South Stradbroke Island
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South Stradbroke Island is an Australian island in the state of Queensland, south of Brisbane and forms the northern end of Gold Coast. The 22 km by 2.5 km sized island is the smaller one of the two Stradbroke Islands and lies very close to the mainland.
[edit] History
In the north the island is separated by the Jumpinpin Channel from the larger North Stradbroke Island. Before 1896 the island was part of the Stradbroke Island. In that year the island was separated by a storm from North Stradbroke Island. An earlier storm caused a passing vessel carrying rum to run ashore. The locals from Southport trudged across the sand dunes to collect the rum from the shipwreck. They used plows to lower the height of the dunes to near sea level so that collecting the rum was easier. The next storm caused the island to split into two. The new tidal channel caused large changes to the channels and islands within southern Moreton Bay. Coastal managers are concerned that eventually one day Jumpinpin may repair itself which may cause problems for tidal waterway management including fish stocks, dugong habitat, erosion and flooding.
The southern end fronts the Broadwater, and the tip marks the Gold Coast Seaway, only a matter of metres from the mainland at Southport Spit. In the northeast you'll find the Tipplers Passage that separates the island from many small islands near the mainland. The eastcoast borders the Coral Sea.
South Stradbroke Island consists mainly of sand, sand dunes and subtropical forest. The island also has a specific flora and fauna. The Golden Wallaby for example only lives on this island.
[edit] Resorts
The island lives on tourism, but nothing compared to Australia's largest tourist resort, the nearby Gold Coast. The island has some quiet campsides. The western beaches are known as quiet and lagoon-like and the eastern beaches are known as a surfer paradise.
Couran Cove Resort is located on South Stradbroke Island, as are numerous campsites such as an anchorage for the Southport Yacht Club and Dux Campsite, owned by The Southport School.
South Stradbroke Island Resort otherwise known as Tipplers Resort or SSIR is located on the majestic isle of South Stradbroke. The Resort caters for Basic to Working class people whom only require a get away on an island for a reasonable price, in other words the Resort facilities aren't as impressive as Couran Cove. The Fijian Style Huts are nicely built with the basic furniture and ensuite bathroom. The Resort boasts 3 Pools, Function centre, water sports motorised and non-motorised, sea plane, bush walks, tennis, bush golf and sand tobogganing. SSIR also is famous for Tipplers Tavern and Mangroves restaurant where on Friday, Saturday nights and Long weekends is a buzz with many people coming over from the mainland and their own yachts to party to 2am in the morning. The Resort is in the middle of nowhere so Telecommunications, Waste, Water and Electricity are limited in connectivity to the Main land, all of SSIR resources are produced onsite with diesel tanks to produce electricity, chlorinated salt water to freshwater system for the bathroom and Bore water for the gardens, phone calls are made via Microwave link but not all things are bad the Television and radio reception on the island is top notch often receiving channels as far as Brisbane and Tweed heads including the Gold coast channels. SSIR is a beautiful destination to stay with friends and family one day at SSIR and you don't want to leave as the atmosphere is a welcoming friendly atmosphere with friendly people and hospitality that makes you feel at ease.