is Frenchman’s Beach. Along this beach, you will find little rock pools that were perfect to sit in when the tide was out. There is also a massive sand dune which we ran up (a great workout) to enjoy the incredible view from the top.

Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife! From Frenchman’s Beach, we regularly saw dolphins, pelicans, and ghost crabs.

South Gorge Beach

A 38-kilometre beach that stretches from the Gorge walk all the way down the east coast of the Stradbroke Island. We particularly loved the corner of the beach that was right under the Gorge walk, which is called South Gorge Beach.

Here we saw tons of surfers and swimmers. Ben and I went out for a snorkel, but I would not recommend swimming here unless you are comfortable swimming in rip-currents! We were hoping to spot Manta Rays, but almost got swept out by the strong currents. I have grown up a competitive swimmer, but I have to admit that these currents really scared me, and almost tired me out. So either stay close to shore, and if you go out to surf or snorkel, please be careful, and have someone keep an out for you.

Other Things to Do on North Stradbroke Island

Gorge Walk

If there is one thing that should steal you away from the beaches on Straddie it’s the Gorge Walk. Located in Point Lookout, this trail takes you along the rocky shoreline of the island and down and through a gorge inlet. Make sure to bring your camera, as you’ll be treated to incredible views along the way.

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, as we bumped into some lazy kangaroos and saw some Mantra-Rays in the ocean. The walk only takes about 20-30 minutes, but give yourself plenty of time to stop, admire the views and take pictures. Although the hike isn’t hard (we did it with friends who had a 3-year-old with them), it does involve a lot of stairs. Also helpful to note that most of us were fine wearing good walking sandals, and I didn’t think it warranted runners.

Snorkel or Scuba Dive

For all my scuba diving friends out there I have two words for you – Manta Rays!! Yep, North Stradbroke Island has a dive site called Manta Bommie that is a major breeding ground for Manta Rats. It is also listed as one of the top 10 dive sites in Australia.

Ben and I are both scuba divers, but we had no idea Straddie was so well known for Manta Rays. We tried to book a dive, but unfortunately, they were completely booked out for the entire week.  So, if you want to snorkel or scuba dive, make sure to book ahead. We were recommended the Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre from some locals.

Mantra Ray Breeding Season: The breeding season is October to April. Other than mantra rays, divers commonly saw leopard sharks, turtles, wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, colourful fish, at this dive site.

Brown Lake

Brown Lake is located closer to the ferry terminal, making it a great spot to check out when you first arrive, or just before you leave the island. It is a massive tea-tree lake, that is perfect for anyone who feels uncomfortable swimming in the sea. We saw a lot of people bring their blow-up floaties and sunbath while floating in the lake.

If you are short on time, I would say this is one thing you can miss, as the beaches on North Stradbroke Island are much more beautiful than this lake.

Where to Eat on North Stradbroke Island

As I mentioned before, we ate mostly at our condo. This not only helps us save money while we travel, but also allows us to eat healthy while on the road. Even still, I always love checking out local restaurants and cafes as it gives me a well-rounded idea about a destination. Here are a couple of great spots we ate at, and a few that we didn’t get to, but were recommended to us.

Point Lookout Blue Cafe & Green Room

Located at Point Lookout, you’ll find the Blue Cafe & Green Room, which are attached under one roof. Here you’ll find an adorable cafe and mini grocery store that has beautiful beachy vibes. Great to stop by for a coffee and a sweet treat or a simple but healthy breakfast. Sit outdoors to enjoy their coastal views!

Oceanic Gelato

After a hike around the Gorge, Oceanic Gelato is the perfect treat to cool you down. Their gelato was the best I’ve had in a while! Don’t be surprised if you see a line-up out of the shop. I promise you the wait is worth it, and it moves quickly!

Chillers Cafe for Pizzas

We called Chillers Cafe in advance to order takeout pizzas and enjoyed these pizzas on the beach while the sun went down. Pick up a six-pack of beers and you have yourself the perfect evening plans. You can also eat in, but the restaurant decor and vibe is nothing special.

Little Ship Club

Located near the walk-on water taxi dock and the island’s cemetery, you’ll find the Little Ship Club, which is an old bar located right on the ocean. Stop by for a drink on the lawn or grab a bite to eat! This place isn’t hip or happening, but there is a retro vibe to it, which we enjoyed during some sunset drinks.

Rufus King

Are you a big seafood fan? If so, I highly recommend stopping by the Rufus King seafood shop in Amity Point. All their seafood is caught locally and daily, so you know it is fresh. Also, the prices were super reasonable!

This area is famous for Moreton Bay bugs, which is similar to a miniature lobster but tastes more like a sweeter prawn. In other words, they are delicious. I’ve seen these at a lot of Australian restaurants, and they charge a pretty penny for them, but here, you can buy them at a reasonable price, since they are local to this area. I highly recommend buying some and cooking them up, if you’ve never had them before. Here are some recipes to cook them!

Heads up: This ‘shop’ is located beside a house in a residential area. But when we were there, two other locals showed up. Just shows this shop is the place to go for seafood on the island!

The Whales Way Restaurant

We didn’t have time to eat at The Whales Way Restaurant, so I can’t speak from experience, but this looks like a more upper scale restaurant with a beautiful view. It could be a great place to stop by just for a sunset drink or a lovely meal if you are looking for something special.

Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club

Unfortunately, Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club is another one we missed during our stay. This would be the first restaurant I would check out if we get to go back. Our friends who used to live in North Stradbroke mentioned it’s fun on Sunday afternoons when they have a live band playing. There is a big deck that overlooks South Gorge Beach, where you can see swimmers, surfers, and sometimes dolphins and whales, so keep an eye out!

What to Pack for Stradbroke Island

You don’t need to pack much when travelling to Stradbroke Island. Since you’ll spend most of your time at the beach, make sure to bring a few bathing suits, sarong, a good book, a wide-brim hat for sun protection, and sunglasses.

In terms of clothing, pack comfortable shorts, two t-shirts, a light dress, and good walking shoes or sandals for exploring.

We also brought along our surfboard, reef safe sunscreen, and 50 SPF sun protective rash guard for surfing on Cylicon Beach, but you can rent surfboards over there. If you want to shop the post, here are some similar items I packed for our trip:

I hope you guys enjoyed this weekend guide for North Stradbroke Island in Australia! If you use it, please make sure to leave a comment and let me know what you enjoyed most. And if you’ve been before, I would love to hear your recommendations or favourite spots.

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Read Next

Lastly, if you loved this post make sure to read more on A Blissful Wanderer. Here are a couple of other travel guides on destinations that are similar to North Stradbroke Island:

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