Known to the laid-back locals as Straddie, there is an island north of the Gold Coast that entertains adventure seekers with an intoxicating mix of eco-sensitive natural beauty and an aggressive attack on the adrenal gland.
North Stradbroke Island features great surfing beaches and bottomless freshwater lakes, sand dunes like snow mountains and deep coastal gorges where ornithologists can spy 250 species of native birds. In brief, the island offers plenty of thrills for anyone prepared to look beyond the Gold Coast's bikinis and bright lights.
Often over-shadowed by the better known island icons of Fraser and Moreton, Straddie nevertheless ranks among the world's largest sand islands. It has also been listed as one of the world's most ecologically important wetlands, primarily due to the freshwater lakes, waterways and lagoons that are a magnet for 4WD and bushwalking visitors.
After the 40 minute ferry ride from Cleveland on Brisbane's bayside - less than an hour north of the Gold Coast - you reach the quiet port of Dunwich on the protected western side of North Stradbroke Island. Here the adventurers - including an eclectic crew of international backpackers getting off the beaten track - disentangle themselves from the locals.
One group wanders off into the bush on walking trails that criss-cross the island, or boards the bus bound for Point Lookout, while the other is greeted by family and friends in rusty cars, utes and 4WDs before heading off to homely cottages and fishing shacks.
But no matter how you get there, it is the eastern side of the island that hosts most of the action.
North Stradbroke's beaches are quite simply a cleaner, non-highrise-lined rival to Surfers Paradise. Main Beach stretches some 32 km from Point Lookout to Jumpinpin near the island's southern tip.
It is the beaches north of the point, however, that offer the most variety with sugary sand, steep headlands and rocky coves virtually ensuring - regardless of wind and swell direction - that good waves can be found. Descend the boardwalk to Frenchmans Bay and you may just find yourself alone in the breakers, except perhaps for a friendly school of dolphins keen to share the surf.
The next beach north is Deadmans, another secluded, non-patrolled paradise bordering the spectacular North Gorge. Like Frenchmans, this beach is a great place to explore rock pools where anemones, crabs and shellfish thrive.
One of the best beaches for family fun is Cylinders, a picturesque cove between two headlands. Here the waves are often smaller and there is the added security of lifeguards on-hand during summer months.
When the swell is up, however, North Stradbroke's waves are best left to the experienced surfers who cross like migrating birds from the mainland, having watched weather maps for weeks waiting for Nature's forces to align an assault on Queensland's most easterly outpost.
Position yourself on the headlands around Point Lookout for a spectacular show of wave riding at its best. These same breaks are where Gary Elkerton, one of Australia's most successful professional surfers, honed his skills.
These vantage points are also ideal for spotting dolphins, manta rays and turtles (year round) and whales (June through November).
Not surprisingly, scuba diving and snorkelling come a close second to surfing as the most popular activity for many visitors. The Stradbroke Island Scuba Centre offers daily boat dives at dozens of locations only minutes away. Besides manta rays, dolphins and turtles, leopard sharks are another regular sighting in these waters.
Sea kayaking is another great way to experience the island's aquatic attractions. Straddie Adventures offers all-inclusive tours that allow you to paddle both off the coast and in-shore on the island's freshwater treasures.
Blue Lake, 8km along the Trans Island Road from Dunwich, is the star attraction of a 501ha National Park named in its honour. The Aboriginal name for the lake is Karboora, which means Silent Pool.
If you are feeling really brave, try diving into the depths in a bid to touch the bottom. You won't, of course, but the eerie feeling that accompanies this endeavour is a favoured topic of conversation at campsites and cafes around the island.
And if diving into the darkness of a bottomless pool doesn't get your adrenalin flowing, try sliding down Straddie's giant sand dunes. Sandboarding is another feature of most Straddie Adventures tours. But be warned, this might make a nice change from riding waves and at times could be compared to snowboarding - but there are no chairlifts to get you back to the top of that towering slope!
Fishing, sailing, four-wheel driving and golf are among the many other activities on offer around this peaceful island paradise.
The range of accommodation is excellent - particularly at the lower budget end - and a number of operators offer adventure packages for two, three and four night stays. Typical three and four night itineraries feature snorkelling, sandboarding and a 4WD tour as part of the program.
4WD
