Redcliffe day trip from Brisbane: the drive, parking and the foreshore

How long is the drive from Brisbane to Redcliffe?

About half an hour from the north side. From 238 Nudgee Road, OpenStreetMap's car routing takes Southern Cross Way to the Gateway Motorway, heads north for about 10 km, then turns off onto the Deagon Deviation and crosses Bramble Bay on the Houghton Highway. Hornibrook Esplanade and Oxley Avenue bring you into Redcliffe. The router puts it at about 31 km and 31 minutes in clear traffic.^[1]

That makes Redcliffe a realistic afternoon trip as well as a full day: you can collect a car, have lunch by the water and be home before dark without a long motorway run. Router times assume clear roads, so add a margin in commuter hours on the Gateway.

Where do you park in Redcliffe?

Plan for less parking than you'd expect along the water. On its Settlement Cove Lagoon page, City of Moreton Bay warns that ongoing construction on Redcliffe Parade will limit the number of car parks available, and names a car park off the roundabout at the intersection of Redcliffe Parade and Anzac Avenue.^[2] Set that as your destination if the lagoon or the jetty is your first stop.

If you're heading for Suttons Beach, the council says there's plenty of parking nearby,^[4] which makes it a good place to leave the car and see the rest of the foreshore on foot; the council describes walking along the seafront from the lagoon to the jetty.^[2]

• Read every sign before you lock up. Time limits, loading zones and no-stopping areas change from block to block along a busy foreshore.
• Keep the ticket or app receipt if you pay for a space, until you're home.
• Don't park on the grass or a verge to grab the last spot by the beach; a fine on a hire car is still yours. The fuel, parking and fines guide explains how that works.

What's on the Redcliffe foreshore?

All four are on the Redcliffe waterfront, so once the car is parked you may not need it again until home time. A weekday visit means the jetty works are under way; a weekend one means more people but no contractors on the jetty.

Where can you swim, and when are lifeguards on?

At Settlement Cove Lagoon, the council lists lifeguards on duty every day from 5am to 9pm between 1 September and the first Monday in May, and from 6.00am to 6.00pm between the first Tuesday in May and 31 August. The toddler pool is closed for now.^[2]

The lagoon has its own rules: no glass, no diving or jumping in, no smoking, vaping, alcohol or portable barbecues, and no bikes, skates or scooters inside. Dogs aren't allowed in the lagoon area, though they can walk on a lead along the paths.^[2]

For the open water, Suttons Beach is a patrolled swimming area with gentle waves, and has beach showers to rinse off.^[4] Swim between the flags whenever they're up.

Should you stay for the evening?

If you can. Bee Gees Way's light and sound show runs after sunset,^[5] and the lagoon's lifeguards stay on until 9pm through the warmer months.^[2] Fish and chips by the water, a walk to the jetty, then the drive home over the Houghton Highway with the city lights ahead is an easy evening.

Night driving after a day in the sun is still driving tired. If anyone's had a drink, the driver should be the one who hasn't, and if you're flagging, a short stop before the motorway is better than pushing on. For more on that, see long drives and fatigue; it applies on short trips too.

Using a Rentzy car for the day

Like a longer coastal day? Bribie Island is about twice the distance, with an ocean beach and a national park. For a view over the whole city instead of the bay, the Mount Coot-tha lookout is closer still.