Tipplers, on South Stradbroke Island, is one of the Gold Coast's favourite island destinations and only ten to fifteen minutes from the nearest mainland ramp.
The island gives you three different days depending on which side you are on. Tipplers Passage on the north-western side is the protected anchorage, with pontoon access to the café and the campground. The eastern beach has world-class surf breaks and the better fishing. The Broadwater side is calm water, the one for families, swimming and water sports.
Getting there
Launch from Jacobs Well (20 minutes), Runaway Bay Marina (30 minutes), or the Paradise Point ramps. Head east across the Broadwater, watching for marine life and shallow banks. On a clear day the island is visible from the mainland.
Navigate to Tipplers Passage on the north-west side. The passage gets busy at weekends, so arrive early if you want the pontoon. The public pontoons have a 20-minute limit for loading and unloading, so anchor in the Broadwater along the western side for anything longer.
| Waypoint | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Jacobs Well boat ramp | -27.7736, 153.3650 |
| B | Tipplers anchorage | -27.8050, 153.4260 |
There is also a recording of the trip across if you would rather watch the route than read it.
Tides
Tipplers Passage is mostly deep water and accessible at all tides, at least two metres through the high-traffic run from the Gold Coast up to Tipplers. The passage does get choppy in a strong northerly.
Weekends and holidays bring heavy boat traffic. A weekday is a different and quieter place.
Safety
South Stradbroke waters are partially smooth waters, which sets the safety equipment you are required to carry. Check Maritime Safety Queensland for the current requirements.
The island sits inside Moreton Bay Marine Park. Most of it is habitat protection zone (HPZ15) with some restrictions, and there is a marine national park (green) zone near Currigee where all fishing is prohibited. Observe the go-slow zones, which exist to protect the seagrass beds and the animals feeding on them.
In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000). Yellow emergency positioning signs marked SSI 1–9 run along the eastern beach, and they are how you tell someone where you are. There are no patrolled swimming areas: ocean swimming here is at your own risk, for rips and for marine life both.
Things to do
Dine and camp
The licensed café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner Friday through Sunday and on public holidays, with Broadwater views. The kiosk carries basic supplies, ice and firewood. The campground next door has shaded areas for tents, open space for kids, and the beach a short walk away, which is what makes a weekend of it rather than a day.
Fishing
Tailor, bream, whiting, flathead and dart off the beach. The Broadwater holds trevally and mangrove jack. Jumpinpin, to the north, is legendary for big bream. Check size and bag limits with Queensland Fisheries.
Beach and nature walks
The Tipplers and Surf Beach trails wind through bloodwood forest to 22 km of ocean beach. Twenty to ninety minutes depending which you take. Watch for wallabies at dusk, as they are quite tame around the campground.
Wildlife watching
June to October brings humpbacks migrating north. The island holds the endemic golden wallaby, more than 150 bird species, and 40,000 migratory shorebirds between September and April. Loggerhead and green turtles nest on the eastern beach from October to March. Dugongs work the seagrass beds, so hold the go-slow speeds.
What is not allowed
Dogs and generators are strictly prohibited across the island, to protect the wildlife. Campfires only in the designated fire rings at the campgrounds. Everything in the conservation park is protected: take photos, leave footprints, and carry your rubbish out.