Stradbroke Island Beaches & Lakes

The many beaches and lakes of Stradbroke Island

Five main stradbroke beaches at Point Lookout provide great swimming, surfing, fishing and activities on North Stradbroke Island;

• Main Beach – a 32 km long stretch of white sand and surf. Point Lookout Surf Club is located at the northern end, lifeguards patrol year round, popular surfing when the conditions are right, the southern end is open for 4WD access and camping but permits are required. The small beach next to Main beach is South Gorge.
• Cylinder Beach – a protected swimming beach, with surf lifeguards and ideal for families.
• Home Beach – popular for swimming but does not have lifeguards, dogs are allowed off-leash and love it!
• Frenchmans Beach – visually stunning, open surf without lifeguards.
• Deadmans Beach – rock pools but no lifeguard service.

Flinders Beach stretches between Amity Point and Point Lookout. It can be accessed with a 4WD and has camping grounds – permits are required. Dogs are allowed in allocated areas.

There are two freshwater lakes on Straddie;

Brown Lake is about a five minute drive out of Dunwich, where the ferry arrives. Follow the signs from Dunwich along the sealed Trans-Island Road for about 4kms and turn left onto a dirt road (suitable for cars – you don’t need a 4WD) for a few hundred metres to the lakeside. It’s a popular swimming spot and has amenities such as BBQs, picnic tables, a playground and composting toilets.

Brown Lake is known for the tannin exuded from the leaves of the Paperbark & Ti-trees which gives the water a rich brown colour similar to tea.

Blue Lake is further on from Brown Lake, about 9 km from Dunwich along the Trans-Island Road. It’s located within the Naree Budjong Djara National Park. Visitors must leave their vehicles in the allocated car park and walk to the lake, which is approximately a 6km return track. The track is a gradual climb and sandy in places – in summer it can be arduous and hot so it’s best to go early morning or late afternoon. Remember to take water and a camera.

Blue Lake or Karboora meaning ‘deep silent pool’ is a place of significant cultural value to the Quandamooka people and they request that visitors respect that significance by not swimming in the lake.