A Visitors Guide to the Beaches of Brisbane
Moreton Bay is a placid marine park, sheltered from the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean by its three massive sand islands - Moreton, Stradbroke and Bribie. Of these, Moreton island is the largest, covering an area of 20,000 hectares. The bay is studded with a total of 365 islands and is the home of over 500 species of fish and marine mamals. The sandy beaches provide a sub-tropical holiday ground for Brisbane's tourists and holidaymakers. These islands have been formed over hundreds of thousands of years by the north flowing tidal current migration of fine sands from the granite mountains of northern New South Wales.
The bay is the breeding ground for many endangered species, including the sea turtle, dugong, and dolphins. The outer islands provide a grandstand view of the annual humpback whale migration from their summer feeding grounds in the Antractic to their breeding and calving winter home in the sheltered waters of the Great Barrier Reef, 1,000 km to the north. Today, large areas of the bay are classified as marine reserves where commercial fishing is prohibited, protecting this important resource for future generations.
The shores of Moreton Bay have been the home of aboriginal peoples for over 20,000 years. In 1799, Matthew Flinders sailed into the bay and landed at Woody Point. He named the area Red Cliffe after the characteristic red ochre colour of the local soil. The first European settlers arrived in 1824 on the brig "Amity" under the command of the explorer John Oxley. He established a penal colony in Redcliffe for the New South Wales government, to house their more intractable convicts. This settlement was abandoned after 2 years and relocated to what is now the city of Brisbane. The empty buildings were described by the local aborigines as "Humpybong" which means, in their language, "dead houses" and the name exists today for the creek which was the location of the first European settlement in Queensland.
Moreton Bay is the gateway to the city of Brisbane which was founded on the banks of the Brisbane river. Brisbane is the largest metropolis on Moreton Bay and is the capital city of Queensland with a population of 1.7 million, making it and the third largest city in Australia.
Moreton Bay Visitors Guide
The Visitors Guide is a directory to the main holiday destinations in and around Moreton Bay. Within each region you will find a number of resources listed, including accommodation, activities, cafes and restaurants, entertainment, services and events.
If you are searching for accommodation on the bay or wish to book a tour or activity, use our handy enquiry form for a quick resonse from hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, caravan parks, camping and backpackers.
The Bay has a plentiful supply of restaurants, cafes, take aways,and wine bars for all tastes. Fresh local sea food is our specialty, but you will find a cosmopolitan smorgasbord of choice, including Italian, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Turkish, Korean and Japanese. Check for the best in our location guide.
The activity section lists whale and dolphin watching tours, 4 wheel drive adventures, sky diving, reef diving, fishing expeditions, golf and gliding.
The entertainment section highlights clubs, nightclubs, hotels, theatres, festivals and other events where you can enjoy live performances from our local talent.