Why Visit Pumicestone Passage?
Running between Bribie Island and mainland Queensland, about an hours drive north of central Brisbane, this river offers a bounty of natural delights right on the city's doorstep. Whether you like fishing, photography, bird-watching, dolphin-spotting, watersports or simply sitting back and enjoying a cruise with spectacular surrounds the passage has something for you.
Wildlife in Pumicestone Passage
The area's most notable attraction has to be its vast and rare array of wildlife.
For bird enthusiasts, the passage is home to 1,500 resident shorebirds of 11 different species, and almost 20,000 migratory shorebirds of 24 different species.
That's a lot of birds, but the places to spot the broadest variety are areas of sand and/or exposed mud.
For lovers of marine wildlife, dolphins, turtles and dugongs are just some of the critters you can expect to see in the passage. (Anyone wondering what a dugong is check the picture below).
Activities in Pumicestone Passage
Unsurprisingly the passage is also a great place for fishing with people regularly bringing home hauls of bream, jewfish and even prawns. There are plenty of bait shops nearby and lots of great spots to be found along the river's shores as well as boats for hire.
On top of this the passage can also be enjoyed via kayak and wind/kite boards, also available to rent. Or, for those who fancy a more relaxed time soaking up the views of the nearby Glasshouse Mountains, there are regular river cruises.
Finally, at the northern end of Bribie Island there is a nature reserve, great for exploring with a 4WD.
Accessing Pumicestone Passage
As mentioned above, the passage is about an hour drive from Brisbane city centre and can also be reached via public transport. The train from Central Station will get you to Cabooture Station in about 50 minutes and from there its a 30 minute bus ride on the 640 bus to Bellara on Bribie Island.
Once there you can find several parks and beaches along the east bank of the passage, as well as places to rent boats, etc.
Alternatively, for those who fancy travelling further north, golden beach in mainland Queensland is a great option.
Interested in finding more places like this? Why not try one of our CityDays Scavenger Hunts - work as a team to overcome cryptic riddles and discover quirky places off the beaten track in Brisbane and around the world.
