A day on Stradbroke Island with a Ford Ranger PHEV
- Feb 20
- 7 min read
With our early January road trip to Bathurst done and dusted, it was time to seek out Sun, Sand and Surf.
Beach-side holidaying has always been a preference and over the years we’ve had the good fortune of combining this love for saltwater, with a passion for off-roading. This saw us explore Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) as a family whilst filming a TV show, and a solo mission on my part to K’Gari (Fraser Island) for similar reasons.
So, it was out with the Mustang GT that I took to Summernats, and into a Cyber Orange Ford Ranger Wildtrack PHEV. It wasn’t that long ago that I reviewed the Ranger Sport PHEV around town and in a towing capacity.
What I hadn’t done during that stint was any offroad work, so when a week with the family in the Gold Coast presented – so did opportunities to do just that.
The Wildtrack adds various features over the Sport variant. Amongst them, an electric rolling cover for the tub to keep all our gear safe and dry, and intelligent cruise control that reads road signs and adjusts speed. The latter was a much appreciate feature given the problematic demerit point count. Importantly, the option box for proper all-terrain rubber was ticked, in the form of General Grabber tyres at each corner.
The shortlist for a day trip consisted of The Glasshouse Mountains and Bribie Island. A wet outlook and solo travel rendered the Glasshouse Mountains and its clay-based surfaces a long shot. Bribie in the leadup to Australia day weekend wasn’t looking particularly attractive either.
Then the Google Gods delivered in the form of Stradbroke Island, or as its now called based on traditional ownership, Minjerribah.
The second biggest sand island in the world behind the beautiful K’Gari, and a stone’s throw south of Mulgumpin – it seemed likely to be the quieter and more interesting option.
Unlike Birbie, access to the Minjerribah is via a barge operated by Sealink, with departure from Toondah Harbour in Brisbane. Booking is a simple affair and there are multiple transfers daily, but it’s best to get in early in the leadup to busy weekends. Note that access also requires a permit, which can be purchased online.
With all our bags and gear safely stowed in our hotel room, it was all about the essentials for the day trip. Water, tyre inflation and deflation tools, a snatch strap with soft shackles and a trusty pair of Treds. The final piece was a handheld Radio for comms.
Arriving at the dock about 15 minutes before departure, it’s a simple and well-run operation. With a ticket in hand from the booth at entry, it’s a matter of waiting your turn to drive on and park up. We chose a seat on the upper deck, where we took in the views during the 45-or-so minute ride to the Island.
In contrast to K’Gari or Mulgumpin where you drive off the barge onto the sand, it’s tar under the tyres on Minjerribah. You miss out on the excitement (or anxiety), but it opens the island up to different tourists. In fact, most of the island is made up of tarred roadways, likely a downer for more passionate four-wheel-drivers – but there’s plenty of sand to explore too.
Brown Lake is a short 4km drive from the barge and gets its name from the colour of the water. The deep sepia of this rainwater-lake is a result of tannins leaching from Tea, and Melaleuca trees surrounding it.
Families lined the white sandy banks, making good use of the BBQ’s while the kids swung off low-hanging trees into the refreshing water. You really could spend an entire day here, with drop toilets available too.
The next stop was supposed to be the North Gorge walk, but on the run north, signs for Myora Springs materialised. With everyone still wet from the lake, a stop to explore was a given. This spring has been running for thousands of years, providing both shelter, and an abundance of freshwater crayfish and prawns for Aboriginal communities.
There’s a boardwalk with signage that explains the history, along with a safe entry point to the water. It was cooler than Brown Lake, and spending time here had an oddly calming aura about it. After a short dip, it was back into the Ranger for the next destination.
By this point Dad was hanging to get some sand on the tyres, so the North Gorge walk took a back seat again. Research in the leadup revealed warnings not to drive the beaches an hour each side of high tide.
Our arrival at the Adder Rock entry point to Flinders Beach was an hour and a half clear of the danger zone. The sand looked reasonably well packed, but the entrance points were expectedly soft. For avoidance of doubt I aired the General's down to 18psi, knowing I had some spare there if I did get caught up somewhere. While I did that, the girls chose to have a quick dip at the picture-perfect Adder Rock beach, which was patrolled at the time.
The run up the beach was stunning, made all the more interesting when driving the Ranger in "EV Only" mode. The impossible silence of the drivetrain allowed unimpeded focus on the sights and sounds around us.
In previous reviews I’d commented on the short EV range, and it was no different on this trip. Foresight saw me save battery charge using the “EV Later” function, which put 100% reliance on the 2.3l turbo-petrol engine for propulsion until we got to this specific point.
I was surprised at how easily it did the job, regardless of the conditions. Part of me wishes there was more range in this mode, because the battery emptied even faster than normal. Increased fuel consumption is also a factor of beach driving, so I guess it's to be expected.
As with most beach driving, there are washouts, so a watchful eye ahead is critical. After 20 or so minutes of driving, we found ourselves at the end of the beach and ready to head back in search of a snack.
There are food options right across the island, but the promise of a cleansing ale from the Straddie Brewing Co was most compelling. A multi-level setup in the heart of Dunwich, there’s brews to try, views to take in and the best loaded fries i've ever had!
A quick pit stop at Island Souvenirs and Straddie T-shirts allowed everyone their souvenir fix too. These guys have been here for decades and do the design and printing of their t-shirts right there on that little property, the bonus is ample banter to boot!
There were three things left on the to-do list before our planned departure at 7pm. Drive Main Beach, do the Gorge Walk and check out Amity point. Given proximity, the Gorge Walk was next. A 1.2km walk along a cliff-side boardwalk takes you out to the Point Lookout and around to the Gorge itself.
Along the route we spotted a number of Giant Manta Rays by the jagged shoreline. Point Lookout is known for an abundance of sea and land-based wildlife, and is a great location to spot migrating Humpback’s. It truly is magical and untouched country here, and probably something we should’ve done at the beginning to allow enough time to take it all in.
From here we pointed the Ranger south toward Main beach – gaining access through camping area A on George Nottling Drive. This stretch was far more wild, with rougher seas reminiscent of a run up the east coast of K’Gari. The drive was great for the soul, with a seemingly endless stretch to take in the sea birds overhead looking for a bite, and copius amounts of fresh sea air.
Unfortunately we never made it to Amity Point, instead relinquishing ourselves to hunger with an early dinner at the Straddie Hotel.
Perched up high enough to take in the view and at possibly the best table in the house, it was clear everyone was ready for a decent meal. It’s a blend of traditional pub fare, quality was excellent and the beer was cold too. It’s the type of place where you don’t want a timeline or a need to have to drive afterward. One for the next visit perhaps.
It was time for some sunset pics back at Adder Rock around the corner, before heading south toward the ferry terminal for a 6:50 arrival – just in time.
Or so we thought. A solitary barge was approaching in the distance, but the dock was unnervingly empty. A quick check of the documents from Sealink revealed that I’d in fact booked a return for 7pm, but on the next day!
Sleeping in a car based on necessity wasn’t going to be an issue for me, but the same couldn’t be said for the rest of the family. Camping would’ve been great but we didn’t have a change of clothes much less a sleeping bag!
With a long weekend approaching, accommodation was either horrendously expensive, or unavailable. We were thankful to find a place to stay at the Dunwich Apartments for the night. Adding insult to injury, we were positioned within sight of the barge that would take us back at 7am the next morning. Something tells me i'll never be allowed to forget this fumble.
The truth is despite a sweaty and uncomfortable night; the memories we took away from Minjerribah were amazing. There’s something special about driving on a beach with no one else around.
The sea spray, the crunchy squealing sand under the tyres, and the ability to stop anywhere for a swim and a poke around. It evokes a tremendous sense of freedom that no tarred road can match.
We will be back, but next time we won’t miss the boat, because the return will be a few days afterwards.
Things we did:
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