Guide to Sandgate Queensland Australia

Sandgate is a seaside suburb on Bramble Bay, about 16 kilometres north of the centre of Brisbane. It was the favourite beach resort of the colonial city, and it keeps much of that character, with a long waterfront promenade, a town hall and post office from the early 1900s, timber houses with bay views and a tradition of fish and chips by the water.

Known For

• A long bayside promenade for walking and cycling
• Heritage buildings and the Shorncliffe pier
• Fish and chips on the foreshore

The suburb faces east across the bay towards Moreton Island, with the Redcliffe peninsula to the north. Flinders Parade follows the shore for about three kilometres. The town centre is a few blocks inland around the railway station, and the smaller suburb of Shorncliffe occupies the headland at the southern end.

Sandgate is a classic Brisbane day out by train, and at its best on a breezy afternoon with the tide in.

Things To Do in Sandgate

The Foreshore

A wide path runs along the sea wall for the length of the suburb, shared by walkers, cyclists and children on scooters. Parks with barbecues, playgrounds and shady fig trees line the landward side. At high tide the bay laps the wall and there is swimming at a tidal pool. At low tide the water retreats for hundreds of metres, leaving sand flats that attract wading birds and, when the wind is up, kite surfers.

Shorncliffe Pier

At the southern end of the foreshore, the Shorncliffe pier reaches about 350 metres into the bay, the longest timber recreational pier in Brisbane. First built in the 1880s and completely rebuilt in 2016, it is a favourite for fishing and for a stroll at sunset. The cliff-top path known as Lovers Walk links it with the Sandgate foreshore, passing under old cotton trees. Each Easter the pier is the vantage point for the start of the yacht race to Gladstone.

Heritage Town Centre

Brighton Road and the streets around the station hold a group of well-preserved public buildings, including the red-brick town hall of 1912, the post office and several old hotels and shops. A heritage trail explains their history. The Sandgate museum, in a former church, displays photographs and objects from the resort era.

The Lagoons

Two freshwater lagoons lie just behind the shops. Einbunpin Lagoon is ringed by a path, picnic lawns and a playground and is home to ducks, turtles and ibis. Dowse Lagoon, nearby, is a larger wetland with a bird hide. Both were used by Aboriginal people long before the town was built.

Cycling to Redcliffe

The foreshore path continues north through Brighton to the bridge across the mouth of the Pine River, which has a dedicated cycling and walking lane and a fishing platform. From there it is possible to ride on to Woody Point and Redcliffe, a return trip of about 25 kilometres.

Where To Stay

Sandgate has a small amount of accommodation, in keeping with its residential character.

Bed and breakfasts and guesthouses in restored timber houses offer bay views and a taste of old Sandgate. Holiday rentals are available along Flinders Parade and in Shorncliffe.

A few motels on the main roads and rooms at local hotels provide simple, inexpensive stays. The area is convenient for Brisbane Airport, about 20 minutes away, and for events at the entertainment centre at Boondall.

Most visitors come for the day from the city, which is half an hour by train.

Eat & Drink

Fish and chips on the foreshore is the essential Sandgate meal. Several seafood shops near the water sell fresh local prawns and fish, cooked or raw, to be eaten on the sea wall or in the park.

The town centre has a good cluster of cafes, bakeries and restaurants, including Italian, Thai, Indian and modern Australian, along with an ice cream parlour. Cafes on Flinders Parade and at Shorncliffe have tables looking over the bay.

Two historic hotels serve pub meals. One, on the waterfront, has a broad deck with views across the bay, and is a popular place to watch the moon rise over the water.

History

Sandgate is in the country of the Turrbal people, who knew the area as Warra. Land was first sold in 1853, and the settlement was named after the seaside town in Kent. When the railway arrived in 1882, Sandgate became the main beach resort for Brisbane, with guesthouses, bathing enclosures, a pier and steamers from the city.

It was a separate town with its own council until 1925. The rise of the car and the surf beaches further afield ended its resort days, leaving a remarkably intact historic suburb.

Getting to Sandgate

Trains on the Shorncliffe line run from Central to Sandgate in about 35 minutes, with the foreshore a ten-minute walk from the station. Shorncliffe station, one stop further, is closer to the pier.

By car Sandgate is about 30 minutes from the city centre by Sandgate Road or the Gateway Motorway. Parking along the foreshore is free.

Nearest Airport: Brisbane