Day Tripping at Coochiemudlo Island

Enjoy a day of laidback island life with a trip to beautiful Coochiemudlo Island, just a 10 minute ferry ride from Victoria Point.

The sand-fringed island, home to many artists, has plenty to fill a day and you can bring your 4-legged pal, too - dogs on leash are welcome on the ferry and Coochiemudlo has one of SEQ's best off leash dog beaches (seasonal).

With only a couple of places to dine or buy food, you can bring a picnic and spread a rug in the beachfront park adjacent to the ferry or grab a bite to eat from the island's cafe during your visit. 

Coochiemudlo, with its compact size and ease of access, can be easily circumnavigated and you don't need a great level of fitness to do so, just some comfortable walking shoes. To walk around the whole island takes approximately 90 minutes to two hours.

Island Walk - Starting from the jetty, take the path to the right. The walk will take you along remote beaches, on a boardwalk though the ethereal melaleuca forest (no dogs allowed) and through the quiet streets with their quaint weekenders and lush vegetation to the other side of the island before you hit the beach again... more

Along the way, you'll enjoy stunning glimpses of the sea and bay before coming to the cute Coochiemudlo Golf Course and, from the cliff nearby, you can take the path back down to the beach (this section is dog-friendly so dogs can roam free*) and walk along the sand back to the jetty.

Back at the jetty, you can grab a bite to eat at the Curlew Cafe (ex-Coochiemudlo Kiosk) or the Island Beach Bar, both with views across the beach and bay.

Good to know - If you'd like to make a weekend of it, there are a handful of places to stay, including charming Mango Cottage (the old island post office), Oasis on Coochiemudlo, a complex of holiday units with pool and onsite restaurant and Seminara Apartments, a complex of self-catering studios to 2-bedrooms with onsite pool.

Need to know - There is plenty of free 6-hour parking on the lower car park adjacent to the Victoria Point ferry terminal. You can also take your car across on the barge, which also departs from Victoria Point (fees apply)

*The dog beach is only offleash all day from May 1 to August 31. The rest of the year, times are restricted to after hours.