Bribie Island is a sand island at the northern part of Moreton Bay, 70 kilometers (about one hour's drive) north of Queensland's capital, Brisbane.
Unlike other Queensland holiday islands, Bribie Island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. This makes it readily available for self-drive holiday makers and day trippers alike. The bridge – and access to the island – is toll-free.
Nearly 85% of Bribie Island is pristine national park. Only the southern end has been developed. At the southern end, Bribie is just five kilometers wide. It is also quite flat; making for easy cycling.
Bribie Island is equally a favorite holiday choice for families with young children and older couples. It is not considered a 'hot spot' for teenagers.
Things to Do When Staying at Bribie Island
- Enjoy the calm of Pumicestone Passage. Picnic spots and BBQs are provided along the Esplanade at Bongaree, Bellara and Banksia Beach. Small children can build sand castles, chase soldier crabs at low tide and paddle in the still water. Paths along the waterfront make for peaceful walks or bike rides.
- Fish. Throw in a line off the jetty at Bongaree or hire a 'tinny' (small motorized boat) and venture onto the passage.
- Spy on migratory birds from a hide at Buckley's Hole.
- Learn to surf at Woorim. Bribie's 'surf beach' is protected from rolling waves. The patrolled beach at Woorim is ideal for young children. BBQs and picnic tables are provided on the foreshore.
- If blue bottle stingers make a menace of themselves on the surf beach, turn to Bribie Island's aquatic centre for water fun.
- Tee off at one of two golf courses: Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club and Bribie Island Golf Club at Woorim. Both boats 18-hole championship courses.
- Visit the local community art centre at Banksia Beach.
- Catch up with a new release movie at Bribie's own cinema, a gaudily-painted industrial shed on the road between Bongaree and Woorim.
- Take a boat cruise up the Pumicestone Passage, learning about the area's history and its birds and sea life. Dolphins often accompany the cruises.
- Explore Bribie Island's national park with its sand dunes, heaths, paper bark wetlands, open forests, freshwater creeks and lagoons. Access is by boat or 4WD. Obtain a 4WD permit from Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. Camps sites can also be booked in the national park, including along Ocean Beach.
Getting to Bribie Island
Self-drive. Hire cars are readily available.
A 24-hour door-to-door taxi service transfers to and from Brisbane Airport and Bribie Island.
Accommodation on Bribie Island
Accommodation on Bribie Island has traditionally been beach cottages or apartments (called 'units') privately owned and rented out for weekends or holidays through real estate agents or camping and caravans.
Resort-style apartments add a new option to Bribie Island holidays. These include On The Beach Resort at Woorim, right next to the surf beach, and Placid Waters Holiday Apartments, overlooking the calm Pumicestone Passage.
Bribie Island Visitor Information Centre can help with more information on accommodation and activities.
Heather Grant - Heather Grant is a freelance journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. She's spent the best part of the last 20 years juggling writing ...
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