Day Trips from Brisbane by Boat and Car

October 30, 2026

Day trips from Brisbane

Brisbane suits three kinds of day trip: a Moreton Bay island, a hinterland mountain and the Gold Coast. Beyond about 200 km the travel time eats the day, so the last section lists places that need an overnight stay. Prices are in Australian dollars and come from operator pages quoted at the time of writing.

North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

The SeaLink passenger ferry runs from Toondah Harbour, Cleveland, to Dunwich in about 25 minutes. From 1 July 2026 an adult pays $13.50 one way or $23.00 return, and a child aged 5 to 14 pays $8.75 one way or $13.50 return. See the SeaLink fare page .

To reach the terminal, take a train from Brisbane to Cleveland, about an hour. A TransLink bus, listed as route 271, serves Toondah Harbour and Middle Street, but confirm it in the TransLink journey planner. Stradbroke Flyer is a separate company, says no TransLink bus reaches its boats and runs a free shuttle from the station or Middle Street, so check its getting here page .

On the island, buses link Dunwich with Point Lookout. The North Gorge Walk at Point Lookout is a free clifftop path, and Cylinder Beach is patrolled. Main Beach is open-ocean surf, so keep to the flags. Humpback whales pass Point Lookout roughly from June to November.

Tangalooma and Moreton Island

The resort launch leaves Holt Street Wharf, Pinkenba, and takes about 75 minutes, with around four services a day. Pre-book and check in an hour before. Day cruises start from about $155, and transfers alone from about $84, although that figure comes from an older listing. The MICAT vehicle ferry sails from the Port of Brisbane on demand in about 90 minutes and lands at the Tangalooma Wrecks, leaving an 800 metre beach walk to the resort.

The nightly dolphin feeding, at about 6 to 7:15 pm, is a regulated activity and is not guaranteed. It is open to resort guests and to day visitors on selected packages that include it, and it cannot be watched from the jetty. A strong current runs between the wrecks and the beach, which is unpatrolled, so choose a guided snorkel instead of a solo swim. Details are on the Tangalooma site .

Tamborine Mountain

Tamborine is about 70 km and roughly an hour away by car or tour, with no public transport. The Rainforest Skywalk is listed at $19.50 for adults and $9.50 for children aged 6 to 16. Cedar Creek Estate runs a glow-worm cave tour of about 30 minutes for around $28 to $30, daily from 10:00 to 16:00. Cedar Creek Falls rock pools close in wet weather, so do not plan on swimming; look at the Queensland Parks alerts first. Cheese and brewery stops share the 165 to 185 Long Road strip.

Lamington and the Gold Coast

O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk in Lamington National Park is free, with donations welcome, and is about 2 hours by car. Binna Burra Lodge’s rebuild status is unclear, so do not count on staying there. The Gold Coast is about 79 km away, 55 to 60 minutes by car. There is no direct train, and the train to Helensvale plus tram takes about 1 hour 45 minutes.

St Helena Island

St Helena was a convict-era high-security prison from 1867 to 1932. Guided tours cross from Moreton Bay in about 45 minutes, and the island calls for a quiet, respectful visit.

Trips that are too far

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef are about 1,700 km away, and Thredbo and Tumbarumba are over 1,250 km. Byron Bay takes about 2 to 2.5 hours each way by car, which makes for a long day. For help choosing, search Brisbane day trips on Viator .