Holidaying with kids? I am here to help. I am overcome with nostalgia when I hear Bribie Island mentioned. The charming seaside village north of the Moreton Bay Region was where I spent annual family holidays bursting with fun-filled days on the beach or pool-side.
Now having children of my own, Bribie Island has been on my radar to rekindle some of those great memories and make new ones along the way.
There is no typical way to spend your time at Bribie Island holidaying with kids, but rest assured, ours always started and finished with a smile on our sun-kissed faces.
DAY 1
We arrived before lunch with our first point of call being the Bribie Island Visitor Information Centre to collect a map, tide charts and hear about things to do on Bribie Island.
Now armed with information, we took our picnic lunch to Brennan Park, where the kids could burn off some restless energy in the playground as we enjoyed lunch overlooking the water.
As we still had some time before we could check into our accommodation, we then took a self-driving tour around the island to view the sights.
At 2.00 pm, we were rolling into the BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, which would be our new home for the next four nights. When I was searching for accommodation in the Morton Bay Region, I couldn't bypass Sandstone Point. The holiday park is located on the mainland adjacent to Pumicestone Passage. The glowing reviews speak for themselves, and after a quick peruse online at the facilities and accommodation options; I was instantly sold.
DAY 2
After a peaceful night's rest in our three-bedroom cabin, we were all energised for a day trip to the beach. Woorim Beach is the main patrolled surf beach on Bribie Island, located only 15 minutes by car from Sandstone Point Holiday Park, on the island's eastern side.
With the sun shining overhead and a light sea breeze blowing, today was all about the luxury of walking through the textured sand and taking a dip in the calm, salty waters that were a pleasant 25 degrees.
After a full beach day, it was back to the Big4 for a drowsy afternoon by the pool while the girls found their second wind on the incredible waterpark, which includes five slides, water fountains, jet sprays, and a tipping bucket.
Even though the cabin was well equipped with kitchen facilities, we chose to walk next door to the Sandstone Point Hotel for dinner. I find when holidaying with kids having the option for a quick bite close by is always so handy.
The hotel's ambiance was comfortable and friendly, and we chose to sit in the alfresco dining area under the warm glow of fairy lights. There were several options I could have selected from the diverse menu, and our girls gave the kid's menu five stars.
DAY 3
Taking advantage of the overcast weather, we took the scooters across the island for some exercise along the heritage waterfront walkway. A sealed path follows the Pumicestone Passage meaning it is possible to walk, bike ride, or scoot the esplanade both south and north of the Bribie Island bridge. It was also an excellent opportunity to fill our empty tummies by grabbing a fish and chip takeaway for lunch from the popular Savige's Seafood.
We wanted a change in pace after lunch, so we ventured over to the Bribie Island Butterfly House, where we spent the next hour and a half. The Butterfly House has a great purpose - run by volunteers with 100% of its profits supporting disadvantaged people locally and overseas. I left with a warm feeling that we contributed to a more significant cause and a sense of joy at watching the beautiful butterflies float around the sanctuary. The education aspect was brilliant for our kids as the butterfly's breeding and fascinating life cycle journey was explained and shown to us before we entered the sanctuary. Holidaying with kids can be peaceful if you know the right places to check out! Maybe it's some time on the water you would prefer? Here's an experience you can’t get anywhere except the Moreton Bay - Bribie Island Gondola, the next best thing to being in Venice. With dolphin spotting for the kids, while you enjoy a seafood platter and sip a chilled beverage, bliss.
Returning to the Big4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, we hired a four-seater go-cart and explored the vast grounds stopping at the fantastic playground, including a giant jumping pillow.
DAY 4
Today was an earlier start as we planned on exploring Bribie Island National Park by four-wheel drive. A loop offers both a bush and beach experience, but with over 30 kilometres of sandy beaches to explore, we opted for salty off-road fun.
As our first 4WD'ing adventure in the area, the Bribie Island map and tide charts I picked up from the information centre on the first day helped plan this experience.
Starting at the national park access track north of Woorim, we took the bumpy two-kilometre inland track before hitting the beach off Skirmish Passage.
We continued north until we reached the heritage-listed Fort Bribie walk, where we stopped and explored the weathered searchlight buildings and gun emplacements built in 1939 and 1943 during WW2.
As we turned to make our way slowly back to Woorim, we found a perfect pocket of sandy beach where we set up for a secluded picnic and a splash in the gentle waves.
After a fun day, and as the sun started to fade, we were ready to refuel and unwind. As we had such a pleasant experience the first time, we returned to the Sandstone Point Holiday Resort. On this occasion, the girls took that time to expend their unlimited energy on the fabulous outdoor playground.
DAY 5
We aren't the most experienced fishing family, but we thought we would try our luck with casting a line before returning home for some outdoor entertainment and any excuse to spend more time on Bribie Island.
I had heard the best fishing spots on Bribie Island were the sheltered waters of Pumicestone Passage, so we once again crossed the 831 metre Bribie Island bridge and ventured left along Sylvan Beach Esplanade, which has exceptional views towards the Glass House Mountains.
After collecting some bait from the shop near the boat ramp, we set up on the nearby beach. We had landed two fish in a short time, which we released back into the water after a quick snap as evidence. Our hot tip for anyone planning to go fishing and holidaying with kids on Bribie Island is to use prawns as bait.
As we were travelling home, we each took turns to speak about what we enjoyed the most about our trip to Bribie Island. We discovered that Bribie Island had something to offer everyone in our family through the conservation, and we wouldn’t hesitate to return.
Share your Bribie Island adventures with us on socials using @visitmoretonbayregion and #visitmoretonbay, we would love to see your experiences in Moreton Bay Region!
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