Moreton Island

Moreton Island Another fantastic day or weekend trek from Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. Only a short trip by ferry and you're surrounded by beautiful beaches, wonderful scenery and great beach driving. A true city escape.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesCowan Cowan
FinishTangalooma
DifficultyDifficulty 3/5 Suitable for4WD 
Distance112.43 kmMinimum Days1
Average Speed32.94 km/hrDriving Time3 hrs 24 mins
Rating Be the first to rate this item0 Reviews
Article By: ExplorOz Team
Page Updated: 25 Oct 2011

Go to top 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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Go to top Interactive Route Map

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Moreton Island Help

From: Cowan Cowan
To: Tangalooma

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Go to top Permits

Permits must be sought prior to landing on Moreton Island. All vehicles must have a current Moreton Island RAM (Recreation Areas Management) vehicle access permit, purchased before entering the island and fixed to the lower left side of the windscreen. Unregistered vehicles are not permitted on Moreton Island.

Fees valid from 1 July 2009
Ensure you obtain your permit before entering a recreation area. Permits may be purchased online.

Moreton Island Recreation Area

  • 1 month - $38.25

  • 1 year - $191.50
They can be purchased from most Qld National Parks Office or on-line or by phone (see above). If you book by phone or on-line, you will be given a reference number and you will still need to call in to a National Parks office to actually pick up your Permit.

For Moreton Island, Vehicle Entry Permits can also be purchased from the barge operators, which is probably the simplest method.

Camping fees

Before camping in a park, forest or similar reserve, you must obtain a camping permit and pay your camping fees.

Camping fees are $5.00 per person per night or $20.00 per family per night. A family group is up to two adults and accompanying children under 18, up to a total of eight people. Children under five are free.

School children on approved excursions are charged $2.75 each.

You can purchase permits for Moreton Island on the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service website or click here to go there directly.

Go to top Things to See & Do

Sand driving, fishing, swimming and great scenery

Go to top Preparation

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel Symbol Diesel4cyl 16 litres ULP4cyl 18 litres LPG4cyl 22 litres
6cyl 17 litres6cyl 20 litres6cyl 20 litres
8cyl 17 litres8cyl 19 litres
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.

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Bulwer, Tangalooma
There is also supplies available at Kooringal.

Go to top Camp Sites & Accommodation

Go to top 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.

Go to top 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.

Go to top Driving Directions

Time
Direction
Distance
Cowan Cowan to Bulwer 5.58 km N 10 min
Bulwer to Comboyuro Point 1.53 km N 339° 2 min
Comboyuro Point to Bulwer 1.53 km S 159° 2 min
Bulwer to Eager Beach 16.84 km SE 139° 35 min
Eager Beach to Jason Beach 36.32 km S 192° 1 hr 12 min
Jason Beach to Toompani Beach 11.67 km S 185° 18 min
Toompani Beach to Sovereign Beach 4.04 km S 175° 6 min
Sovereign Beach to Tangalooma Point 32.66 km NW 332° 1 hr 1 min
Tangalooma Point to Tangalooma 2.25 km N 19° 3 min
Cowan Cowan to Tangalooma 112.43 km     3 hr 24 min
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.
Moreton Island 31.7.12 - 6.8.12
Hit Moreton Island for a weekend with friends and stayed on camping for about four days. Got a great campsite on the beach and practised our 4WD-ing on the sand. Beautiful sunsets and a trek around the island. Baz and Jim caught some taylor off the beach on the last day and got smashed up by some BIG tuna close to the shore. Great place, great week. Tested out the truck and camping gear...worked wellLeft the van at home for this trip.[gi]57811,25
Queensland’s Hidden Treasure – Nth Stradbroke Island June 2011
Our long winded trip to the Exploroz Natiional Gathering in Silverton began on the 27th April. Our first leg took us to Caloundra where we house sat for friends for 6 weeks. From there our adventure began with four days on North Stradbroke Island Monday 20th June to Thursday 23rd June Just a short 45minute trip on Stradbroke Ferries from Cleveland and we were on North Stradbroke Island at Dunwich.
Bribe and Moreton Islands - Tangalooma (days 65-66)
We leave the very tidy, civilised, but also very noisy Noosa and head south again on the Bruce Highway, only for an hour or so to divert via Steve Irwin's Australian Zoo and the Glass House Moutains. The zoo is very good, but quite pricey $172 for a family and they would not give us the usual concession for L as J did not have written proof that she is L's carer on her! The animal enclosures are nice and big and clean and you get plenty of opportunities to go to talks and shows. Also,
Nuddy’s Cape York Recce 2010.
Nuddy’s Cape York Recce 2010. Trip Log 0000 km 08.30 Weds 26th May Single handed, leaving Wangi with both tanks full. Main Tank = L/Ranger 140 litres useable. Sub Tank = OEM Nissan 35 lirtes useable. TL 980 km 20.00 Weds 26th May - Matilda Gympie – 132.49 litres. TL 1118 km 22.50 Nth of Marybrough – stop till 07.00 Thurs. TL 1473 km 11.50 Thurs 27th May – Shell Rockhampton 66.84 litres. TL 2177 km 23.00 Thurs 27th May – BP Townsville 139.48 litres. TL 2371 km 01.30 Fri 28th May Nth of Ayr – stop till 07.
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Well we made it to the top! I have not been able to put anything on my blog as we were out of range most of the time. It is strange that you can get phone reception but no internet. On our way north we stopped three nights at Cooktown and then set off for our adventure as we were towing our van we did not intend to go OTL but had heard the road was in pretty bad condition from those who had returned. So we prepared our vans for the worst stuffing towels into the fridge and cupboards, ready for the corrugations.

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