한국어
Camping on Stradbroke Island with a kid
3nights 4days
April 2021
In Australia, there are two major long weekends each year: one during the Christmas season and the other during the Easter holidays.
To travel during these periods, it’s essential to book at least 3 to 6 months in advance, or even a year ahead of time.
Stradbroke Island is one of the favorite holiday destinations for Aussies, and it’s a popular spot for family camping trips.
To get there, you take a ferry with your car and head straight to the campground. Many families love camping here!
You can book the ferry to Stradbroke Island in advance from here.
Permit
In Australia, if you want to take your car to the beach, you need a permit, which, of course, comes at a cost.
Typically, a permit for a day or a month costs around $40.
For Stradbroke Island, the annual permit used to cost only about $60 just a few years ago.
I used to think it was a great deal because, after just two visits a year, it felt like we’d already gotten our money’s worth. But now, the rules have changed. The permits are now available as a one-month ($57.80) or annual ($173.30) permit.
You can get your permit here.
Here are the speed limits for driving on the beaches:
- The speed limit on Flinders Beach is 40 km/h
- The speed limit on Main Beach is 60 km/h
You must have a permit to drive on the beach, and it’s important to follow the speed limits.
Rangers frequently drive back and forth along the beaches, so they’re always watching to make sure the rules are followed.
Amity Point
Amity Point is located about 20 minutes away from the main area, making it easier to find a camping spot compared to other campsites.
While being a bit farther from the main area might seem like a disadvantage, the location actually has more advantages than drawbacks.
First, Amity Point is known as a fishing hotspot. In the evening, many people gather at the jetty to fish. When you shine a light into the water from the jetty, you can spot fish swimming around, and occasionally, dolphins too.
On days when the dolphins are around, it’s pretty much impossible to catch anything, as they munch on all the bait! Seeing dolphins up close in their natural habitat is an incredible experience, and you might even spot squid in the water.
The water here is shallow and calm, making it perfect for kids to play, and in the early morning or evening, you might even see kangaroos roaming around or a koala passing by. Though koalas aren’t commonly seen, there’s usually one or two living on the trees around the Amity Point campsite. I’ve been lucky enough to spot them each time I’ve stayed there.
The facilities at Amity Point are a bit outdated, but they’re well-maintained with regular cleaning, so despite some wear and tear, it’s still comfortable enough for camping.
The showers are a bit tricky: to get hot water, you need to press a button to activate it, but after a few minutes, it switches to cold water. The hot water only lasts for about 3 minutes, so you’ll need to be quick. While it’s inconvenient, it’s just part of camping on Stradbroke Island.
Departure
This camping trip was a fun one, as I went with my couple friends. We decided to save on ferry costs by going in just one car, but once we packed all the luggage, there was hardly any space left, and it made the journey a bit tough. Next time, we’ll drive separately for a more comfortable trip.
With my aunt and uncle joining us, Liam was absolutely thrilled.
The ferry terminal is just a 10-minute drive from our house, so my friends came over, and we all took my car together. After about a 40-minute ferry ride, we arrived at Stradbroke Island. It’s not far, but as soon as you arrive on the island, you get this vacation vibe, and it really feels like you’re on an island. The atmosphere is just so refreshing!
When we arrived, it was around lunchtime, so we had prepared some chicken the day before and brought it with us.
We quickly set up the tent and gathered around to enjoy the cold chicken with some beer, and it tasted absolutely amazing.
As soon as we finished lunch, 2-year-old Liam jumped straight into doing his thing.
This trip was just three weeks after Liam’s second birthday.
Liam, just two years old, is always on the go. Even though riding a balance bike is already a challenge for him, he’s determined. With his usual eagerness, he packs his drink in a little trolley and sets off on his own adventure.
He never stops moving.
And the cutest thing—whenever someone says “Car’s coming,” he quickly moves aside. At two, he understands so much more than we expect!
이번에는 바다에서 놀기로 합니다. 물 색이 정말 깨끗하죠~
4월말이라서 호주는 곳 겨울이 오기떄문에 물이 따뜻하지 않아요. 그래도 놀만한 온도 이지만,
저는 들어가고 싶지 않네요. ^^
모래놀이 장난감 가지고 온것으로 이것저것도 만들고 땅도 파고 오늘은 캠핑장에서 남은 반나절을 보내기로 합니다.
Fishing at Amity Point
At night, people gather at the jetty (pictured above) to fish. Everyone enjoys the quiet of the evening, focused on their lines.
Fishing is a popular hobby for both adults and kids in Australia.
After dinner, our friends, a couple, set up their fishing rods. They heard you can catch squid in the evening.
When you shine a light in the water, you can spot the squid, and sometimes dolphins appear too.
Unfortunately, it seemed like a bust for fishing today. When dolphins show up, they tend to eat the bait and leave.
Even so, it was an exciting experience to watch wild dolphins right up close!
After finishing up with fishing, we came back and made a late-night snack.
Our friends made sundae bokkeum (spicy stir-fried blood sausage)!
If it were just our family, we would never have thought to make something like Korean food on a camping trip, so we were really excited about it!
Next Morning
The next morning, as soon as Liam woke up, he went for a bike ride around the campground with his dad.
As soon as they got back, Liam, still with sleep in his eyes, eagerly ate his breakfast.After finishing up quickly, we were off to explore the main area of Point Lookout for the day!
We took our friends on the North Gorge Walk, a spot they had never been to before. The trail runs along the cliffside, and the path is well-maintained, making it easy to walk. The views are absolutely stunning, and in the winter months, you can even spot whales passing by (between May and October).
While we were trying to take a family photo, Liam just wouldn’t cooperate! He’s always on the move and doesn’t allow even a second to stand still for a picture. So, no perfect photos for us, just the usual fun and chaos of family life! 😄
Flinders Beach
Flinders Beach is about a 20-minute drive from where we are staying at Amity Point.
There’s an entrance for 4WD vehicles next to the Adder Rock campground in the main area.
We drove our car to Flinders Beach, which is accessible only by 4WD.
At the entrance, there are many cars lined up, parked, and people enjoying their time. We decided to drive a little further to find a quieter spot.
As expected, Liam embraces the freedom and open space, spreading his arms wide as if to welcome the whole world.Every photo we take looks like a masterpiece.
Stradbroke Island is so beautiful, and the photos turned out amazing! But in reality, we were constantly busy chasing after Liam, making sure he was safe and having fun.
There was a little creek flowing down from the mountain, and it was the perfect spot for some sand play. We took out the beach toys, and it was so fun! Other families showed up, and their kids started playing too.
Liam, always the social one, immediately joined in and started playing with the other kids, squeezing himself right in with them. It was great to see him making new friends and having fun!
The balance bike on the beach looks like so much fun just watching! It’s such a perfect way for Liam to enjoy the outdoors while exploring the beautiful beach.
The sand on the beach was so firm, making it perfect for riding bikes! Liam loved riding his balance bike around, especially when he could splash through the shallow water—he kept going because he was having so much fun.
We also brought a ball and played catch with his aunt, and for lunch, we made hamburgers by the sea. It was a great way to spend the day.
Even though the balance bike, the Cruzee, was in the salty sea water, it didn’t rust or get damaged at all.
We spent a thrilling 3 nights and 4 days here, and it was such a memorable trip before we headed home.
