This North Stradbroke Island Bikepacking Trip is the Ultimate Summer Adventure From Brisbane

Ditch the conga line of cars leaving the city on a Friday arvo and jump on ya bike instead! Knock out this North Stradbroke Island bikepacking route on a weekend and see more of Brisbane’s favourite holiday destination while avoiding the expensive car ferry.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Quandamooka people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview

Anyone who’s voyaged to Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island will probably recognise the lines of cars at Cleveland waiting to get on the vehicle ferry. Thankfully, that won’t be you on this trip! You’ll get to go straight onto the passenger water taxi.

Escape the trodden tourist path by cycling your way around this magnificent part of Queensland – it’s a bikepacking adventure near Brisbane you won’t forget! There are deserted beaches that are perfect for post-bike swims and ample opportunity to spot an amazing range of wildlife. 

Because it’s so close to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, you could easily cut this down and make it one epic North Stradbroke Island day trip.

Read more: A Weekend at Minjerribah/Stradbroke Island

Bikepacking North Stradbroke Island Facts

Day 1

Distance: 40km
Elevation Gain: 434m
Duration: 3 hours of cycling
We took six hours from ferry to hostel, including lunch, the Gorge walk, shopping for food, and multiple swims.

Day 2

Distance: 39km
Elevation Gain: 529m
Duration: 3 hours of cycling
We took 8 hours from hostel to ferry, including breakfast, the Gorge Walk (again), an extended lunch, and swim break at Brown Lake

About North Stradbroke Island

North Stradbroke Island, or ‘Straddie/North Straddie’ as it’s called colloquially, is about 30km south-east from Brisbane and takes under an hour to get to from the CBD. Its about 38km long, 11km wide. Straddie has long been a popular spring/summer holiday spot for Brissie and Gold Coast locals to go swimming, surfing, whale watching and much more.

South Stradbroke forms the northern end of the Gold Coast and is only accessible by boat – you can’t bring your car over.

A typical day on Straddie looks like this | @claire__dalton

North Stradbroke Island History

The Quandamooka (‘people of the bay’) have cared for Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island for thousands of years, with archeological evidence dating back to at least 21,000 years ago. Minjerribah means ‘place of many mosquitoes’.

The island has long been a seasonal meeting ground for other tribes in the area to gather, and the Noonuccal and Goenpul people (part of the Quandamooka) are the two main groups who call the land and water home.

Until the late 19th century, Stradbroke was actually one island… until the ship Cambus Wallace ran aground near an area called Jumpinpin – a narrow spit. The cargo contents of the ship included a lot of dynamite which had to be detonated in bulk. The already weakened dunes from the explosions were exalted by consequent bad storms, leading to the creation of North and South Stradbroke Island.

How to Get to North Stradbroke Island

Take the train from Brisbane to Cleveland, bikes are allowed on board in the first and last train carriages. It’s a short, 10-minute ride from the train station to the ferry, where your bike gets to come along for free! 

There are two ferry companies at Cleveland that service North Stradbroke Island: Stradbroke Flyer and SeaLink.

The Stradbroke Flyer is a passenger-only service and costs $21 return for an adult. No need to book this one, you can just pop down on the day and come aboard! It only takes 25 minutes to get over to the island.

SeaLink is what you’d take if you had a car (and it would be $115…) but they also have a passenger service. You can book online and it costs $20 return for adults.

Both drop you at the town of Dunwich on Straddie. Then you’re ready to take on this North Stradbroke Island bikepacking route!

Essential Gear for Bikepacking North Stradbroke Island

• Bike
• Bike repair kit
• Swimming gear
• Camera
• Sunscreen
• Hat

Read more: Remember to leave no trace!

Skill Level for Bikepacking North Stradbroke Island

Intermediate

The roads on Stradbroke Island are in good condition and never too steep (apart from the climb to Brown Lake of course). You do need to be confident riding on the road, but outside the holidays there shouldn’t be too much traffic on the roads.

By breaking up the ride in shorter stretches or by skipping Amity Point and/or Brown Lake, this trip would definitely be doable for beginners.

Where to Eat on North Stradbroke Island

There are a few places to grab a bite in Straddie and you’ll mainly find them near Point Lookout.

Some favourites are:

• Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel: Great for groups (or for chilling after your big ride!) as it overlooks the ocean
• Fins N Fries: Good old-fashioned fish and chip shop – definitely go for the fish burger
• Bella Balena Gelateria: Gotta have ice cream on the menu when near the ocean!

What It’s Like to Bikepack North Stradbroke Island

Yes, I realise that using the word ‘ultimate’ means your expectations are now way up there, but trust me, this trip is really, really good! I mean, swapping Brisbane for deserted beaches in two hours without driving anywhere?

Spotting dolphins, whales, koalas, turtles, and kangaroos left, right, and centre? Here’s how you squeeze all of Straddie’s highlights into a two-day bike trip.

You’ll see plenty of whales from August – November! | @__myrt__

Day 1 – Myora Springs, Amity Point, and North Gorge

Start your trip with a bike ride to your nearest train station and hop on a train to Cleveland. From here you can cycle to the Stradbroke ferries, a mere ten minutes down the road. 

Adventure time starts now! | @__myrt__

After arriving at Dunwich on Stradbroke Island, wave goodbye to the tourists all getting onto the one and only bus and set off at a leisurely pace along East Coast Road. Only 4km take a quick peek at Myora Springs before continuing along the road inland. 

Follow the signs to Amity Point, which makes for a perfect lunch stop with beautiful beaches. Perhaps a quick swim is in order since you’ve already cycled 17km?

Never pass up an opportunity to swim | @__myrt__

When you’re ready to continue, head back the way you came. At the turnoff to Beehive Road, follow the gravel path straight in front of you to add a touch of off-road adventure.

After 6.5km you’ll pop back out onto East Coast Road, which you follow all the way to Point Lookout, the main attraction of your trip! Be sure to check out the walk to North Gorge, spotting dolphins, whales, turtles, and kangaroos along the way, or hang out and go for (another) swim at Frenchmans Beach. 

Gorge Walk views

There’s heaps of camping on the island, but by staying in a hostel you can keep your luggage nice and light without the added weight of your tent, mat and sleeping bag.

We stayed at the Manta Lodge YHA, a pretty cool hostel with a large kitchen and plenty of communal areas to hang out and make friends.

Hot tip! It’s only a hop, skip, and a jump to the beach and the lodge will lend you a free towel. Third swim of the day, anyone?

Day 2 – Point Lookout and Brown Lake

Waking up to another stunning day, we decided to have breakfast at one of the lookout points at the aptly named, Point Lookout (how did they come up with that?).

Grab yourself some fresh bread from the French bakery down the road and ogle at the sight of dozens of whales passing by. It makes for a pretty special breakfast! 

Great way to start the day | @_myrt__

Once you’ve soaked in every drop of the view and feel ready to leave Point Lookout behind (or should we say, to sit your sore ass down on your bike again) head back to Dunwich along the main road. 

Back on the horse for another day of riding | @__myrt__

In Dunwich, stock up on some more food before you head up to Brown Lake. Be prepared as the road to the lake has a VERY steep and long climb (it’ll nearly kill you).

But it’s all worth it once you’ve made it to the lake – not only because it’s perfect for a lazy afternoon of swimming, reading, and eating.

Not a bad way to end the weekend | @__myrt__

The best part is, on the return trip, you can pretty much coast all the way to the ferry, ready to face the bustle of the city again after the ultimate beach-filled bike-packing adventure!

FAQs for Bikepacking North Stradbroke Island

What bike shops are on North Stradbroke Island?

Unfortunately, there are no dedicated bike shops on the island, so you’ll definitely want to bring a bike repair kit. Your best bet would be hitting up the Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre since they’re Straddie’s main adventure hub.

Is there bike hire on North Stradbroke Island?

If you plan on visiting the aforementioned Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre at some stage, you’ll be in luck! They do half and full-day bike hire. You can also hire out snorkel gear and surfboards from there if you want some extra activities.

Is there reception on North Stradbroke Island?

There is mobile coverage on Straddie, but it can vary across different areas and cell providers. You’re most likely to get the best reception at Point Lookout and Dunwich since they’re the busiest areas.