We go Island Hopping with local boat advocate Nic Welch to six of the finest Island hopping destinations on the Gold Coast. Some of these island locations will be hard for you to get to and all of them will be hard to leave.
Wavebreak Island
Wavebreak Island has been regularly in the news lately as a possible site for a cruise ship terminal and mega development. It’s a popular destination for boaties due to its sheltered anchorage and proximity to the closest boat ramp, Biggera Creek, about 5 minutes away.
The island offers a fantastic day trip with vast marine life for snorkelers along its breakwalls. Fishermen can find yabby banks along both the western foreshore and Carter’s Banks at the north end of the island.
Breakwall fishing is also popular on Wavebreak Island because of its proximity to the Gold Coast Seaway. When using live bait, you stand a chance at catching a variety of fish, including golden trevally and a mulloway.
South Currigee
No cars or caravans, please! This pristine area of South Stradbroke is a conservation park managed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services. The island has three camp grounds operated by the Gold Coast City Council.
At South Currigee, day trippers are welcome and the camp grounds office has a mini kiosk. Pitch your tent on the water’s edge, sit back with a coldie around a camp fire, and let life begin!
Walking across the narrowest section of South Stradbroke Island you will find the surf beach. This secluded area is ideal for fishing with its permanent gutters in the surf all along the island.
Most days you will share this part of the island with more wallabies than people. However, during school holidays and public holidays the park is in high demand so bookings are recommended.
The facilities include onsite wallaby tents (canvas huts), 60 unpowered camp sites and cabins for rent. There are hot showers, toilets, electric BBQs, and a playground for the kids.
The closest boat ramps (both less than 10 minutes) are Biggera Creek and Runaway Bay boat ramps.
North Currigee
North Currigee Campground is located around a small inlet, which is ideal for safe anchorage of small boats. A floating pontoon provides easy access for passengers and camp gear.
There are only 20 small-size campsites with good facilities. The surf beach is a ten-minute walk through the park.
Couran
Couran is a waterfront residential canal and boasts a large scale ecotourism destination.
At Couran Cove Resort you can discover and explore; mangrove swamp, the Banksian Rainforest, the Melaleuca Wetlands, the Eucalypt woodlands and the coastal sand dunes, as well as restaurant facilities, swimming pools and canoes in the lagoon.
The waters are alive with bream and flathead, and abundant with mudcrabs too!
The closest boat ramps are Paradise Point boat ramp (20 mins) and Diamond Head, Colman Road Coomera boat ramp (6 Mins).
Tipplers Passage
Tipplers Passage is a favourite boating destination for locals, and visitors can travel with several charter companies.
The area is the most famous island hopping destination on the Gold Coast. The licensed café is a popular meeting spot. The campgrounds are the largest on South Stradbroke with 100 unpowered tent sites.
It is hard to avoid a close encounter with wallabies, bandicoots, goannas, kookaburras and native fauna.
A short walk further north leads to McLaren’s Landing that offers jetskiing, parasailing and scenic flight aboard a seaplane.
Tippler’s Passage provides good catches of whiting and sand crabs/ blue swimmers. Mud crabs are easily found around the Never Fail Islands.
Jumpinpin
Jumpinpin is at the most northern coastal tip of the Gold Coast region. It’s where southern Moreton Bay meets the Southport Broadwater.
The sand dunes are a natural phenomena worth a day trip and a fantastic spot for a family picnic along the white sandy western foreshore.
Nearby is Millionaire’s Row, aptly named due to the numerous high valued vessels attracted to the calm anchorage.
The Bedrooms is another favourite campground for locals. However it is temporarily closed for campers at the moment.
Boasting pristine marine habitat, Jumpinpin harbours a prolific marine life. The waters are famous for the winter bream run and plentiful catches of other species, including tailor, flathead and whiting.
Just a short walk across South Stradbroke Island there is fantastic surf fishing along the most isolated stretch of coastline on the Gold Coast.
Jumpinpin is 20 minutes from Jacob’s Well public boat ramp.
