" title="the map village street editors"> the map village street editors

Most of us are guilty, to some degree, of overlooking that which is under our noses in favour of the far-off and exotic. When I (sheepishly) realised that I’d gone camel-back through the Western Sahara, but hadn’t got as far as Fraser Island, I set myself a challenge: to discover more of south east Queensland. Since then, I’ve spent many weekends on Moreton Bay and discovered that this puddle on our doorstep can indeed feel like a world away. Home to countless islands, 40 nautical wrecks, hard coral quays, dolphins, turtles, dugongs and a vivid history, you could fill a year of weekends with new experiences. Go sand-tobogganing down the world’s tallest stabilised sand dune on Moreton Island, explore the Sand Hills or Desert on foot, or hand-feed the dolphins at the Tangalooma resort. Hop a ferry to Straddie for the day and visit the Blue Lake or reed-fringed Brown Lake (visual bliss), or go whale-watching from Point Lookout. Experience rugged isolation with a walk on South Stradbroke’s ocean beach. Go diving on Flinders Reef, where there are more species and varieties of corals than any other single reef on the Great Barrier Reef! Charter a boat and head for Peel Island’s Horseshoe Bay, which gets bobbing most sunny weekends with day-sailors. Explore the former leper colony on foot and make sure to head for the island’s north side for the multi-hued aqua vistas from Lazaret Gutter. Learn how to sail a tall-ship, where sails are trimmed by a technique fittingly called ‘sweating’. Front up to the Wynnum-Manly Yacht Club on a Sunday morning and offer your services as crew in the weekly races. (But don’t forget, it’s your shout at the end of the day.) These are just a few ideas for play on the bay: what’s you’re favourite bay experience?