Moreton Island

Located in the northern part of the bay, Moreton is only a short boat trip from Scarborough or Manly. Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort, located on the Island, also offers a dedicated ferry service with regular departures from Holt Street Wharf at Pinkenba.

The 4WD and passenger ferries are regualry operating to and from Moreton Island. Enjoy a drink and something to eat while admiring the scenery gliding through the bay to Moreton Island. Click here for a list of transport options to Moreton Island.

Together with Bribie and North Stradbroke Islands, Moreton Island forms a physical barrier to the ocean beyond, and in turn create the sheltered and calm waters of Moreton Bay.

As one of the world’s largest sand islands - comprising almost completely of National Park -makes this an excellent destination for nature lovers. It is famous as one of only a handful of places in the world where you can hand feed dolphins in the wild at Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort.

Towards the northern end of the island, the freshwater lake of Blue Lagoon offers a host of birdlife and wildflowers during spring – perfect for bird watching and bushwalking, both popular island pursuits. Several walking tracks are established on the island.

Nearby, at Cape Moreton, stands the oldest lighthouse in Queensland which was first lit on February 14, 1857.

Adrenalin seekers enjoy Moreton Island for the unique experience of sand-tobogganing down the world’s tallest stabilised sand dune - Mt Tempest. Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort offers guided tours; along with all the equipment you’ll need (a slim piece of waxed masonite) for a head-first, high-speed trip down the dune. Tangalooma also offers quad-biking tours around the island – their fleet of bikes is one of the largest in the country.

With mysterious wrecks and colourful coral reefs in the area, scuba diving and snorkeling are popular additions to the usual aquatic pursuits of swimming and surfing, which also happen to be world class offerings on Moreton Island. The famous Tangalooma Wrecks provide some of the best diving and snorkeling to be found on the east coast of Australia. No time for the Great Barrier Reef? No problem, all this is right at Brisbane’s doorstep!

And the fishing is excellent too, with beach, headland and offshore options rating well with locals and visitors.

As Moreton Island is a sand island with no sealed roads, only four wheel drive vehicles can be driven here, and a permit is required for this purpose. You can bring your own over on a vehicle ferry, or book a four wheel drive tour with one of the tour operators servicing the island.
Tour options range from a nature-based focus, including whale watching in season (June – November) to thrill seeking adventures such as sand tobogganing. Interestingly, the island has a historic link to whales with the remnants of a large whaling operation, which had operated on the island for many years, still visible today.

Click here for more information on tours of Moreton Island.