Brisbane to Bribie for 50c

I had a day working from Bribie Island, 70km north of Brisbane.

One train, one bus, 50c - easy.

Bribie is situated on the way to the Sunshine Coast and is often forgotten about as a destination, possibly because it's 20km from the motorway and tourism heavyweights such as Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Coolum and Noosa lie further up the motorway.

Bribie Bridge

Those on Bribie might not complain that it's often overlooked in favour of Sunshine Coast destinations. It keeps things quiet, although the 800 metre one-lane-each-way bridge linking Bribie to the mainland can become a log-jam during busy periods, or if there is an incident. 

The bridge has been there since 1963 and long ago outgrew Bribie's population at the time: around 600. At the time of the 2025 census, the number sat at 22,100 residents, a number that swells on weekends and school holidays.

The two sides of Bribie

There is a surf side and a calm side of Bribie and I opted for the calm side, knowing it can get a bit blowy on the other side. The bus* dropped me at Bellara - just over the bridge - and I'd scoped out a nearby park that overlooks Pumicestone Passage, the body of water running between the mainland and the island.

*the same bus continues to the surf side.

I found a table under the trees, set myself up and away I went. I brought lunch with me, so didn't have to leave.

Once done, I did the reverse trip and was home within a couple of hours.

Photo, above: The bridge linking Bribie Island to the mainland.

Getting there

- train from Eagle Junction station to Caboolture station

- 640 bus from Caboolture station (right out front) to Bellara

The return trip was the same in reverse.

Total transport cost: $1

*If the onward journey of a trip starts within an hour of the other finishing, the fare from the first trip carries over. This means a journey of several trips can still cost 50c.

The time from walking out my front door to arriving on Bribie was just under two hours. Time on the train and bus = 90 minutes. Driving takes at least one hour - a lot more in peak hour - and would have cost me $25 or more in petrol.

Date of journey: February 11, 2026 (Wednesday) 

Public transport info

Bus, train and ferry info. The Journey Planner is highly recommended: Translink

NOTE: You can't buy a ticket on public transport. You'll need to purchase a go card - available at hundreds of locations - for $10. A link can be found on each post.

go card explainer

go card purchase locations

It can be a good idea to check service updates, which often happen on weekends. Included in service updates are track works, which sees the use of rail buses and can slow a journey.

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All photos and videos were taken on my iPhone - photos edited in Photoshop.

Laptop fired up and ready to go.

There are tables everywhere under the trees.

Boats for hire on the beach near where I was set up.
They were closed at the time, but no doubt busy on weekends.
In the distance are the Glass House Mountains.

Fishing is also a popular pastime.

A well-used walkway runs along the shorefront.

Maybe he was heading home, too.

1. Eagle Junction train station
2. Caboolture train station
3. Bellara, Bribie Island

© 2026 Giulio Saggin.

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