Redcliffe, Queensland
Redcliff in Brief
Not a lot of travelers know about this location but Redcliffe, just 30 kilometres further north of Brisbane city is a blissful place to hangout. Within short drive away from Brisbane cities hustle and bustle is the delightful getaway hub of Redcliffe. It is a coastal residential suburb of the Moreton Bay Region in the east north-east of the Redcliffe peninsula. This small seaside town of Redcliffe is a popular seaside holiday destination for many holiday makers, especially Brisbane residents. Life is a little more relaxing than Brisbane city. Untouched by mass tourism and developments, this town is a place where you can still feel and taste the real relaxing atmosphere of Redcliffe. This place has a change of rule, where the cuisine is ingrained in the laid back cultural lifestyle and where the daily rhythm has largely resisted the pressures of modern city life. Redcliffe landscape is a diverse mixture of beautiful coastlines, cliff-drops and some of the most beautiful beaches you have ever laid eyes on. This small seaside township is very popular getaway destination among interstate visitors and Brisbane city residents who want to escape the busy city lifestyle.
Why Go?
It is no secret why I am at Redcliffe for a relaxing getaway from a busy touristy regional city of Cairns. I am sitting in this fancy waterfront cafe on the main strip, having my mochacino with a raisin toast looking out to the vast blue ocean of Moreton Peninsula saying to myself – what a wonderful place to be. I am so privileged to be here enjoying this place.
Along the main waterfront strip, visitors and locals casually strolling along and enjoying the relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. This is the feeling that I get when I escape the busy city lifestyles. While enjoying the views of this place, it didn’t take me long to realise that I was looking out to famous Moreton island – a popular getaway to paradise, with golden soft sands that goes for miles and miles away. Moreton Island is a popular haven for campers and hikers. Having the urge to exploring this beautiful small seaside town of Redcliffe, I ventured out to explore the area at my own phase without having to rush. The beauty of visiting small areas, I am able to easily navigate myself around all street corners and popular tourist attraction hotspots on foot.
Redcliffe is not only the gateway to Moreton Island, a popular island for campers and hikers but it is very popular spot for whale-watching. Here, there is an abundance of activities to do and it is endless. The beauty about this place is, you don’t have to travel afar to enjoy all these fun activities. They’re all within close proximity. The more I discover Redcliffe’s rich and fascinating history at the museum, the more I learn about its past. I was further being entertained by viewing vintage movies, browsing through art galleries, walking through the memory lane of the famous Bee-Gees and watching whales and dolphins at play was just pure entertainment. The endless list of waterfront restaurants, weekend markets and annual festivals make the area, a must-visit destination for both families and sun-seekers.
From the moment, I arrived, I knew I was here for a treat. This town is an amazing place to be and I was just blown away by its beauty and pure relaxation atmosphere. It offers so much to do, yet in more relaxing way.
Getting there?
It is entirely possible to get to Redcliffe with the hep of public transport – that is either coach, buses or train. The most easiest way to get to Redcliffe from Brisbane is by train. The Redcliffe Peninsula Train from Roma Street Station from Brisbane city will get you to Kippa-Ring Station in about an hour. Alternatively, there a few Redcliffe local transport operators such as Point-to-Point Express, RedAir Transfers or Chauffeur Me. The train timetables can be found here and bus timetables here. However, my recommendation would be to hire a car and explore on your own time which I took up this option after landing at the Brisbane airport. Travelling to Redcliffe by car was fairly straight forward for me but I have found out that sometimes depending on the traffic, it can be very slow drive during peak hours and could take up to almost an hour. Along the way, I took a scenic drive where I had time to see more of the area on my visit. I was able to detour to various parks and swampy lands on well maintained boardwalks and surprise myself with the abundance of the areas wetland bird life.
My Highlights
Redcliffe, a seaside town located within proximity to iconic Moreton Island and Brisbane city has blossomed into a festive town. It is an ideal place for families and even adults. There are many activities to enjoy from mouth watering seafood restaurants, historic walks to beautiful beaches.
My idea of escaping to a relaxing getaway hub is not only lying around by the poolside with a wide selection of mouthwatering cocktails but discovering myself and doing things at my own pace and time. My favourite fun time was cycling along the 35 kilometres foreshore of well-built pathways and scenic bikeways stretching from Scarborough all the way down to Clontarf. The cool breeze, jaw-dropping cliff drops and the stunning views made cycling worthwhile. I had to stop every few minutes to enjoy the views.
Bee Gees Way
One of the highlight in Redcliffe was taking a stroll along the memory land – Bee Gees Way. Here, I get to watch and listen to the stories of Bee Gees. At times, I had to pinch myself that I was walking through the main strip of Memphis Tennessee.
- Redcliffe Jetty – I get to feel the sea spray as I walked along the historic jetty. This jetty is a perfect spot to see the sunrise and sunset whilst enjoying a romantic stroll or even throwing a fishing line into the water
- Botanical Garden – Immersed myself into listening to bird calls in the garden. It is home to a resident flying fox colony, over 500 species of herbs and various areas devoted to different species of plants.
- Settlement Cove – A huge swimming area like an upmarket resort with a big play park adjacent. It is a great place for families day out
- Redcliffe Jetty Markets – I get to bargain and bite into freshly cooked dishes held every Sunday. The whole waterfront area comes aline with the Waterfront market. With great food stalls, buskers, art and craft for sale makes it a lively place to be.
From been adventurous to relaxation, I spent most of my time enjoying all the sights by strolling the peninsula’s foreshore and sun-swimming at one of the local Moreton Bay beaches and the Settlement Cove Lagoon. Taking this easy with breakfast and lunch by the waterside and by night time, I opt for a night out at one of the many local dining and nightlife hotspots overlooking the water. No wonder, many interstate visitors, locals and Brisbane residents keep coming to this place.
Exploring the area
Across from waterfront cafes and shops is Redcliffe’s main beach features picnic areas and with plenty of pine trees hugging the back of the beach, providing shade as well as a picturesque backdrop. Relaxing and swimming can be enjoyed on the beach as well as beach walking and fishing on the jetty. The jetty is a great spot and very popular for taking a walk along and simply enjoying the morning sunrise and evening sunset.
At the end of the jetty is where ferries and tour boats that take you out for whale-watching and other sea activities.
If you want to explore some of the seaside suburbs closer to Redcliffe, a quick 10-15 minutes drive from main hub of Redcliffe, you’ll find yourself in a number of few beachside suburbs in Redcliffe area. Some of the pathways hangs precariously close to the edge of the sea cliffs it’s built on.
- Margate
- Wood Point
- Clontarf
Some of the pathways and roads, as you wind your way through the roads, you will eventually come across some of the sections that lead to nowhere but an outstanding views and lookouts to Moreton Bay. The views are incredibly breathtaking. As you admire the views of the coastline, beaches and the endless Moreton Bay stretching out before you, it is unmistakably some of the best beach suburbs in Redcliffe.
Where to stay?
Redcliffe is a town that have various types of accommodation to suit all budget raining from resorts, backpack, holiday houses, apartments and units, B&Bs, caravans and camp grounds. The range of accommodations throughout Redcliffe fit most holiday styles and budgets.
For me to fully enjoy my stay in Redcliffe and to make the most of the town’s attraction, I stayed at one of the self-contained units in Scarborough, just a short walking distance away to the heart of the beachfront shops, cafes, restaurants and town centre. The local public bus service provides an excellent form of public transport which I used on daily basis. Most of the places I wanted to see were within walking distance – the beach, restaurants and cafes. This way, I don’t have to fight the traffic from locals on their daily commute and I get to sample the local way of life and its beautiful town. This is the best way to see and taste the true heart of Redcliffe and an ideal introduction to the area and Redcliffe way of life.
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