Road trippers looking for an easy weekend getaway that doesn’t require them to join the crawling traffic on South East Queensland’s M1 have a ‘shore’ thing in the Moreton Bay region.
Point of view: I’m standing on the top deck of Eye Spy, Brisbane Whale Watching’s high-speed catamaran, gaping at a mother humpback whale and her calf frolicking in the sparkling Coral Sea, against the backdrop of Moreton Island’s sandy, palm-fringed beaches.
You know it’s a good day for whale watching when the crew are taking photographs and videos alongside the guests, as they are today.
Watching the wide variety of sealife on Moreton Bay
We collectively hold our breath as the mother whale breaches, while the younger one splashes and generally shows off.
Everyone exclaims in delight, and I wonder if they need another deckhand because surely this is the best job in South East Queensland.
But not every day would be this perfect, I remind myself, noting that seasickness tablets are on the boat’s menu, just under the list of beverages – tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer or wine – to wash them down.
But there’s no need for anti-nausea tablets today – there’s just calm blue waters set against a piercingly bright blue and cloudless sky.
A few hundred very happy day-trippers and I keep an eye out for not only whales but also turtles, dolphins and dugongs that call these waters home.
Moreton Bay grows from regional council to city
Technically, we’re straddling the border of Brisbane City and the City of Moreton Bay, but it’s difficult to believe we’re within any city limits.
Yet, with a current population larger than Hobart and predicted to grow even more populous than the whole state of Tasmania within the next 10 years, Moreton Bay has recently morphed from regional council to city council.
Still, there’s not a skyscraper in sight.
Looking back at the Redcliffe foreshore from the ship, the tallest building within view is my waterfront hotel, The Oaks Mon Komo.
Earlier, I enjoyed breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant – smashed avocado, grilled haloumi, chilli crisps and toasted almonds with a cappuccino.
It’s a great foreshore location to watch the early rising cyclists, joggers and kayakers, listen to the lapping of the ocean and breathe in the salty sea air. This is my kind of metropolis.
But well before Moreton Bay was anything close to resembling a city, Redcliffe and its seaside neighbours were a popular holiday destination for Brisbane locals.
The former (albeit short-lived) convict colony became a popular beach resort from the late 1800s onwards. In the early 1900s, steamer ships regularly carried holidaymakers to the Redcliffe Jetty.
Activities to enjoy by the sea at Redcliffe
Eventually, our catamaran, Eye Spy, comes back to dock at the very same jetty, and judging by the hive of activity that greets us, it seems that the holidaymakers never left Redcliffe.
Teenagers dare each other to jump off the edge and into the deep blue, while others sunbake around the fringes.
Families picnic on the beach and sit under the shade cast by towering pines and tropical pandanus trees while eating ice creams that are melting faster than they can slurp them up.
Alfresco cafes that make the most of their vantage point are bustling with winers and diners. As my kids would say, “it’s a whole vibe”.
Without having to travel too far, it’s possible to have an old-school seaside getaway, but with all the modern luxuries.
One of those luxuries is The Oaks Mon Komo. It boasts all the facilities you would expect – a gym, pool, restaurant, self-contained apartments and, the best part, generously sized balconies with expansive views, perfect for watching the sun rise over the ocean in all its golden glory.
The Komo Restaurant at The Oaks Mon Komo Hotel.
Winding down at Sunny's rooftop bar. Photo Cath Johnsen.
Just a 15-minute walk from The Oaks along the promenade will bring you to The Sebel Hotel at Margate Beach, another excellent accommodation option.
Even if you’re only visiting for the day, I recommend taking the lift to Sunny’s rooftop bar.
From there, you can sit with an Aperol spritz (or whatever takes your fancy at the bar) and order a bite from the menu.
In the distance, you can see the sand dunes of Moreton Island, the third-largest sand island in the world.
Closer to home, I watch seagulls and children getting their feet wet and sandy, while convertible drivers get their hair windswept.
On a hot day, there’s even a rooftop pool to bob around in.
Diversity of attractions in Moreton Bay
But the sum of the City of Moreton Bay is far more than its string of seaside suburb parts.
The region is the third largest local government area in Australia and takes in everything from the fish and chip shops of Bribie Island to the bustling Caboolture CBD, and west to the lush valley of Samford.
Celebrating the diversity the region offers is the Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival, with local celebrity chefs (such as Alastair McLeod and Dominique Rizzo) showcasing the surprising amount of produce cultivated within cooee of the festival’s location at Woody Point.
Held in late August each year, the festival enables foodies to sample a mind-boggling array of cuisine in one place, or you can do as I did and simply feast on fresh, local seafood, with a glass of bubbly by the water.
If you look carefully, you just might spot a whale too.
The writer travelled courtesy of Visit Moreton Bay.
