If you’re not going further north in Queensland than Brisbane but fancy an island getaway, sail over to Moreton Island (Moorgumpin). The third-largest sand island in the world, its unspoilt beaches, dunes, bushland and lagoons are protected, with 95% of the isle comprising the Moreton Island National Park & Recreation Area. Off the west coast are the rusty, hulking Tangalooma Wrecks, which provide excellent snorkelling and diving.

Moreton Island has a rich history. Shell middens and bone scatters speak of the island's original inhabitants, the Ngugi people, a clan belonging to the Quandamooka group. The island is also the site of Queensland’s first and only whaling station at Tangalooma, which operated between 1952 and 1962.

There are four small settlements, all on the west coast: Tangalooma (home to the island's only resort), Bulwer near the northwestern tip, Cowan Cowan between Bulwer and Tangalooma, and Kooringal near the southern tip.