Where to Go Paddle Boarding in Brisbane, Queensland

Table of contents

1.Pumice Stone Passage, Donnybrook
2.Enoggera reservoir
3.Shorncliffe/Sandgate/Brighton
4.The Caboolture river
5.Cotton Tree
6.The Brisbane River
7.Victoria point's Thompson's beach
8.Raby Bay

8 Most Visited Spots For Paddle Boarding in Brisbane

Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and water sports are very popular in the city. As a new, popular water sport, paddle boarding has surely grabbed the attention of outdoor enthusiasts in Brisbane.

One factor that contributes to the growing popularity of paddle boarding in Brisbane is its resources. It's got various places that are suitable for paddle boarding, either for newbies or advanced paddlers.

Here are what we've rounded up as the top destinations in Brisbane for you to go paddle boarding in.

Keep in mind, Get a nice inflatable paddleboard and learn the essential paddleboarding skills before paddle boarding in Brisbane. Avoid the bad experience of not being able to find paddle boards locally or unskilled paddle board skills.

Pumice Stone Passage, Donnybrook

If you are on the way to Moreton Bay, you should stop and pay a visit to Pumice Stone Passage. It's not particularly close to the center of the city so it's fairly quiet. Also, the beach is extremely beautiful.

So if you intend to spend the day alone peacefully, this is the place to be. But the occasional appearance of jetskis might break the peace for you. But if you are okay with that, then you should not miss it.

Enoggera reservoir 

If you don't want to go through any trouble when trying to go paddle boarding, go to Enoggera Reservoir. The place is easily accessible and is fairly close to the CBD. Remember to go early on weekends since it's a hot spot and you can have a hard time trying to find a place to park your car. 

Shorncliffe/Sandgate/Brighton

We know, this is kind of unhelpful just to list three places, but really one of the joys of living in Brisbane is the ability to drive down the coast, survey the beaches, and choose the best one. On a calm day, this stretch of the coast is a great place to go paddleboarding. It's a little further north, but worth the journey.

The Caboolture river

The Caboolture River is one of the calmest and quietest places on our list for paddle boarding. It allows you to get away from it all and paddle down some creeks with some stunning scenery. A perfect place for sup board beginners that has a wide and relatively calm water surface, and the water flow is slow, which is very suitable for beginners to practice paddle boarding skills.

Cotton Tree

Cotton Tree locates a bit further to the south and is a constant hot spot for tourists and locals. It's a great place for a fun session of paddle boarding. You can easily find information of the tides from the Bureau of Meteorology website. Since it's popular, you might also want to arrive early to secure yourself a parking spot.

The Brisbane River

When in search of paddle boarding spots, there's one place we shouldn't forget: the Brisbane River. It's probably going to get crowded at some point, so if you prefer to have a quiet day, this might not be the best choice. But it's still a classic anyway. 

Currimundi lake

A relaxing spot for a paddle. It can get pretty busy with families over the weekend, but one of the joys of paddleboarding is watching the world go by, so think of this as a people watching opportunity! You might even be able to meet other paddlers and learn from some of them.

Victoria point's Thompson's beach

Thompson's Beach is a popular choice for a reason. It's a nice and calm beach. It might have got some bad press for higher than usual levels of bacteria, but don't let that stop you.

As long as no signs are telling you not to swim at the beach, it's good to go. We recommend trying to go around high tide so that you're not left dragging your board out for too long!

Raby Bay

Raby is another popular choice for recreational activities on weekends. This bay is only a few kilometres south of the CBD and is great for paddleboarding. The bay is beautiful and calm - just be more careful with the canals. Bull sharks have been known to linger around them!

Brisbane is a great place for both skilled and newbie paddlers. If you are a rookie, the first thing to do is get a suitable stand up paddle board for yourself.

If you don't have your own paddle board yet, below are a few places where you can rent a paddle board in or near Brisbane.

SUP Centre Brisbane

Address:462 Beaconsfield Tce, Brighton QLD 4017

Phone:+61 7 3269 1034

Hours: 

Bay Island Water Sports

Address: Masthead Dr, Cleveland QLD 4163, Australia

Phone: +61 472 777 288

Hours: 

A reliable SUP board brand like Goosehill or redpaddle would be good enough. And for beginners, an inflatable sup board is always the better choice than traditional hardboard because they are cheaper, more durable and easier to transport.