| The following four tours are quite varied. One thing | | | | offshore fishing can be had at South Passage Bar, |
| they have in common is that they all allow the visitor to | | | | with Marlin, Sailfish and Yellowfin Tuna for sports |
| appreciate North Stradbroke Island's wonderful natural | | | | fishing in deeper waters further offshore. |
| endowments. Be daring enough to take all four tours, | | | | 3. Sea Kayaking & Snorkelling What an idyllic backdrop |
| and you will be gasping for superlatives. | | | | for a pleasant paddle. Trained operators will give you a |
| | | | rundown on operating these stable canoes (though |
| 1. Whale Watching June to late October is the main | | | | life-jackets are provided) on the beach before you |
| period for watching Humpback, Southern Wright and | | | | venture out. Shag Rock, an offshore rock formation is |
| the rarer Blue whales, however they can be seen | | | | a great spot to stop and appreciate North Stradbroke |
| outside these times. Whales trek north into warmer | | | | Island's marine life, and it's here where sea kayaking |
| waters to breed, and then return south, past | | | | tours stop for some snorkelling. You may even spot a |
| Stradbroke Island again, now with calves in tow, on | | | | turtle if you are lucky. Return by canoe, with the help |
| their way to the Antarctic for feeding. Local tour | | | | of a wave, pushing you back towards terra firma. |
| operators can provide more details and ferry you | | | | 4. Island Tours Local authorities allow 4WD enthusiasts |
| around to the best vantage points. You may be | | | | to bring their own transport to drive along Main beach. |
| fortunate enough to also see other local marine life at | | | | Local operators can assist those without a 4WD, and |
| some locations, including dolphins, turtles, manta rays | | | | also have special license to cover parts of the beach |
| and sharks. | | | | not accessible to the general public. This opens up the |
| 2. Fishing Charters Fish species including bream, whiting, | | | | island to full exploration. Visit beaches for a pleasant |
| flathead, tailor and dart are kind enough to frequent the | | | | swim, take in some of the island's flora and fauna and |
| waters around Stradbroke Island for a full twelve | | | | visit some inland lakes. A guide can also take you to |
| months of the year. Thankfully, they can be caught at | | | | historical spots and share a few local anecdotes. |
| accessible locations like Main Beach and Flinders | | | | Some tours include a picnic, beach barbeque lunch, or |
| Beach. For those keen to try and snare other types of | | | | local fish and chips. Other tours include exploration of |
| fish, reef species such as snapper, sweetlip, jew and | | | | the island by bicycle. Others still include surfing or |
| parrot can also be caught from nearby Moreton Bay's | | | | sandboarding, where one flies down sand dunes at |
| calm waters. Shared charters are available to take | | | | exhilarating speed. |
| you there. For groups of friends keen to compete on | | | | That's a lot of Stradbroke Island tours to pack in. Did I |
| who will return with this biggest catch, private charters | | | | mention that they were unmissable? Oh well, there's |
| of up to eight people can also be arranged. Great | | | | always next time! |