Just beyond Brisbane’s eastern seaboard, nestled at the heart of an archipelago only a short voyage into Moreton Bay, on the far side of the tiny island of Coochiemudlo, you can sink your toes into the soft sand of Morwong Beach.
This magic place is the setting for the most inspiring, panoramic views Moreton Bay has to offer, and most days of the week you’re likely to have the beach all to yourself, particularly at sunset.
When people think ‘island’ they invariably think ‘remote’, but locals will tell you it’s possible to depart Brisbane’s central business district and be arriving on Coochiemudlo Island in under an hour, a sea breeze blowing your cobwebs away and the sight of dolphins or turtles having inspired your weekend ahead.
Once you’ve made it over here, you’ll know it’s just a short journey back to the mainland, but it’ll feel like you’re a long way from anywhere.
Sun-drizzled golden clouds run all the way to the horizon and as far as your eyes can see in any direction, and mere specs of civilisation light up far across the bay where townships are nestled against other shores.
On some days, the skies are so vast you can sit on a sandy peninsula and watch the moon rise as the sun slips beyond the faraway city.
Don’t rush home. If you stay a night or two, you’ll get to see our sunrises, and there are plenty who swear they’re even more breathtaking!
Michael Burge is an author, artist and publisher who lives on Coochiemudlo Island. Check out his website. Photo courtesy of Leigh Purdie.