Straddie is Brisbane's surf island, a ferry ride from Cleveland across Moreton Bay. Point Lookout, on its north-east tip, is the most easterly point in Queensland, and the beaches around it, Cylinder Beach and Main Beach especially, catch swell from almost every direction.
Three faces of one headland
- Cylinders sits on the northern side of Point Lookout, sheltered from south-east winds. It's the classic spot on a south-easterly day, when the open beaches are messy.
- Main Beach runs south for kilometres along the eastern side of the island. It faces straight into the swell, so it's bigger and more powerful, and it wants lighter winds or westerlies.
- The headland itself has reef and point setups that need specific swells and are best left to people who know them.
That mix is why Straddie is reliable: whatever the wind is doing, one side of the point is often working.
Getting there
Vehicle and passenger ferries run from Cleveland to Dunwich, and a bus or the drive across the island takes you to Point Lookout. On a good swell, the early ferries fill with boards. Plan ahead on weekends.
Our alert for Straddie is tuned to this break alone, so a swell that's perfect for the beach next door won't set it off. When the swell, wind and tide line up together, you get a text.
Want to see what real alerts look like? Our firing board shows the spots that have actually turned on recently, with the swell and wind at the time.
Related reading: Onshore vs. Offshore Wind and Swell Shadows Explained.
Closest spot guides
- Burleigh Heads, about 75 km away
- Currumbin Alley, about 80 km away
- Kirra, about 80 km away
- Snapper Rocks, about 80 km away
Or browse every break we cover in our Australian surf spot guides by region.
Worth the ferry, if the timing's right.
We text you when Straddie lines up, so you catch the right boat.
Get alerts for Straddie