Your guide to island hopping on the Gold Coast

The beauty of living on the Gold Coast’s picturesque canals is that travelling via land isn’t your only option for getting around town. Our latest Mater Prize Home lottery No. 298 comes with a luxurious Sea Ray SLX 250 Sport Boat (in addition to a prestigious Tesla Model 3 electric car!) to park on your private pontoon, which means more days out on the water are in your future. But where should you go?

Combining style and performance, the Sea Ray SLX 250 Sport Boat features a 300 horsepower motor and a luxury interior for a comfortable, fun and quiet ride (thanks to Quiet Ride hull technology), no matter how far from home you venture. You’re also sure to put the premium Fusion audio system with Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay and digital signal processing to good use!

Planning your weekends is even better on the Gold Coast when you own a boat, because you’re spoilt for choices. Your own boat opens up the possibilities to some pretty spectacular island hopping. If you’re wondering where to take your luxury Sea Ray boat for a spin, check out these nearby islands.

North Stradbroke Island

A trip to Stradbroke generally requires a full weekend commitment, especially when you need to factor in ferry travel times. But not when you own your own boat. Now you have the luxury of dropping in for a day trip – or making a weekend of it, if you desire. North Stradbroke Island has beautiful beaches (like Adam’s Beach and Cylinder Beach), excellent ice cream (for gelato with a view, head to Oceanic Gelati and Coffee Bar) and some stellar snorkelling spots (check out Amity Point Jetty, Deadman’s Beach and South Gorge), along with unforgettable scuba diving at Manta Bommie. On your way, make sure you keep an eye out for dolphins, stingrays and turtles.

Don’t forget to add South Stradbroke Island to your island hopping list, too. Just a short trip from home, this 1800-hectare conservation park is great for a day of hiking, rock climbing, wildlife spotting and ocean fishing.

Peel Island

Beat the crowds and join the boats-only crew on Peel Island. Also known as Teerk Roo Ra National Park, Peel Island is located 6kms off the mainland between Brisbane and North Stradbroke Island and is accessible only via boat. You’ll find two top snorkelling spots here, both of which are human-made wrecks: Platypus Bay and Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef. For swimming and a golden sandy beach, anchor at Horseshoe Bay.

Coochiemudlo Island

Located a short distance off the coast of Victoria Point, Redland City, Coochiemudlo Island is home to natural habitats and an abundance of wildlife—such as dolphin, dugong, and soldier crabs, as well as about 700 permanent residents. Just 5km2 in size, the island is easy to get around on foot—you can leisurely walk around the entire island in less than two hours. At the right time of the year (mid-June to October), you may even spot whales migrating off shore. Another prime time to visit is in July for the annual re-enactment of Matthew Flinders’ landing: the free event includes entertainment, markets and live music. The island is also dog-friendly, with an off-leash area on Main Beach, so bring your boat-loving bestie along for the ride.

Wave Break Island

When all you feel like doing is packing a picnic, lazing on a pristine beach, and cooling off in crystal clear water, Wave Break Island is the place to go. A man made white-sand island and rock wall within the Gold Coast Broadwater, you’ll arrive in no time to this little slice of paradise in your own backyard. The water here is always calm thanks to protection offered by the Spit, and it’s accessible only by boat, so it’s not over-crowded. There aren’t any facilities on the island, but that only adds to the deserted island feel you’ll fall in love with here.

Ready to spend your spare time island hopping around the Gold Coast and beyond in your luxury Sea Ray sport boat?! Buy your tickets today for our biggest prize home lottery ever and don’t forget to buy a weekly ticket for a chance to win both the current weekly bonus draw AND the $3 million first prize package. Plus, every ticket you purchase helps fund vital medical research and life-changing patient care at Mater.

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