Description
Moreton Bay Island is a real city escape, located off the coast of
Brisbane and accessible by vehicular
barge. It is 4WDer's heaven with no sealed roads and sand driving all the way. A great place to enjoy unspoilt beaches,
fishing, swimming and an island that is still 98% national park.
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Moreton Island
From: Cowan Cowan
To: Tangalooma
Distance: 112.43 km
Direction: 173 °
Average Speed: 32.94 km/hr
Travel Time: 3 hours 24 mins
Using the Map
Our treks have a moving map facility, to take a virtual tour click on the Play button in the Moving map control (see Moving Map help)
Mouse Position:
Moving Map
Speed (5 secs)
Live Tracking
Auto Refresh (1 min, next 60 secs)
Permits
Vehicular permit - $32.60 per vehicle (valid for 1 month)
Camping fee of $4 per person/night or $16 per family/night (2 adults plus children)
Ferry/
barge fees - the most popular is Moreton Island Ferries. Cost is $135 return per vehicle (trailers extra).
All permits/fees can be paid to the
barge operators or the rangers on the island.
Things to See & Do
Sand driving,
fishing, swimming and great scenery
Preparation
Fuel Supplies & Usage
 | |
Diesel | 4cyl 16 litres |
ULP | 4cyl 18 litres |
LPG | 4cyl 22 litres |
|---|
| 6cyl 17 litres | 6cyl 20 litres | 6cyl 20 litres |
| 8cyl 18 litres | 8cyl 19 litres | |
Usage is averaged from
TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.
There is no longer any fuel available on Moreton Island. If you are bringing your 4WD over you will need to bring fuel with you. You can buy fuel at Kooringal and limited amounts from the MiCat
barge.
Best Time To Visit
Closest Climatic Station
Cape Moreton Lighthouse
Distance from Trek Mid Point 16.35km NE
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
26.8 | 26.7 | 26.0 | 24.2 |
21.7 | 19.6 | 18.9 | 19.7 |
21.4 | 23.0 | 24.6 | 26.0 |
| Mean Min. °C |
21.9 | 22.0 | 21.2 | 19.1 |
16.4 | 14.1 | 13.2 | 13.9 |
15.8 | 17.8 | 19.4 | 21.0 |
| Mean Rain mm |
151.0 | 159.2 | 181.6 | 147.5 |
172.0 | 138.0 | 116.7 | 78.4 |
66.1 | 80.7 | 95.6 | 129.0 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended
Services & Supplies
The following locations have various services and supplies:
Bulwer,
TangaloomaThere is also supplies available at Kooringal.
Camp Sites & Accommodation
Environment
It is also advisable to collect your own firewood beforehand as there is no firewood collection on the island for environmental reasons. Alternatively, carry a fuel stove.
History
Moreton Bay Island has its fair share of history. Once occupied by the Ngugi Aboriginal people, European settlement began in 1848 with the building of a pilot station near Bulwer. This was followed by a lighthouse positioned on top of the cliffs at Cape Moreton, which is still standing and in operation today. During World Wars I and II, Moreton Island became an important part of protection for
Brisbane from enemy ships. Ruins of the gun emplacements and fortifications built during the war can still be found at Cowan Cowan and Toompani Beach.
Queensland's only whaling station was also built on Moreton Island and remains of the station can still be found at Tangalooma Resort. Like
Fraser Island, Moreton Bay was subject to sand mining (on a smaller scale), which ended in 1992 when the mining leases were added to the
Moreton Island National Park.
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
