Last night my wife came home humming a tune, she said she couldn’t get out of her head. This started a conversation on a topic of which decade had the best music. The 1970’s or the 1980’s. We are still discussing that prickly point, but what was that song. The song, What was the song that fired up this heated debate: The Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive and the Bee Gees are Stayin’ Alive at the “Bee Gees Way” on the Redcliffe Peninsular.
The Redcliffe Peninsular is a peninsular located in the Moreton Bay Region of Queensland, Australia encompassing the well-known suburbs of Clontarf, Margate, Newport, Redcliffe, Scarborough, and Woody Point. Being an easy 45 minute drive north of the Brisbane CBD, this whole area is rich in local history and combined with its fishing and recreational facilities is a very popular spot with Brisbanites and locals alike.
Traversing the long Bridge that spans the tranquil waters of Bramble Bay, the feeling you get is like you are heading for an exciting adventure on an offshore Island. Rest assured, the Redcliffe Peninsular is very much a part of the mainland so no need for any ferries this time. On the Bridge exit, I make a right turn to enter the suburb of Clontarf and follow the shoreline lined with walking paths as far as the eye can see. 👀 Fish & Chip shops on our left with Clontarf Beach and drop dead gorgeous Pelican Park complete with Toilets, Picnic Shelters, Water Fountain, BBQ’s, Playground, Plenty of car parking and the most dazzling views of Bramble Bay on our right. What a spot to take a break, have a coffee or an early morning breakfast right next to the water. ☕🚶♂️🏃♀️
Only a few kilometres north, set in the heart of the picturesque Redcliffe Seaside Village, is a laneway connecting Redcliffe Parade and Sutton Street, set amongst trendy sidewalk cafes, restaurants and an array of take-away food shops and retail stores is the well renowned and very popular tourist attraction the – Bee Gees Way.
Redcliffe is special to the Bee Gees, after emigrating from Manchester, England to Redcliffe in the late 1950’s it only took a few years for the brothers to land a regular gig at the Redcliffe Speedway. They would perform during intervals to the spectators who would throw money onto the track in appreciation. Barry was the eldest of the brothers, and just 14 years old. The Bee Gees legend was born with the signing of their first music contract on the family’s kitchen table in Redcliffe, the rest is now music history.
The Bee Gees Way is an open air museum showcasing the legacy of the Bee Gees. Featuring a larger than life 70 metre Mural of the Gibb Brothers accompanied by a huge display of photos, album covers, personal stories & reflections of Barry Gibb. 🔥 I visited the Bee Gees Way during the day, but I have been informed that there are light shows every night 7pm to 9.30pm set to the sounds of the Groups greatest hits. The Light Shows dazzles at 7pm, 7.30pm, 8pm, 8.30pm, 9pm and 9.30pm.
At the entrance standing pride of place, we are greeted by life size bronze statues of the music legends. You don’t need to be a fan of the group to feel the genuine nostalgia of this place. With their music hits playing in the background, we took our time as we strolled through this historical tribute basking in the ambience of the superstar rise of one of the world’s biggest pop groups. Adding to a magnificent cloudless blue sky day, the chance of being a part of music history, discovering and reading their stories, and the electric vibe of this spectacular Laneway truly made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
🔥 Tip: Useful Information
- Street Parking is available
- Visitor Centre
- Close to Local amenities
- Seating
- Wheelchair accessible
- Close by to cafes, takeaway food, and restaurants.
Our road trip exploring the Redcliffe Peninsular was not done with yet with rumours abounding of a shipwreck that was beached on a rocky shore close by, the wreck being so close you could nearly touch it. We’ll have to investigate!!!!
South of the Bee Gees Way, located at Woody Point is the Gayundah Arboretum a beautiful, serene spot ideal for a picnic and a chance to stretch your legs. With views from the park out over Moreton Bay to Moreton Island, a walking path along the foreshore and a beach adjacent to the promenade there is seating, shady picnic areas and BBQ sites where you can have a whale of a time just enjoying this locale. 🔥 Tip: Dogs are allowed on the park paths but not on the beach.
Pull up a BBQ position for a lunchtime cook-up of those steaks and sausages with an ice cold beer or a chilled glass of wine as the sun dazzles over spectacular Moreton Island on the horizon. It is truly a magical experience, never short of a Bay view with so many different shades of blue and green.
I don’t know any kids or come to think of it many adults that aren’t intrigued with the thought of discovering their own shipwreck. Lucky for me, here in Brisbane there is one that is accessible and its right on our doorstep.
My curiosity to find this Shipwreck had only intensified after following several paths around the Arboretum that I thought could lead to a likely spot where a ship could be beached. After heading north with no success then circling back following one of the trails to the southern end of the Arboretum, stranded hard up on a rocky beach, here I found the Gayundah Shipwreck.
The HMQS Gayundah was originally a flat–iron designed gun boat operated by the Queensland Maritime Defence Force. It became the HMAS Gayundah in1911 being passed onto the Royal Australian Navy and was used as a mine sweeper until the end of World War1. The Gayundah was then decommissioned and then sold to a Melbourne Company in 1921, becoming a sand and gravel barge on the Brisbane River until the 1950’s and then finally being scrapped in1958 and beached at Woody Point where it began its new life protecting the shoreline from erosion. WOW, what a life of adventure for this little vessel.
This is one of the few easily accessible shipwrecks on the Queensland coastline and is brilliant place for that special Instagram selfie. With an abundance of parking in the area, fantastic picnic and BBQ facilities and access to some of the most picturesque walks in the region, I would suggest that if you have the chance to visit you should make it sooner than later. The ravages of mother nature and the sea are taking their toll on the Gayundah, and it won’t be around for ever. A final word of warning: It Is Dangerous – Please Keep Off The Wreck.
I kid you not, Shipwrecked but Stayin’ Alive In Redcliffe is one mind-boggling Road Trip for every member of the family, young and old. Who doesn’t like crossing over vast expanses of water in search of adventure, then being immersed in the Bee Gees era while rockin in the Lane Way, it doesn’t matter if you can’t sing, join in and belt out a tune anyway. Cook up a BBQ feast in the park and then finally let your imagination run wild as you go in search for a Gun Boat shipwreck. 💖💖
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ROAD TRIP'N 