A Moreton Island Journey Information (Mulgumpin)

It was late January 2023, and I used to be queuing for the Moreton Island ferry in Brisbane once I first realised my aim in life.

Because the 4WDs lined as much as pack tightly onto the 90-minute ferry, I seen a household get out of their sand colored Land Cruiser 76 collection. With fishing traces and a jet ski in tow, each cell in my physique lit as much as the journey this household had been about to embark on.

A weekend offline, on an island, in nature, with the youngsters rolling round within the wild. Heaven, proper?

In case you are somebody who additionally lives for an off-grid journey, cooking out beneath the celebrities and a mattress that you would be able to roll straight into the ocean from… you’re going to be as obsessive about Moreton Island as I’m, and also you’ll need to save this Moreton Island journey information.

Moreton Island (Mulgumpin within the Indigenous Quandamooka language) is an absolute paradise positioned simply off the coast of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.

This uncooked and rugged island is likely one of the world’s largest sand islands and is likely one of the finest 4WD adventures you will discover alongside the east coast of Australia alongside Fraser island and North Stradbroke Island.

On this Moreton Island journey information, I’m going to share with you all the finest issues to do on Moreton Island in order that when you’re contemplating making your manner over there, you’ll know precisely what sort of journey to count on. I’ll additionally share the choices you must recover from there, what to take with you and the very best time of yr to go to.

Notepads and pens on the prepared…

Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the very best locations to eat, drink, calm down and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your gadget and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.

Getting To Moreton Island

While Moreton Island is a 4WD-only island (no roads, simply sand), you’ll be able to nonetheless go to Moreton Island with no 4WD of your personal. I’ve listed all of the choices beneath for you!

Attending to Moreton Island with a 4WD

You probably have a 4WD or are renting one, e book your self onto the Micat automobile ferry from the Port of Brisbane. Travelling on this automobile barge permits you to fill your automotive with all of your tenting gear and transport every part throughout to the island to roam freely. E-book on-line right here.

• Value – Begins round $120 return for normal autos (a number of add-ons accessible)
• Period – round 90 minutes.
• Tip – If your days, e book properly upfront! These ferries have restricted area and so they e book out on a regular basis. Keep watch over faculty holidays and weekends as that is peak reserving time.

Passengers With out Autos

If you happen to don’t have a 4WD, don’t concern; you’ll be able to nonetheless discover this paradise in a couple of alternative ways.

Tangalooma (the one resort on the island) affords a passenger ferry, which provides you the choice to come back over for the day or you’ll be able to keep in a single day at their lodging.

They presently have 4 ferries that depart from Brisbane’s Holt Avenue Wharf each day and excursions that you would be able to select from if you wish to see extra of the island. See extra right here. I’ve heard you can too lease a 4WD from them, too.

• Value for a day return on the ferry: Round $99 return per grownup, $59 per youngster.
• Period: 75 minutes.

Finest Time to Go to Moreton Island, Australia

Moreton Island is an epic year-round vacation spot, so the very best time to go to Moreton Island is determined by what your precedence journey is while you’re right here.

If it’s snorkeling, diving, and sand tobogganing you’re after – go to in the summertime (December to February).

If it’s gentle temperatures, fewer crowds, and nice fishing situations – go to in Autumn (March to Could). That is the very best probability to see dolphins and turtles energetic too.

If it’s whale watching and exploring the island with cooler temperatures that’s your precedence – go to in Winter (June to August).

Wildlife Recognizing Calendar

• Dolphins: 12 months-round at Tangalooma Resort
• Humpback Whales: June to November, finest considered from Cape Moreton.
• Turtles: Lively from September to March, nesting from November.
• Dugongs: Typically seen within the protected waters close to the island.
• Birdlife: Migratory shorebirds go to in spring and summer time.
• Marine Life: Snorkelers can spot reef fish, wobbegongs, and rays.

1. 4WD round Moreton Islands Sand Tracks

Moreton Island is 37 kilometers lengthy and 10 kilometers broad, consisting of 98% sand. So in case your visiting with a 4WD, you’re in for a enjoyable journey.

You’ve the choice of driving alongside the seashores (be careful for the tide) and utilizing the inland sand tracks, which current contrasting tropical jungle views (see beneath).

Issues to recollect:

• You’ll have to buy your 4WD allow earlier than arriving on the island
• Decrease your tire stress on the ferry or carry transportable tools
• Take a screenshot of the tide instances earlier than you arrive in order that when you’ll be able to and can’t drive on the seashores!

2. Pull up someplace and luxuriate in lunch/dinner within the wild

That is most likely my favorite factor to do on Moreton Island.

I like that you’ve every part with you in your automotive and you may drive round till you are feeling impressed, hungry or drained… pull up, have a tip and get the camp range out.

For probably the most a part of the yr, you’ll end up with spots all to your self. The last word unplug from the world and the final word plug into nature and restorative time with buddies / household.

You’ll find all of my favorite pull up and camp spots on the island in my Australia Google Map Legend right here. You may open this map in your telephone and navigate to my precise location pins!

Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the very best locations to eat, drink, calm down and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your gadget and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.

3. Go snorkeling at Tangalooma Wrecks

Snorkelling the wrecks is up there with the very best issues to do on Moreton Island. You’ll see these wrecks as you arrive to the island on the ferry as they’re proper outdoors the Tangalooma Resort.

These 15 sunken shipwrecks create a synthetic reef that’s teeming with marine life. You may swim out from the seaside, rent a kayak or head out in a transparent canoe.

Seeing turtles, tropical fish, and dolphins are not any unusual experiences right here on the Tangalooma Wrecks!

4. Camp out and prepare dinner beneath the celebrities

That is simply IT for me.

Moreton Island affords many tenting spots (5 camp zones and 5 campgrounds) that really feel really wild and unplugged from the matrix. A few of my favourites are Yellow Patch, North Level and Blue Lagoon.

Tenting on Moreton Island is, surely, one of the stress-free, restorative adventures I’ve ever been on so when you’re trying to swap off, you’re heading to the appropriate place.

All you want is your swag, your rooftop tent, or your camper arrange and to e book a website! Spots are cheap to e book nevertheless it simply means you’ll be able to reserve a spot. E-book right here.

Issues to recollect:

• All tenting permits have to be bought earlier than you arrive on the island (there isn’t any self-registration or reception on website).
• A tenting tag have to be displayed at your campsite always.
• A restrict of 1 automobile per campsite is allowed.

Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the very best locations to eat, drink, calm down and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your gadget and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.

5. Go to Cape Moreton Lighthouse

While driving across the north a part of the island, make sure you cease on the island’s highest level, Cape Moreton.

As soon as parked up within the sand automotive park, take the 5 minute stroll as much as the highest, the place you’ll be able to bathe in 360-degree views of the shoreline. You’ll see precisely why it is a prime whale-watching spot from June to November.

Tip: Carry binoculars for recognizing marine life!

6. Sand Tobogganing at The Desert

This is likely one of the hottest adventures to go on and among the best issues to do on Moreton Island when you’re down for a little bit of adrenaline. From the beachside sand dunes to the favored spots of Little Sand Hills, Massive Sand Hills, and The Desert, that is your probability to slip down some epic dunes at thrilling speeds!!

If this feels like a little bit of you, make sure you pack your sand board, some cardboard OR try sand dune excursions!

Tip: Wax up your board for additional pace!

7. Pitch up for the day and surf at North Level

North Level is certainly one of my favorite spots on the island and is, as you’ll have guessed, positioned on the North of the island by Champagne Swimming pools and Honeymoon Bay – two different spots you’ll be able to try while you’re up right here.

North Level is the place you’re most certainly to seek out your self a wave on this right-hand break.

It’s additionally a vibey spot to hang around for the day as many individuals drive alongside the seaside and pitch up right here to play video games on the seaside, prepare dinner up lengthy, sunbake and surf.

Whether or not it’s for an hour, a morning or an entire day, hanging out at North Level is likely one of the finest issues to do on Moreton Island.

Simply have a look at the photographs beneath!

8. Spot the whales migrating

If you happen to’re on a whale mission, you’ll need to go to between June and November to witness the Humpback whales migrate previous the island. As beforehand talked about, among the best spots to see this spectacle happen is on the north of the island at Cape Moreton.

Or, after all, you may e book a specialised boat tour to stand up shut and private with the beautiful species. Take a look at Tangalooma Whale Watching for extra.

9. Cease off at Blue Lagoon for a swim!

On the east facet of the island, a brief drive down from the North Level, lies a crystal-clear freshwater lake surrounded by pure white sand – Blue Lagoon!

Blue Lagoon is a dreamy spot to chill off in, and when you go to within the morning, you’ll doubtless have calm waters and the place to your self! There’s a camp floor close by that you may e book into, too, when you’re on the lookout for someplace to remain.

10. Go to Champagne Swimming pools

These pure rock swimming pools on the northern finish of the island are named Champagne Swimming pools due to the glowing ‘champagne’ impact created as ocean wave’s crash over the volcanic rock & sandstone breakwall.

These swimming pools are an excellent one to tee up with a go to to Honeymoon Bay and North Level seaside!

Tip: Go to at mid to excessive tide for the total impact.

11. Stroll as much as 5 Hills Lookout for views throughout the Island

This lookout is positioned alongside the west facet of the island as you drive from Tangalooma (the place the ferry drops you off) as much as Cape Moreton and is likely one of the finest issues to do on Moreton Island due to the epic views it affords for a comparatively brief strolling distance.

On the facet of the sand observe, if you arrive, there are a couple of informal parking bays, and you may full this stop-off in round 25 minutes when you’ve walked and brought 10 minutes to benefit from the view.

I didn’t do that on my first go to to the island, however I beloved including it on this time as a result of it provides you a distinct perspective throughout the center of the island (the bush) and offers you an actual idea of the dimensions of Moreton Island!

12. Look out for Dolphins

Okay, so I knew seeing the dolphins was among the best issues to do on Moreton Island, however I had no intention of being a customer of Tangalooma Resort to expertise it. It’s a well known truth that each night, a household of untamed dolphins visits Tangalooma Resort’s pier to work together with guests and company staying there.

Nonetheless, we ended up with a reasonably surreal expertise as we arrived simply south of the resort to take a morning dip within the water (round 6 am).

Two dolphins joined us and swam round us for about 10 minutes simply meters away. SO surreal. A as soon as in a lifetime expertise that I’m over the moon I acquired to share with my mumma!

If you happen to’re eager so as to add a dolphin expertise to your time right here on Moreton Island, try the Tangalooma Dolphin Feeding.

My High ideas for Visiting Moreton Island:

Bear in mind to pack:

• Sunscreen, hat, and sun shades
• Swimwear and towel
• Insect repellent
• First-aid equipment

For 4WD Vacationers

• Obtain Google Maps offline so to navigate even if you lose sign
• Restoration gear, tire deflator, and shovel (put together for getting caught!)
• Tenting tools and sufficient consuming water
• Printed or screenshotted tide charts (so that you simply don’t get caught out!)

I believe that’s every part it’s good to know earlier than visiting Moreton Island!

Belief me, get it in your bucket record and even higher, spherical up your pals and e book your ferry!

Have you ever been to Moreton Island, Australia?

What are the very best issues to do on Moreton Island, Australia? Something you’d add to this Moreton Island, Australia bucket record?

Love as at all times and completely happy adventuring… 

Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the very best locations to eat, drink, calm down and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your gadget and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.