There is nothing quite like taking a day’s leave and stealing away on a wintery Friday morning for a long weekend in the restorative Queensland sun.

In July 2016, I left Sydney for Brisbane airport (Qantas flight $225), arriving at 9.30am where I picked up a 4WD in the hope that I would be able to drive into the National Park at my destination, Bribie Island. Note: With Avis there is an exorbitant $5000 excess unless you take their additional insurance cover. Almost enough for a deposit on a small car!

Just an hour and 15 minutes north on the motorway to the Sunshine Coast, Bribie Island is one of the lesser-known Moreton Bay islands and has the added advantage that you can access by car over a bridge from the mainland. It has a very relaxed vibe and is relatively quiet.

A short drive beyond the bridge is a small tourist information booth. It is worth a stop if only to pick up the tide timetable, a necessity if you want to walk the beach from one side of the island to the other. It was here that I also discovered you need to be an experienced sand 4WD driver and have more than 1 vehicle in your party, as it is common to get bogged in the sand and need a tow out.  If you are a competent sand driver you still need to get a permit from the National Parks Office before you can enter the national park area of Bribie Island.

I stayed at the Bribie on the Beach Resort in Woorim in a 2 bedroom apartment at $475 for 2 nights. The apartments are well-appointed with access to the surf beach facing Moreton Island. The thing I loved most about my stay was waking up to the sound of waves breaking on a sandy shore! Heavenly!

This was a weekend getaway from the Sydney winter and, being outside of the school holidays, the beach was pretty empty and I was able to find a myriad of places to sit where I was totally alone until a beach walker or two drifted past. Having arrived just before midday, I set out to walk south on the beach for an hour each way and in that time I saw fewer than 20 people (including a small group of budding marine biologists from the local school)!

It is possible at low tide to walk around the beach to the bayside jetty – a brisk 2-2.5 hours each way. This needs to be carefully timed to miss high tide or you can walk one way and either get a lift to the jetty and walk back or catch a taxi back the other way. The clarity and blue hue of the sea is beautiful and the beach is framed by sand dunes. I drove to the jetty on the bayside and sat on the promenade watching life pass by. The jetty is used a lot for wedding photos and is very picturesque.

I drove back through the town to take the walk from the yacht club, along Banksia Beach, to the Paradise Beach Marina entrance. The goal was to catch the magnificent sunset over the bay with the Glasshouse Mountains in the distance. It took me approximately half an hour as I stopped for photo opportunities along the way. I passed locals who either said “Hello” or stopped me to pass the time of day…not something you experience very often in the hustle and bustle of Sydney life!

The views from the gardens before the marina entrance are enchanting and with the trees and palms silhouetted against the flaming, setting sun with the distant Glasshouse Mountain jutting above the waterline, it was a photographers dream. Even locals still take time to sit on a bench of bring a chair and a glass of something to watch this magnificent display of nature on a weekend evening.

Dining is mainly casual and, if you are looking for a beachfront location the Bribie Island Surf Club has a good Bistro and will welcome you for relaxed dining.

There are a myriad of activities available including fishing, bird-watching, cruising, kayaking, golf and 4WD. In addition, there are a number of historical military installations (WWII forts and gun emplacements) on the north side of the island and a museum. See the Tourism Bribie Island website for more information.

My stay was about rest and relaxation – time to read and recover from the relentless corporate world. Mission accomplished!