You didn’t know there was a Brisbane Island? Well, you best consult with Dr Google and find out about Moreton Island! I want to share some of the amazing things there are to see and do on this much forgotten slice of paradise. Like did you know that Moreton has Brisbane’s only shipwreck snorkelling? Or that it is home the world’s highest vegetated coastal sand dune?? If not read on for the top 10 things to experience on this amazing island!
1. Get unplugged and off-road
What better what to get off road and unplugged than driving around the 200km of beach and inland sand tracks on Moreton Island? Get around to some of the best places below, while enjoying a bit of 4WDing fun – test your skills as little or as much as you like! Bring some basic recovery gear, but one of the great things about Moreton Island is there is always someone driving past who will lend a hand if you need it
2. Get Wrecked on Brisbane Island – but not the way you think!
Imagine snorkelling around historic shipwrecks while thousands of tropical fish swarm past colourful coral formations. Just beside you a cormorant dives down and spears a fish right before your eyes! You must be at the Great Barrier Reef right? WRONG! You’re on Moreton Island, snorkelling the 15 sunken ships just 20 meters from the beach – the water is that clear that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re on some tropical island in the south pacific!
3. Break the speed limit
Get the kids out of their comfort zone with a bit of sandboarding in The Desert! Did you know you can reach up to 35km/hr zooming down the dunes? Make sure you buy a sand board before leaving the ferry (for the princely sum of $8) or bring your own for hours of sandy fun – head straight to the water afterwards for a “Moreton Shower”.
4. Volcanos, Whales & Convicts – what do they have in common?
What on earth you ask? Cape Moreton is one of the most interesting spots on Moreton Island. Firstly, underneath all that sandstone is the only rock on the island – and one formed in the Triassic era at that – think Dinosaur age! The lighthouse itself was the first built in Queensland and was built by civil prisoners (aka Convicts!). And last but not least, it’s the best place to spot earth’s modern dinosaurs – the whales from July to October every year (minus the seasickness you’d get with a traditional whale watching experience!).
5. Get younger without paying a cent
Sounds good doesn’t it! Well, popular myth says that if you take a dip in Blue Lagoon it will take years off your life! We’re not promising anything, but the tea tree laden waters of this perched lake (that’s a lake formed by sand hardening over time and forming a ‘bowl’) will definitely leave your skin soft and supple – much cheaper than that beauty treatment you were thinking about getting. If you’re really brave we recommend diving down for some of the ‘black’ sand and plastering over your face for a true Moreton Island facial!
6. Relax with a free massage on Brisbane Island
What would put the wife in a really good mood for the rest of the day? A massage of course! Head to Champagne Rockpools at North Point and let the waves and bubbles wash away the grit of the day – the best way to get those last remaining grains of sand out of your hair!
7. Where is the perfect sunset?
Everybody claims to have the perfect sunset these days don’t they? But if you want to relax with a cool beverage on the beach as the sun dips down over the water – and perhaps a few dolphins frolic by – well we think we’ve got just the place. Head to North Point with your camp chair and watch as the sun falls behind the picturesque Glass House Mountains. Ahh day done!
8. Reach for the sky
Why not tick that box and climb the highest vegetated sand dune in the world?! Mt Tempest is around 280m high and simply the best view on the whole island. Drink in almost 360 degree views of the sparkling waters and sandy dunes. If you’re really looking for a unique adventure, pack the thermos & coffee and do a sunrise hike!
9. Battery Acid
What workplace has a ‘tools down’ rule every 2pm daily to go for a swim? Well for the soldiers stationed at Rous Battery in WW2 this was exactly the situation most days on the Eastern Beach. Whisk the kids back in time as you explore the old concrete bunkers from yesteryear and delve into the little known war history of Moreton Island.
10. What’s that fishy smell?
It’s the folk at the Moreton Island Fishing Classic of course! They’re the people who are not afraid to gut a fish, pitch a tent and get out and about. This annual comp is fast becoming the ‘must do’ fishing event of the year. And the best bit is you don’t even have to catch a fish to win a prize!!
If this all sounds like your kettle of fish (pun intended) then head over to www.moretonislandadventures.com.au for more information on how to get there quick.