Why you should consider Straddie for your next conference or retreat

18 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in About Straddie

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North Stradbroke Island offers the perfect destination for conferences, business seminars and retreats. Located in Redland City, the island is easily accessible by both fast ferry and vehicle ferry and offers a variety of conference venues suitable for both small and large gatherings. On Straddie you can escape from the office to the natural beauty and isolation of this island paradise, while still having plenty to see and do.

There are a number of locations suitable for meetings at Point Lookout, and even a few at Amity Point and Dunwich. Whether you are looking for something on a budget or an all-inclusive retreat, Stradbroke Island Holidays can tailor a package to suit your exact needs.

What venues are there and where can I stay?
Finding the perfect venue is not always an easy task, but there are so many to choose from in different locations over the island that there is something for everyone and every budget. With venues suitable for anything up to 120 delegates, there is no shortage of choices. Best of all, you can choose accommodation within easy walking distance of your conference location.
There are accommodation options to suit everyone, from hotel-style rooms to fully self-contained apartments and holiday rentals, which are located either close to or onsite with conference facilities. Our selection of accommodation ranges from standard to deluxe, and the self-contained options are perfect for delegates travelling with their families who may wish to stay on the island for longer.

What activities can I book?
Stradbroke Island Holidays can organize a variety of different team building activities ranging from adventurous to indulgent. You may want to go sea kayaking, sand boarding and surfing, or you may wish to treat your delegates to a day spa treatment or a cruise across the bay to the Peel Island for lunch. For something a little different, you can even book in an early morning beach yoga session, a cooking class, an Aboriginal cultural experience or a guided tour.

How do I organise catering?
Catering packages can also be tailored for your group, regardless of size. Meal options on the island are exciting and plentiful, using only the best seasonal produce and seafood fresh from the Amity Point trawlers. Your delegates can enjoy anything from buffet-style meals to pre-packed picnics, or they can even have it delivered to their door!
For something a little bit special, Stradbroke Island Holidays can organize gift and information packs, bar tabs, dinner reservations or even prepare an itinerary for you.

Stradbroke Island Holidays can coordinate all of your conference activities, going above and beyond to ensure that your meeting experience will be memorable and hassle free.

Contact Stradbroke Island Holidays today for an obligation free quote on (07) 3821 0266 or conferences@stradbrokeholidays.com.au

SoniaCatering17

SoniaCatering18

Andrew Mirosch’s Straddie Story

16 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in About Straddie

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How long have you been going to Straddie?
I first started going to Straddie as a young boy in the 1960s to stay with my grandmother. I spent many weekends and school holidays with her and my passion for the island was probably inherited from her love of the island also.

Her house was sold in 1977 and I was really upset that this house with so many special memories was no longer in the family, but as luck had it I was able to buy it when it went on the market in 1990, so now my own children can have some of those wonderful childhood memories.

When I was in my 30s, my wife and I moved to the island, where we lived for about 10 years and during that time I became a commercial fisherman and also opened a restaurant called The Blue Water Bistro. Three of our four children were born while we were living on the island and my eldest daughter went to the Dunwich school.

What are your favourite memories of Straddie?
My grandmother, the neighbours and the sense of community that the island had then and still has today. I can remember fishing off the rocks when I was only about six years old. There didn’t seem to be any boundaries and as a child you had a sense of freedom that brings back so many wonderful memories. I can still remember sitting there fishing with my gran; she was an exceptional woman.

What makes Straddie different to other island/beach destinations?
It has everything – the most beautiful beaches, being able to take your 4WD down to the beach to do a bit of fishing, the fantastic surfing beaches and, of course, the great headlands where you can usually see some form of marine life. There are very few other island destinations that have all of this. Also, what makes Straddie special is the sense of community and it has always been a very safe place where everyone looks out for one another.

What do you like to do when you are on Straddie?
Fish and spend a lot of time with my kids, letting them enjoy some of the experiences that I had as a child. Our Straddie home still has the look and feel of a beach shack, and has that comfortable, relaxed lived-in atmosphere – nothing fancy, just back to basics.

I love the fact that you can buy good quality food on the island – fresh bread, fruit and, of course, the fresh seafood. You really don’t need to take your food over as you can purchase it all on the island and mostly at Brisbane prices.
My kids have started taking surfing lessons with Murray and Lincoln Taylor and they just love it.

What is one special place you like to visit when you are on the island?
I can’t go to Straddie without a visit to see Peter Spinner, who is like my second father and who has been my neighbour on the island all my life. The character of the island has stayed the same for as long as I remember, and that is pretty special.

Andrew Mirosch is Executive Chef at Restaurant Lurleen’s at Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton

Andrew Mirosch is Executive Chef at Restaurant Lurleen’s at Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton

5 reasons to do a day trip on Straddie

08 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in Specials

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1. Escape from the hustle and bustle
Finding a destination that is close enough to home for a day trip but far away enough to escape from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives is not an easy task. For those of us lucky enough to live in the Brisbane area and surrounds, Straddie is no more than a hop, skip and a jump away, but it feels like whole different world. While you’re on Straddie you can relax, soak up some sun and forget the mainland for the day.

2. Easily accessible
Straddie is easily accessible by Stradbroke Ferries fast passenger ferry or the Big Red Cat vehicle ferry, with regular services operating from Cleveland. When you get to the island, there is a regular connecting bus service and a taxi service. All of the townships are connected by sealed bitumen roads for conventional vehicles, and for those who enjoy 4WDing there are plenty of beach tracks to take you to Straddie’s hidden gems and some great fishing spots. Make sure you pick up a 4WD permit before driving on the beaches.

3. Land-based whale watching
Point Lookout is one of the best land-based whale watching locations in the world. Each year from June to November, the humpback whales pass Point Lookout as their make their way north to calve. They then return later in the year, this time with their calves in tow. The whale watching platforms at Point Lookout are 35m above sea level, making them a prime vantage point.

4. Three different townships to explore
The three townships on Straddie are so diverse you could almost spend a day at each. If you are travelling by vehicle or passenger ferry, Dunwich is the first glimpse of Straddie you will have.

Dunwich has an incredibly rich historical and cultural background. Some great places to stop by are the North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum and Salt Water Murris’ Art Gallery for a taste of history and Aboriginal culture.

Amity Point, only a 15min drive from Dunwich, is a small village located on the northern bay side of the island and is very popular with families and fisherman. Enjoy a delicious meal at Seashells Café or pick up some trawler-fresh seafood from Rufus King Seafoods.

Point Lookout offers rugged landscapes, headland boardwalks, spectacular seascapes, rolling surf and an array of accommodation and eateries.

5. Day trip specials
Stradbroke Island Holidays is offering some great value day trip specials, and you can choose whether or not to take your car.

Dunwich in a Day – $27 per person, includes a return Stradbroke Ferries fast ferry transfer and lunch at the Island Fruit Barn in Dunwich

Straddie Lunch Special – starting from $95, includes a Big Red Cat return vehicle ferry transfer and lunch for two people at a choice of 5 different island cafes

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Surfing on Straddie

18 Thursday Apr 2013

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It’s no surprise that people from all over the world come to North Stradbroke Island to surf.

The waves that roll into Straddie’s beaches have created a strong surfing culture on the island. While Straddie itself has produced a number of talented surfers, it has also tempted other internationally acclaimed surfers from Australia and all over the world to test the waves.

The best beaches in Queensland
Where else can you go surfing the whole year round (depending, of course, on whether or not you can brave the waters in winter) on an uncrowded beach? Main and Cylinder beaches offer the best surf conditions, however Cylinder beach is more sheltered and can be the perfect spot for new surfers. The waves are great no matter what the tides are doing, and swells are anywhere from 3ft to over 10ft throughout the entire year.

Leave the crowded beaches behind
Forget the packed Gold Coast beaches, where on any given day there’s over 500,000 locals competing for the best waves. Mid-week, Straddie beaches are practically empty and with Main Beach spanning a whopping 32 kilometres, there’s certainly no shortage for space. You may meet up with a few other surfers on the weekends and during the school holidays, but there’s no beating the open sea on Straddie.

Catch an event
Whether you’re a surfer or you just like the beach, catching an event or competition on Straddie is a must-do.

Straddie Assault: 12th – 13th October 2013
The Straddie Assault is an annual teams surfing competition held each October. It is a unique event in that it is invitation only and brings together 16 of Australia’s premier clubs that are based between Noosa and Lennox Heads.

Bede’s Fox Grom Shoot Out: 20th – 21st April 2013
This weekend, Straddie’s own surfing legend Bede Durbidge is hosting the inaugural event Bede’s Fox Grom Shoot Out. The event will see 90+ kids under 16 years old competing over Saturday and Sunday. If you’re on Straddie or looking for something to do this weekend, it is definitely worth a visit.

Bede Durbidge, world #9 ranked surfer

Bede Durbidge, world #9 ranked surfer

Easter Updates

27 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in News & Updates

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There have been some minor changes made to the services between Cleveland and North Stradbroke Island. To keep up-to-date, visit the Stradbroke Ferries News page.

The event Seafood by the Sea has been cancelled as on today Wednesday, 27th March 2013.

Make sure to pick up a copy of the Easter newsletter available at the ferry terminal offices for information about what is happening this Easter school holidays.

Seafood by the Sea – Cancelled

11 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in Events

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This event has been cancelled as of 27th March 2013

When: Saturday, 30th March 2013 from 12pm

Where: Point Lookout SLSC

Enjoy a delicious three course lunch and the beautiful views and atmosphere that North Stradbroke Island has to offer in support of your local Surf Life Saving Club.

Bookings are essential, phone 0417 717 751 or 0418 775 303.

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