Islands

Southern Moreton Bay Islands

The Southern Moreton Bay Islands are so beautiful. I have just returned from the Whitsundays and I was stunned to see that they were similar to the magnificent scenery here on our Southern Moreton Bay Islands.

IMG_0013.jpg

The Southern Moreton Bay Islands, also known as the Bay Islands, the RKLM, and abbreviated as the SMBI, are the four inhabited southern Moreton Bay islands located in South East Queensland, Australia. The group is part of the Redland City

I left Russell Island on the free Inter-Island Ferry  if you only travel between the Islands. You pay a fare if you go to and from the Mainland, but inter-island has no fare so Islanders can travel to the different Islands free of cost. There is a shopping centre at Russell Island and Macleay Island.

Lamb Island has a Community Store at the Jetty.  Karragarra Island has a sandy Beach.

Islanders enjoy the beautiful ride on the ferry as it travels inter-island or to the Mainland for shopping or other business. Buses meet the ferry and take you to Brisbane, Logan City and Mount Gravatt. The Bus system links to all travel modes and places, and is convenient, if slow during peak hours. A vehicle ferry takes all vehicles to the islands

Originally subdivided in the early 1970s, a bridge was promised by the then government. This never eventuated and residents are now feeling the pressure of transport to the mainland for some shopping trips, as mainland parking has become very scarce.

The Bay Islands enjoy a quiet, relaxed lifestyle with many retirees, pensioners and more recently, an influx of younger families looking for some safety and security, away from the hustle and bustle of the mainland.

Each Island has its own unique jetty. Only Russell and Macleay have a taxi service, the others rely on own vehicles or simply walking. I lived at the far end of Lamb Island, which was 2 kms from the Jetty, and had to walk when my car was not available. Karragarra is even smaller.

The Islands are trying to develop a tourist trade but this is still developing. There is a motel on Russell Island, and Brb’s on all the Islands where you can either rent a whole house, or simply a room in a private home. One day Redland Bay will realise the jewel they have in their own nest, and develop the Islands more. Until then, the Islands are home to those who have discovered them in some way and fallen in love with the joys of ‘living on an Island’ and calling the Islands, “Home”

Advertisements

My Clifftop Walk Lookout Point Stradbroke

IMG_9342

http://www.queensland.com/journey/north-gorge-walk-point-lookout

The North Gorge Walk is a must-do on your visit to North Stradbroke Island. Offering a spectacular outlook from the rocky outcrops to 32 kilometres of white sandy beach, the area is a haven for a variety of marine and bird life. Point Lookout, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean, is perfect for whale watching (between June – November) and dolphin spotting and while you’re taking in the incomparable view over the gorge itself, keep your eyes peeled for giant sea turtles

The ferry from Cleveland stops at Dulwich, and is met by a local bus that comes every hour. It takes you to Point Lookout, and then the bus returns to meet the next ferry. From where the bus stops, you walk across to the North Gorge Walk…Takes about 30 minutes and its a beautiful walk if you take your time and amble along with your camera. Towards the other end it gets heavy going with many steps if you have trouble walking climbing tracks like I do. The walk is well worth the effort and not to be missed.

The North Gorge Walk takes about 20 to 30 minutes and has an easy-to-follow, designated track to ensure your safety. The walk commences on an unsealed track and continues on a wooden boardwalk complete with benches for you to sit back and admire the stunning panoramic views – picture-perfect sunrises and sunsets are part of the package too.

Marina at Karragarra Island

This week there were many yachts moored at Karragarra and the other islands too…

This is arriving at Karragarra Island which is the next island to Russell Island

IMG_2701

IMG_2702

 

IMG_2703

 

IMG_2704

Safety from the Cyclones…….

IMG_2705

The waiting shed at Karragarra Island with a beautiful garden at the Jetty

IMG_2706

 

IMG_2707

IMG_2708

Many yachts are moored here. It is a protected area during the cyclone Ita period, as well as being Easter…

IMG_2709

Jetty at Karragarra Island

IMG_2710There is a lot of sand here at Karragarra lately…they say its from the Gold Coast as the sandy beach has grown more golden

Russell Island Queensland

Russell Island in Redland City is the biggest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, sandwiched between the mainland and North Stradbroke Island in the state of Queensland, Australia. The island is eight kilometres long (north-to-south) and nearly three kilometres wide.

IMGP3979

Russell had 1,779 permanent residents in 2006 up 35.9% since 2001.[5] However, this changes dramatically on weekends and holidays when many of the 30% of dwellings on the island which are classified as unoccupied are visited by their owners. Fast ferries and scheduled barges straddle the distance to Redland Bay quickly for most of the day.

IMGP3982

Russell Island has a police station, IGA supermarket, butcher, post office, service station, bottle shop, pet shop, a medical practice, pathologist, chemist, internet cafes, computer repair services, web-designers, hairdresser, bakery, seafood shop, newsagency, landscape/hire centre, scooter & car hire, music store, storage sheds, video hire, lawyer, library, two licensed clubs, public pool, restaurant, fishmonger, ice cream vendor and four real estate offices.

IMGP3984

Russell, Macleay and the smaller Karragarra and Lamb Islands lie in Moreton Bay, with Redland Bay and the mouth of the Logan River on their west and North Stradbroke Island on their east.

The geological origin of these islands is shared with the Redland Peninsula: all have the characteristic fertile red soil which enabled the peninsula to be the market garden for Brisbane. Overlain on parts of the island’s red soil are more recent sediments, chiefly sand and mud from the mainland river deltas.

IMGP3977

Russell Island was named after the British Secretary of State for Colonies, Lord John Russell. In 1871-72 farm lots were sold on the island, the quality of the soil being a strong attraction. Sugar cane and pineapples were grown, and cattle and pigs were raised. A sawmill was kept supplied from natural stands of trees on the island. In 1916 a primary school was opened drawing children from the four islands. Fruit and vegetables were grown for the Brisbane market in the 1920s-30s.

The middle of Russell Island contains Turtle Swamp, mainly heath land, and the southern part has sandy soil with a trace of wallum country. Subject to tidal inundation in places, much of it was speculatively subdivided in the 1970s, culminating in a criminal trial for conspiracy in 1981-83.

Russell Island has local shops, a primary school, a hall, a church and a bowling club. Its census populations have been 108 (1921) and 158 (1961). Later census figures are for the combined Russell-Macleay Islands