Stradbroke Island

North Stradbroke Island, nicknamed “Straddie” by the locals, offers a low-key escape from Brisbane. The picturesque island, the most popular of all the islands in Moreton Bay, is lined by white sand beaches on its eastern shores, while the interior is dotted with freshwater lakes.

The first inhabitants of the island showed up some 40,000 years ago, and members of three Australian Aboriginal groups call the island home today. Before you begin your explorations of the island, spend some time learning about the island’s long history at the North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum.

Besides the museum, all of Straddie’s other attractions revolve around Mother Nature. Along the coast, it’s possible to spot dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles and humpback whales, and more something a little more active, you can dive, surf, fish, sand board, sea kayak or take a 4WD tour of the island’s interior.

For a getaway even more off the grid, catch a ferry to Straddie’s sister island, South Stradbroke, a lesser known island where visitors can camp and fish.