Bribie Island

Most people drive straight past the Bribie Island turnoff on their way to Noosa or Fraser — and that's exactly why locals love it. Connected to the mainland by a single bridge, this 34km island delivers a proper beach getaway without the theme park crowds of the Gold Coast or the price tag of the Whitsundays.

The ocean beach along the eastern shore runs wild and largely empty, with surf that punishes beginners and rewards learners. The western shore is the opposite — glassy Pumicestone Passage protected from swell, ideal for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing for bream, flathead and whiting. Dolphins work the passage in small pods most mornings.

The southern end is where the campgrounds, shops and fish-and-chip shops cluster. Head north and the crowds thin quickly — the northern third of the island is national park, four-wheel drive only, with remote beach camping on the doorstep of Moreton Bay Marine Park. Watch for migratory shorebirds in season and loggerhead turtles nesting from November to March.