For Brisbane residents, Moreton Island is the closest thing to a genuine wilderness island escape — an hour on the vehicle barge from the Port of Brisbane, and you step off onto a sand island with no sealed roads, no traffic lights, and wild beaches in every direction.
The vehicle barge runs from Lytton (Port of Brisbane) to Tangalooma, and from there you drive the island’s sand tracks to your campground of choice. 4WD is non-negotiable; the tracks are soft sand and corrugated in places, and ground clearance matters. Deflate tyres to around 18–20psi for the soft stuff.
Blue Lagoon, on the eastern side of the island, is the pick of the campgrounds — a freshwater perched lake surrounded by eucalypt forest, with better facilities than most other sites. Swimming in the lagoon is excellent: clear, calm, and cool. Comboyuro Point on the western beach has ocean access and good sunset views. Ben-Ewa is more isolated and suited to people who want to get away from even the modest crowds.
The Tangalooma wrecks are the island’s signature snorkelling spot — a row of deliberately sunk ships just off the resort beach that have been colonised by coral and fish. You can drive or walk there from most campgrounds; it’s a day-trip worth doing. Sand tobogganing at the Desert (a large inland dune system) is pure fun, especially with kids.
Dolphins regularly come into the Tangalooma Resort shallows at dusk — it’s a day-visitor experience, but you can walk over from the campgrounds.
NPSR vehicle and camping permits required; book online before departure. School holidays are busy. Midweek trips in May or September give you the island at its best.