Experience Moreton Bay walks & trails
Recharge your batteries and enjoy the great outdoors with one (or more) of these fantastic relatively undiscovered Moreton Bay Brisbane walking trails!
Cottonwood Walk and Heritage Trail, Deception Bay:
This level walk will appeal to nature and history lovers.
You can either opt for the shorter 1.5km Cottonwood Walk or do the whole 4km Deception Bay Heritage Trail.
This lovely level stroll through a culturally and historically significant area takes you along the esplanade and through the parklands to Deception Bay’s historic bathing pools, dog park and past the wetlands in the south.
Enjoy BBQ facilities, spot a dolphin, encounter sites of historical and cultural significance or just enjoy this beautiful region with its parks and kids playgrounds.
Conservation Park is just under 20 minute’s drive from your accommodation at Scarborough Beach Resort.
For more information, go to Cottonwood Walk & Heritage Trail.
Redcliffe Convict Trail:
History buffs won’t want to miss out on this great local trail at Redcliffe, which is just a short 5 minute drive from Scarborough Beach Resort.
With a leisurely length of 1.7 km, this trail offers eight informative stops and will take you about 1 hour to complete.
Walk in the footsteps of the government officials, soldiers and convicts who arrived at the Redcliffe Peninsula in September 1824 with orders to build Moreton Bay’s first penal settlement. Unfortunately conditions proved too difficult and 8 months later they relocated to Brisbane River, right where the Brisbane City is located.
To check out the trail go to: Redcliffe Convict Trail.
Redcliffe Foreshore Public Arts Trail:
This self-guided and easy walk along the foreshore showcases the people and history of the Moreton Bay Region through a collection of public art works including:
Stop 1 – Anzac Place Memorial: The Cenotaph of Remembrance
Stop 2 – Vessels
Stop 3 – Story Poles
Stop 4 – After the Flood
Stop 5 – OPTO
Stop 6 – Apparatus for Non-destructive Transmission of Biological Visualisation.
Find out more about each of these art works and the walk at Redcliffe Foreshore Public Arts Trail.
Redcliffe is just a short 5 minute drive from Scarborough Beach Resort.
Lake Eden Trail:
The Lake Eden trail is part of the council’s 10,000 steps program.
At a level 1.676 kilometres it’s not going to get you quite up to 10,000 but, hey, it’s a start.
This one is perfect for families as it is totally flat and has a picnic ground.
The walk winds its way around the man-made lake, which is filled with bird life. The kids will have heaps of fun identifying the different species that come to the lake – water fowl, ducks and a pair of black swans are residents. If the kids are lucky they might even spot water dragons sunning themselves.
Lake Eden is approximately a 15 minute drive from your accommodation at Scarborough Beach Resort.
Stay at Scarborough Beach Resort, a perfect launching pad from which to experience these fabulous walks. Offering a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom fully-self contained holiday apartments and onsite facilities you can relax in the swimming lap pool, gym and a large heated spa after you’re day walking the Moreton Bay Region trails!
Fun for everyone: from little to big kids
We all know what families are like.
It is so hard to keep everyone happy.
You want to hop on a bike and see the sights while getting some exercise and fresh air but he would rather be fishing and the kiddles don’t want to do anything except muck around on their devices.
But there is a way to keep everyone happy, active and engaged.
We have the recipe for bringing families together in harmony (sort of) on the Redcliffe Peninsula. No one ever needs to be bored – although boredom can be a good thing: take that book you got for Christmas down to the beach, sit under a tree and fall asleep.
Variety is the spice of life and we have heaps of it on the Redcliffe Peninsula.
- Ride a bike: The Moreton Bay Cycleway from Scarborough Beach to Ted Smout Memorial Bridge, Clontarf, is spectacular in every way. It offers the most glorious views and freshest air on the planet (this is purely subjective). You can walk it but it is the perfect flat terrain for a bike at a 22km round trip. Street Art Cycles offers rental bikes, which can be picked up from their premises or dropped off at your door on request. Bikes can be hired for half a day up to a week.
- See a ship wreck: Who doesn’t love a wreck? HMQS Gayundah at Woody Point has a colourful history that dates back to 1885. It was built for the Queensland government and used as an Australian Navy training ship and sand and gravel barge before being beached at Woody Point in 1958 as a breakwater. See this striking wreck while you can as her fate is in doubt after her bow collapsed in late 2016 causing safety concerns.
- Go fishing: Dangle a line at Deception Bay or for the big fish, hop on a Moreton Island Fishing Charter vessel. There are pickups available from the Redcliffe Peninsula. The promise is a premium deep sea fishing experience.
- Finish the day with ice cream or gelato: After a big day of cycling, ship wreck viewing and fishing, little and big kids need ice cream and gelato. The Harbourside Gelateria at Scarborough on Bird O’Passage Pde has both. Someone said their chocolate ice cream is simply the best while their gelato combos are mouth-watering and include cookies and cream, burnt caramel and vanilla bean.
Book accommodation nearby at Scarborough Beach Resort. Offering a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom fully-self contained holiday apartments and onsite facilities including swimming lap pool, large heated spa and more. BOOK YOUR SCARBOROUGH BRISBANE ACCOMMODATION NOW
Deception Bay goes mad for Minions at a big night out under the stars
WHEN: Saturday, October 14, 2017, from 5-8.30pm
WHERE: Deception Bay Sports Complex, Maine Terrace, Deception Bay
There is something absolutely magical about watching a movie under the stars. Better still, when it’s FREE.
The experience is coming our way, with an outdoor screening of the computer-animated comedy Minions at Deception Bay this October.
Moreton Bay Regional Council has organised the event as part of its ‘Movie in the Park’ series of screenings across the region.
The evening kicks off with a range of activities for the kids. They’ll get the chance to tackle an obstacle course. Or if that’s too challenging, there’s the option of getting their faces painted with a spirit animal of choice.
An LED light show is bound to be a thrilling pre-show spectacle.
All the good old fashioned staples of popcorn, fairy floss and a sausage sizzle will be available for sale, with the proceeds going to local community groups.
Pencil this one in the diary. And don’t forget to bring along your picnic paraphernalia, whether it be a comfy chair or rug.
Book accommodation at Scarborough Beach Resort. Perfect for a family holiday to Queensland, it’s just 35 minutes drive from Brisbane airport, offering a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom fully-self contained holiday apartments and onsite facilities including swimming lap pool, large heated spa and more.BOOK YOUR SCARBOROUGH BRISBANE ACCOMMODATION NOW
Five things to do that don’t require a day on the road
It’s hard to come up with five definitive ‘must sees’ in South East Queensland because we are so spoilt for choice in the scope of attractions that range from natural wonders through to cultural and indigenous heritage.
To make things easier, we’ve narrowed down the drive time from Scarborough to five things that are “do-able” in a day.
We’ve gone off the beaten track for some while others are an easy cruise for a big day out.
1. Mt Tempest on Moreton Island National Park: Moreton Island is the ultimate ‘must see’ destination on our list. And if you want to make the most of your visit, the 2.5 kilometre hike to the island’s highest sand dune Mt Tempest is well worth it. On a clear day, the view from the top takes in 360-degree views of the island and the Glasshouse Mountains on the mainland. Less challenging hikes are available if the two-hour return trip appears daunting.
2. Coastal drive or bike ride from Scarbrough to Shorncliffe: You can drive or ride a bicycle along this scenic route that passes through local coastal villages on the Redcliffe Peninsula. Cross the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge – at 2.7 kilometres in length, it is claimed to be Australia’s longest bridge – and cruise through Sandgate with its heritage-listed houses. At Shorncliffe, check out Shorncliffe Pier (see photo), which reopened in 2016 after a full refurbishment.
3. Deception Bay: Walk the four-kilometre heritage trail along the boardwalk and over mudflats at Deception Bay. Look out for the heritage-listed sea baths, rare surviving examples of 19th century tidal baths built for health and recreational purposes by landowner Dr Joseph Bancroft, who is recognised as a founder of medical research in Australia.
4. D’Aguilar National Park: It takes less than an hour by car to get to the Walkabout Discovery Centre at D’Aguilar National Park. The cool mountain tops and forest flats are home to a huge variety of native plants and animals. There are plenty of options for getting around including bush walking, mountainbike riding and trail rides on horseback.
5. St Helena Island National Park: Visit the 166ha island, the location of the state’s first penal settlement from 1867-1932. Take a guided tour to get educated on the colourful history of the island and to gain access to the restricted area that includes the remains of fragile structures such as the butcher shop and bakery. Seek out the middens and shell scatters left behind by indegenous people who visited the island for thousands of years.
Book accommodation at Scarborough Beach Resort. Perfect for a family holiday to Queensland, it’s just 35 minutes drive from Brisbane airport, offering a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom fully-self contained holiday apartments and onsite facilities including swimming lap pool, large heated spa and more. BOOK YOUR SCARBOROUGH BRISBANE ACCOMMODATION NOW
A two day mini break gives you time to re-energise
What a difference two days make – 48 little hours away from the the stress of the working week can be enough to put a spring back in your step.
We have suggested a laid-back 48-hour itinerary that doesn’t run you ragged but offers a nice balance of light exercise, local sight-seeing and serious rest and relaxation.
Day One
AM: Take a walk past Bee Gees’ house. The walk from Scarborough to Redcliffe Jetty is regarded as one of the best in the Moreton Bay Region. It is highly recommended but there is an alternative. Heading in the other direction, from Scarborough Beach to Newport, you will discover numerous highlights.
It is eight kilometres of level walking (return). On the way, you pass a humble abode at 12 Fifth Ave. For several years, this was the home of the Gibb family, who emigrated to Australia from the UK in 1958.
Follow the path along the seaside to Moreton Bay Boat Club through Thurecht Park and on to Endeavour Park, which has views across Deception Bay and glimpses of the Glasshouse Mountains. Endeavour Esplanade leads to the canal suburb of Newport.
On the way back, stop at Morgans Seafood Market and Takeway and choose from a selection of locally caught seafood, or enjoy sushi and oysters in a pleasant and relaxed setting.
PM: Scarborough Beach Resort has a large rooftop entertainment deck with ocean views. It is equipped with barbecue facilities where you can cook up a fresh seafood feast as the sun sets in spectacular fashion (weather permitting!) across Moreton Bay.
Day Two
AM: Sleep in.
Stretch. Consider the day ahead.
Do some casual laps in our heated pool, relax in the spa or opt for a workout in the fully equipped gym before heading out for a light (or heavy – depending on the nature of your workout) breakfast at one of numerous local cafes.
We can recommend Cafe 3 Eight Nine and Sea Salt and Vine but there are plenty more that offer great local fare and wonderful coffee.
PM: Get a bit active. Hire a pedal boat or, for the more adventurous, kayak or stand-up-paddle board (sup) from Floatin’ Fun.
Packages are available, which include lifejackets and instruction. The local family-run business operates on the beach, just across the road from Scarborough Beach Resort.
Afterwards, either pick up supplies to whip up your own culinary masterpiece in your self contained apartment or indulge in a night out at Pines Bar and Restaurant, located right on our doorstep.
This established eatery is wheelchair friendly and has a versatile menu with gluten free and vegetarian options.
Book accommodation nearby at Scarborough Beach Resort. Perfect for a family holiday to Queensland, it’s just 35 minutes drive from Brisbane airport, offering a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom fully-self contained holiday apartments and onsite facilities including swimming lap pool, large heated spa and more.BOOK YOUR SCARBOROUGH BRISBANE ACCOMMODATION NOW