Sailing in Brisbane really means sailing in Moreton Bay. The city sits a few miles up the Brisbane River, and at its mouth opens a large, shallow, island-fringed bay protected from the Coral Sea swell by Moreton and North Stradbroke Islands. Add a subtropical climate, steady sea breezes and a string of well-run marinas and yacht clubs, and you have one of the most rewarding cruising grounds on Australia’s east coast.

Quick answer: the best sailing destinations around Brisbane are Moreton Bay itself, Peel Island’s Horseshoe Bay, North Stradbroke Island (Dunwich and the One Mile), the Tangalooma wrecks on Moreton Island, the Redcliffe Peninsula, Coochiemudlo Island, Pumicestone Passage behind Bribie Island and, to the south, the Gold Coast Broadwater. The main bases are Manly Boat Harbour, Scarborough, Raby Bay and the Brisbane River marinas.

When to Sail in Brisbane

You can sail here all year, but the seasons feel different:

• Winter (June to September): dry, sunny and mild, with southeasterly to southwesterly breezes. Many locals consider this the best cruising season. It is also humpback whale season, roughly June to October or November.
• Spring and early summer: warming water and reliable afternoon northeasterly sea breezes, which give great day sailing on the bay.
• Summer (December to March): hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms that can bring violent squalls. Tropical cyclones are more of a concern further north, but cyclone remnants and east coast lows can still reach southeast Queensland, so watch the forecasts.

Moreton Bay is shallow in many places, with sandbanks and a tidal range of roughly 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Plan passages on the tide, stick to marked channels, and keep a close eye on the depth sounder, especially in a deep-keel boat.

Brisbane River

The Brisbane River gives you the rare experience of motoring (or sailing, when the wind allows) right into the heart of a major city. It is also a calm refuge when the bay is rough. Marinas such as Dockside at Kangaroo Point and Rivergate, a few miles up from the river mouth, offer berths, and Rivergate has a large boatyard with haul-out and repair services. The city also provides short-stay berthing at riverside recreation hubs for day visits.

Keep in mind that the lower river is a working port with large ships, and that the current runs hard on the tide. Check bridge clearances if you plan to go far upstream with a mast.

Moreton Bay Marine Park

The whole bay is a marine park, with sandy islands, mangroves, seagrass meadows, dolphins, turtles and dugongs. Zoning rules apply: some areas are green zones where fishing is not allowed, and there are go-slow areas for turtles and dugongs. Check the official Moreton Bay Marine Park zoning map before you fish or anchor, and keep clear of the Port of Brisbane shipping channels, where ships always have right of way.

Manly Boat Harbour

Manly, on the bay’s western shore, is the heart of Brisbane sailing. The harbor holds several clubs and marinas, including the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, the Wynnum Manly Yacht Club, East Coast Marina and the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club. Between them you will find visitor berths, fuel, haul-out facilities and boatyards. The entrance channel and harbor are dredged to about 2 meters, so stay strictly in the channel; deeper-draft boats should plan their entry around high tide.

Manly is also the place to find twilight racing, sailing courses and crewing opportunities if you are visiting without a boat.

Peel Island and Horseshoe Bay

Peel Island (Teerk Roo Ra National Park) is only a few nautical miles from Manly and Raby Bay, which makes it the classic first overnight stop. Horseshoe Bay on the southern side has a sandy beach and good holding, and it gives decent shelter from northerly winds. It gets very busy on weekends and holidays. Watch the tide: at low water the deep water can be a long way from the beach. Platypus Bay on the eastern side is a popular snorkeling spot.

North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

North Stradbroke is a large sand island with beautiful beaches and a relaxed island feel. Sailors usually head for Dunwich on the western side, where you can land a dinghy or use the jetty, or tuck into the One Mile anchorage just to the north. Note that the One Mile is enclosed by drying banks at low water and can be rolly in southwesterly weather.

From Dunwich you can catch a bus across the island to Point Lookout, where the North Gorge Walk is one of the best places in the region to see turtles, dolphins, manta rays and, in season, migrating humpback whales. Inland, Brown Lake owes its tea color to the surrounding paperbark and tea trees.

Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks

Moreton Island, almost entirely national park, forms the eastern wall of the bay. The best-known stop is the line of wrecks off Tangalooma, sunk deliberately to create a sheltered anchorage. Private boats are welcome and you can anchor nearby, snorkel the wrecks and walk the sand dunes. Arrive midweek if you can, because space is in demand on weekends.

The anchorage offers limited shelter from the prevailing summer northeasterlies and winter southeasterlies, and winter westerlies can make it uncomfortable overnight. Respect the no-anchoring zone where the vehicle ferry lands, and do not lay out a long anchor rode toward the beach, where four-wheel drives use the sand as a road. Further south, Days Gutter at the tip of the island is a pretty spot but very shallow; enter and leave around high tide.

Redcliffe Peninsula

On the northern side of the bay, the Redcliffe Peninsula is a friendly seaside town with cafés, restaurants and a long waterfront. Most visiting boats base themselves in Scarborough Boat Harbour, home to Scarborough Marina (with fuel, a travel lift and a boatyard) and the Moreton Bay Boat Club, with Newport Marina in the canals just to the south. Book ahead for visitor berths. The eastern shore of the peninsula is shallow and exposed to southeasterlies, so it is not a good overnight anchorage.

Ashore, walk Bee Gees Way in central Redcliffe, a laneway of bronze statues and screens honoring the Gibb brothers who grew up here, and pick up fresh seafood at Morgans in Scarborough. Every Easter, the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race starts from off the Shorncliffe pier on Good Friday, a great sight from the shore or the water.

Raby Bay, Cleveland and Coochiemudlo Island

Raby Bay marina at Cleveland, on the bay’s southwestern shore, is well protected, with power and water at the berths, fuel and shops within walking distance. Outside the marina the water is shallow, so keep to the channel. It is a convenient base for Peel Island and the southern bay.

Coochiemudlo Island, about a kilometer off Victoria Point, has a golden beach with a patrolled swimming area and basic facilities. The main anchorage on the south side is fine for a day stop, but it is exposed to southeasterlies, so check the forecast before staying overnight.

Bribie Island and Pumicestone Passage

To the north, Pumicestone Passage separates Bribie Island from the mainland. The southern end has quiet coves for anchoring and marinas in sheltered canals. The Bribie Island bridge limits how far a masted boat can go, and the northern part of the passage is shallow, with fast tides, so it suits only shallow-draft boats and dinghies.

Gold Coast Broadwater

At the southern end of Moreton Bay, an inside route through the islands leads to the Gold Coast Broadwater. The route is shallow in places and needs careful tide planning, but it rewards you with sheltered anchorages, Southport’s marinas and yacht club, and easy access to the beaches and restaurants of the Gold Coast. Marinas at Jacobs Well, at the northern end of the Broadwater, offer fuel and services on the way.

Further Afield: Queensland Sailing Trips From Brisbane

Brisbane is also the gateway to longer coastal cruises. Heading north, the Great Sandy Strait behind Fraser Island (K’gari) is a superb sheltered cruising ground. Farther still, the Whitsunday Islands offer some of the best tropical sailing in the world, with Whitehaven Beach and dozens of national park anchorages. Many visitors fly up and charter there rather than make the long coastal passage.

In tropical north Queensland, Cairns and Port Douglas are the bases for day sails to the Great Barrier Reef. Green Island, a coral cay about 27 km off Cairns, and the Low Isles off Port Douglas are popular catamaran trips with snorkeling over coral, turtles and reef fish. Be aware of the cyclone season (roughly November to April) and the stinger season in the tropical north.

Practical Tips for Sailing in Brisbane

• Licensing: in Queensland you need a recreational marine driver licence to operate a recreational boat with an engine of more than 6 hp, including auxiliary engines on sailboats. Visitors should check the current Maritime Safety Queensland rules.
• Charts and tides: use up-to-date charts, plan around the tide and follow the channel markers closely. Many anchorages dry out a long way at low tide.
• Weather: watch for summer thunderstorms and strong southerly changes. The Bureau of Meteorology issues coastal waters forecasts for Moreton Bay.
• Wildlife: slow down in go-slow zones and keep a lookout for turtles and dugongs.
• No boat? Local sailing schools and clubs run courses, twilight racing and crewing nights, and there are bareboat and skippered charters on Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast.

Sailing in Brisbane: Summary

Brisbane is a great base for sailors. Moreton Bay offers sheltered water, sandy islands and wildlife within a few hours of the city, with Manly, Scarborough, Raby Bay and the Brisbane River as convenient starting points. Peel Island, North Stradbroke, the Tangalooma wrecks, Redcliffe and the Gold Coast Broadwater make excellent day trips or weekend cruises, while the Great Sandy Strait and the Whitsundays wait for longer adventures. Respect the shallow water, the tides and the marine park rules, and you will enjoy some of the best sailing in Australia.

For more ideas, see our guide to the best sailing destinations in Australia, our Australia sailing guide with itineraries, the best marinas in Australia and our article on living on a boat in Australia.