10 Reasons to Visit Australia's North Stradbroke Island



Lapped by the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, pure white-sand beaches stretch for miles along the eastern side of Australia’s North Stradbroke Island, creating a magnet for surfers, campers and nature lovers. Around 50 percent of the island — the second largest sand island in the world — will be national park at year’s end. It is also home to an amazing collection of rare and endangered land (wallabies, bandicoots) and sea creatures (tortoises). Yet thanks to its location about 19 miles southeast of Brisbane, the island isn’t difficult to get to; the trip from the mainland takes around 50 minutes by barge, which also carries your car, or 25 minutes by water taxi.

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