Things to do:
Redcliffe to Sandstone Point
For a coastal day trip, or a week away, Moreton Bay Region’s coastal towns should be on your radar! This secret oasis is a postcard-worthy, area of Brisbane that is perfect for everyone, from the adventure-driven to the nature lover and the arts-enthused. Only a 1 hour drive from Brisbane’s City, you will arrive at your next favourite holiday destination.
Where to eat and drink from Redcliffe to Sandstone Point
It would hardly be a legitimate trip to the seaside without enjoying fish and chips by the water. Devour delicious seafood, freshly delivered by trawler, at Morgans Seafood & Teppanyaki Room set within Scarborough Boat Harbour on the Redcliffe Peninsula. This popular seafood market has grown to include a seafood take-away store, oyster bar and sushi bar so you can enjoy seafood in whichever form you like best.
Alternatively, head to Scarborough Beach with the ultimate picnic fish-and-chip lunch from The Boat Shed for a quintessentially Moreton Bay Region experience and watch on as the waves lap the shore.
Neighbouring Morgans Seafood is Scarborough Harbour Brewing Co., where you can relax on an expansive deck, overlooking the boats bobbing in the harbour, and sample the brewery’s refreshing beers alongside its tasty menu offerings (cob loaf and a tasting paddle, anyone?).
For distinctive dishes served in a light, airy space, dine at The Belvedere for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This dog-friendly venue offers a contemporary Australian menu, where you can sip ice-cold cocktails, feast on hearty and flavourful fare, and complete your meal with one of the venue’s enticing desserts.
Still hungry for food-oriented adventures? Why not drop into Rolin’s Farm – look for the giant strawberry – for strawberry picking, strawberry ice-creams, take-home jams and local honey, and coffees to fuel your road-tripping.
On Bribie Island, the iconic Sandstone Point Hotel presents an idyllic spot for tucking into produce-driven, seasonal dishes that showcase the region’s ocean-fresh seafood. A visit to this hotel is on the top of many travellers’ to-do list. With its sea views, day beds, palm trees and cocktail bar, there’s little wonder why the hotel’s Oyster Shed Beach Club is a popular haunt. Aside from the show-stopping oyster selection, diners can enjoy lobster sliders, whole coral trout, and spanner crab, among other enlivening plates. And, on the hotel’s main restaurant menu, diners can choose from pub classics, burgers, seafood, rotisserie meats, and more. The Sandstone Point Hotel often plays host to festivals and events, so it’s a great idea to check out its calendar of upcoming happenings before planning your visit.
While you’re in the region, explore Bribie Island’s many and varied markets, including its Sylvan Beach Munch Markets that are all about, you guessed it: food. Go for the fresh produce and preserves and stay for the food trucks.
Adventure ahoy! Where to seek thrills (and chill) by the seaside
Whether you like to plan every moment, or take a holiday as it comes, there’s an adventure and activity to suit your wish list on the pristine coastline between Redcliffe and Sandstone Point.
Let a professional take the wheel, with a guided tour by boat from Redcliffe and Sandstone Point through River to Bay. If you would love to get up-close with marine life underwater, you can snorkel the Tangalooma Wrecks or if you are looking for an exclusively private experience, book a charter (try the likes of Moreton Bay Charters) and sail from coast to coast in style.
If ever there were a reason to set sail from Redcliffe, this is it: from June to November you can experience a once in a lifetime feeling as you come face-to-face with humpback whales while they’re spending time playing in the bay on a Brisbane Whale Watching trip.
And yet, you needn’t leave dry land to enjoy the coast in this part of the world. Take a leisurely, long walk or bicycle ride along the water and see the best of the region’s beaches on walking tracks that lead from Queens Beach Park to Scott’s Point Progress Park. But don’t forget to stop and smell the salty sea air at Woody Point Jetty and Picnic Point.
Those visiting with children can pack towels and togs bound for Settlement Cove Lagoon, Redcliffe – the perfect swimming spot and playground for kids who love to splash about in shallow waters and shaded areas. For bigger kids (and adults) the Redcliffe Aqua Warrior inflatable water park presents a fun-filled obstacle course to challenge your balancing skills.
Seeking a little fast-paced action to get the heart rate going? At Sandgate, Surf Connect is a go-to for wind and kitesurfing lessons and equipment rentals, to get you feeling the wind in your sails on the bay. Or, hit the water on a jet ski with Bribie-Island-based Moreton Bay Jetski Hire and Ride.
If you are looking for a more relaxed vibe for you holiday, you can lower yourself into the waters of Red Beach for a swim or to fish with help from Bribie Beach Shack Boat Hire, or visit the animals of White Ridge Farm. When night falls, you can set up camp overnight and get back to nature at the campgrounds of Gallagher Point or Ocean Beach.
Music, museums and markets: where to get your arts and culture fix on the bay
There’s more to Moreton Bay Region than initially meets the eye – from Redcliffe to Sandstone Point there is a fascinating selection of cultural, historic, and arts-centric activities and sites to explore.
Wander along the 70-metre, interactive monument that pays tribute to the internationally known band the Bee Gees. The global band that was born and raised in Redcliffe have their stories told all along Bee Gees Way. Learn about the bands’ connection to the area and their musical successes with hits such as Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever.
On Sundays, the Redcliffe Markets bring fresh food, live music and flair to the waterfront with an eclectic mix of stallholders, including bakers, producers and creative makers. Grab a fresh pastry and coffee, peruse the markets then take a walk on the well-known landmark that is the Redcliffe Jetty or head across the nearby Ted Smout Memorial Bridge.
For an even deeper dive into the Redcliffe cultural scene, Redcliffe Museum to discover the secrets of this seaside destination. Learn about the First Nations history, stories, language, and culture, watch films about the peninsula, and uncover artifacts from the past. You can also meander through the Redcliffe Art Gallery either by guided tour or at your own pace. In its new home, the gallery has four exhibition spaces where the works of emerging, established, and local artists inspire all those who visit the ever-evolving spaces.
While travelling between beaches, stop in at The Abbey Museum in Caboolture to explore its collections that span 500,000 years of history. Each July, the museum attracts around 20,000 visitors when its Abbey Medieval Festival and Banquet rolls into town. Keep your eyes on its events calendar to discover what’s happening at the museum in time for school holidays, where there is always exciting activities to take part in.
Want to make a weekend of it when you #VisitBrisbane? Book a room at The Sebel Brisbane Margate Beach, or one of Queensland’s best-loved family friendly resorts: BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort.
