BRIBIE ISLAND Bribie Island is one Queensland’s best kept secrets. Just an hour by car, 90 minutes by train, but a world away from the big smoke and those pesky tourists. No Gold or Sunshine Coasts at Bribie, just all the attributes and great lifestyle for the residents. Bribie Island has gone very close to getting the stuff of life right. The rapid growth in recent years has seen the illumination of the ‘old’ buildings but most of the island is uninhabited, consisting of National Park. Bribie is a sand island in the northern part of Moreton Bay, The island is separated from the mainland by the Pumicestone Passage, and the name was derived from the naming of a part of the passage called Pumicestone River by Captain Matthew Flinders in July 1799. Crossing to the island from the mainland via the bridge, the first suburb to be encountered is Bellara. The other three major suburbs are Woorim (about 5 km away on the island's 'surf side'), Bongaree at the southern end of the island, on the 'calm side' or 'passage side' and Banksia Beach. The Churches on Bribie Island are modern in design. The War Memorial is in Bongaree, but Woorim has a small memorial also. The Bribie Island Museum is new and has a new and art factor. The Woorim Hotel is the only real ‘pub’ on the island. Bribie Island is a fabulous place to visit. Stay a week and stay on the Woorim side of the island. Heritage diary