THE inaugural Taste of Straddie Festival starts tomorrow, providing another great excuse to escape across the bay and enjoy everything the island has to offer.
Although it’s just a short boat ride away, many Redland residents still have not walked along its unspoilt beaches and enjoyed the stunning natural scenery and spectacular ocean views. The week-long festival, which coincides with school holidays, is the ideal time to discover the island.
The festival starts on Saturday with a free barbecue at Point Lookout hosted by 97.3FM, and wraps up with a party at the Stradbroke Beach Hotel and Spa Resort to celebrate its 50th birthday. In all, more than 60 activities are available to please most kids and parents.
Many activities are cheap or free, including the highlight, land-based whale watching from Straddie’s superb beaches.
Catch a ferry from Cleveland to get in on the week’s action, which includes guided whale-watching walks, a treasure hunt, outdoor movies, a mock wedding ceremony, four-wheel driving along the beach, and
historical tours of the island.
The Taste of Straddie Showcase coincides with the Lines in the Sand Arts Festival (June 27-30), followed by the North Stradbroke Island Youthlink Whale Welcoming
Ceremony on July1 .
For a detailed festival program, go to www.stradbrokeisland.com.
