The ultimate guide to North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) camping

Kristie Lau-Adams Kristie Lau-Adams
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Whether you’re a glamper, caravanner or totally tent-talented, North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) camping presents low-key beach holiday perfection.

An unspoiled Queensland treasure just 30 kilometres east of Brisbane, Straddie, also known as Minjerribah to its traditional owners, is a rite of passage among Sunshine State campers. Stalking soldier crabs, catching yabbies and falling asleep salty and sun-kissed are what beach holidays are made of. For the more adventurous, surfing frothy idyllic waves and sandboarding in Dunwich, the gateway township to the island, also beckon. Here, we’ve crafted a guide to help you experience everything North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) camping has to offer, and best of all, it’s all entirely affordable.

Things to know before camping on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

Raided the aisles of Anaconda and ready to lock in your location? It’s wise to tick off a bit of location-specific housekeeping ahead of your North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) camping adventure.

Firstly, there are five main beachfront campsites to choose from across the 275 square-kilometre sand island and each of them are managed by Minjerribah Camping . A sixth campsite at Adam’s Beach, located very close to the island’s ferry terminal (more on the ferry situation soon), was also up and running but it’s currently closed.

an aerial view of the camping site at Flinders Beach
A 4WD gives you access to remote camping locations like Flinders Beach.

If you’re camping with your 4WD, it’s a different story as there are literally hundreds of sites (also managed by Minjerribah Camping) scattered across Flinders Beach and Main Beach. But most visitors stick to the main, amenity-fitted campsites to scratch that outdoor adventuring itch in comfort.

the Main Beach on North Stradbroke Island
Take advantage of your location and cast a line at Main Beach.

Because it’s an island, you’ll also need to lock down ferry tickets prior to departure. Passenger ferries and vehicle ferries run on limited schedules so don’t leave before booking what you require. All vehicles are transported from Toondah Harbour at Emmett Drive in Cleveland (a 45-minute drive from Brisbane’s CBD) via SeaLink’s North Stradbroke Island Ferry , who also run a passenger ferry. The vehicle ferry takes about 50 minutes while the passenger ferry takes 25 minutes and connects with local bus services. Check the website in advance for all scheduling and pricing.

an aerial view of the beach at Adder Rock
The beach at Adder Rock is sheltered for the most part. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

There’s also Stradbroke Flyer , a second company that takes visitors to the island via passenger ferries. Their ferries depart from the end of Middle Street in Cleveland. Check their website for up-to-date scheduling and pricing.

If you’re planning to beach camp with your 4WD, you’ll also need to purchase a Vehicle Access Permit through Minjerribah Camping before you go. Click here for all the details. Additionally, it’s worth noting that walking to these beach camping spots isn’t recommended. The access roads are long and you’ll have to carry all your gear the entire way.

Finally, an important note for fur parents. You can bring your four-legged friend with you, noting that there are two off-leash areas on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah): Home Beach and Dunwich Skate Park at Ron Stark Oval.

dogs outside a tent at Flinders Beach on North Stradbroke Island
Pets are welcome but there are only two off-leash areas on the island.

Amity Point at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $49 per night for an unpowered site.

Families, this is your spot. Set against calm Moreton Bay waters, Amity Point is a dream for keeping little ones busy as you kick your feet up. If they’re not splashing at your feet, they’ll be keeping their eyes peeled for pelicans, koalas and dolphins, all of which frequent the site.

a koala resting on a tree branch, North Stradbroke Island
Keep  your eyes peeled for koalas in their natural habitat. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

It’s also a top spot to drop a line and just a short drive to the island’s surf beaches. A cafe and convenience store (where you can also fill up on fuel) are also located nearby and the campsite is suitable for tents, campers and caravans. Glamping tents, cabins and a three-bedroom house are also up for grabs if you book early enough.

the Amity Point campsite
Find the perfect spot to camp by the beach.

Amenities: Toilets, hot showers, a coin-operated laundry, an undercover barbecue area and good mobile coverage.

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Adder Rock at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $49 per night for an unpowered site.

Soft sand relaxation comes on tap at Adder Rock , located in Point Lookout which is home to some of the island’s most stunning northern beaches. It’s a beautiful spot to swim safely and dabble in some whale watching if the timing’s right, as the beach is sheltered for the most part.

the Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club on North Stradbroke Island
The views of the island from Point Lookout are breathtaking. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Expect crowds who choose this site due to its natural beauty (rocky headlands create serious drama) and proximity to the local bowls club, eateries and a service station.

an aerial view of Adder Rock filled with people
Adder Rock offers good swells to surf. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Adder Rock is suitable for tents, camper trailers and caravans, plus there are cabins and glamping tents to snap up.

the camping ground with tents at Adder Rock
There are glamping tents to book for an elevated camping experience.

Amenities: Toilets, hot showers, a coin-operated laundry, several undercover barbecue areas and some mobile coverage.

Cylinder Beach at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $59 per night for an unpowered site.

If you’re in town to chase waves, Cylinder Beach has your name all over it. A picture-perfect cove located between the Cylinder Beach and Home Beach headlands, the hot spot is patrolled by lifeguards so it’s also ideal for swimming.

a typical sunny day on Cylinder Beach, North Stradbroke Island
Cylinder Beach is a patrolled beach that is ideal for swimming. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Once you’ve scored your beach fix, wander down to the Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel for a great pub feed and sundowners, or any one of the nearby restaurants. The campsite is good for tents, camper trailers and caravans, plus there’s glamping tents and a three-bedroom house to seize.

the camping grounds of Cylinder Beach at Minjerribah Camping
The nearby campsite is a good spot to set up for a night or more.

Amenities: Toilets, hot showers, a coin-operated laundry and some mobile coverage.

Home Beach at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $49 per night for an unpowered site.

A simple yet ultra-lush spot to experience North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) camping, Home Beach is a quiet choice that welcomes tents, camper trailers and caravans. It’s perfect for a whole lot of nothing as the beach is unpatrolled and the nearby attractions are scarce, so brace yourself for a serious switch off. If you’re looking for action at any stage, there is a local bowls club and some eateries to visit.

Amenities: Toilets, hot showers, a coin-operated laundry, several undercover barbecue areas and good mobile coverage.

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Bradbury’s Beach at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $69 per night for a powered site.

Go for Bradbury’s Beach if you want to stick close to the ferry terminal as well as the surrounding Dunwich action. It’s a cosy but atmospheric campsite filled with 21 powered van sites and six glamping tents but the real drawcard here is the plethora of water activities to enjoy.

an aerial view of the camping site on Bradbury’s Beach at Minjerribah Camping
Bradbury’s Beach offers six glamping tents and waterfront views.

Boaties will take advantage of its proximity to One Mile Jetty while kayaking and fishing are also popular. It’s low-key and offers everything a sleepy beach holiday should.

a family relaxing outside their glamping tent, Bradbury’s Beach at Minjerribah Camping
Slip into one of the spacious glamping tents.

Amenities: Toilets, hot showers, a coin-operated laundry, an undercover barbecue area and good mobile coverage.

Flinders Beach at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $22 per night for an unpowered site.

North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) camping doesn’t get more beautifully basic than this. Set up shop within the sand dunes at Flinders Beach in Point Lookout where 12 beachfront camping spots (and hundreds of individual sites) are only accessible by 4WD vehicles.

the Flinders Beach on North Stradbroke Island
Make Flinders Beach your camping base.

The eight-kilometre stretch between Amity Point and Adder Rock Headland is home to stunning sand bars and excellent surfing conditions. If you can manage without a few creature comforts, the serenity is worth it.

an aerial view of a 4WD driving along the Flinders Beach
Drive your 4WD along the pristine white-sand beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Amenities: Some have composting toilets, there’s a toilet waste dump point at Area H (check the website for location details) and there’s some mobile coverage.

Main Beach at Minjerribah Camping

Price: From about $19 per night for an unpowered site.

One for the extreme 4WD campers. Hitting any one of the 11 beachfront camping areas (and 300 individual sites) at Main Beach will provide a sensational setting but you’ve got to be really prepared to rough it.

the Main Beach Headland Reserve at Minjerribah Camping
Set up at one of the 11 beachfront camping areas at Main Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Located on the eastern side of North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), the 38-kilometre east-facing stretch is an epic spot to beach fish. Plus, there’s a patrolled swimming area to dip into between long sessions of uninterrupted Mother Nature marvelling.

the wide shoreline at Main Beach, North Stradbroke Island
Head to Main Beach for a refreshing morning dip. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Amenities: None. There’s no mobile coverage and the nearest showers and toilets can only be found at Adder Rock.

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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Exploding supernovas & gold fever: discover the past at this outback Qld town

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn .

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters , Four Mile , Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings . To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting . They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum . Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services . Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs . The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.