Quandamooka Festival 2026: How to Experience This Free Indigenous Cultural Festival on North Stradbroke Island (August 29–30)
Just a short ferry ride from Brisbane, one of Queensland’s most meaningful and accessible cultural events is returning to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) this August.
The Quandamooka Festival 2026 runs from Saturday 29 August to Sunday 30 August, each day from 10:00am to 5:30pm.
Set against the island paradise backdrop of Minjerribah, this multi-artform festival provides the special opportunity to experience the continuing culture of the Nughi, Nunukul, and Goenpul clans of Quandamooka firsthand — and all ages are welcome, with tickets completely free.
Whether you’re a long-time friend of Straddie or visiting for the first time, this is Queensland cultural tourism at its most powerful: authentic, community-led, and utterly unforgettable.
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What Is the Quandamooka Festival?
The Quandamooka people have lived on this Country for at least 25,000 years — though traditional owners say it is longer. There are three clans of Quandamooka: the Nughi, the Nunukul, and the Goenpul, all of whom hold a strong identity as the people of the sand and the water.
The Quandamooka Festival is an annual celebration of the culture and country of these traditional owners, proudly supported by Redland City Council and taking place on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). The program immerses visitors in Quandamooka Culture through art, music, dance, artisan markets, food stalls, storytelling, cultural heritage, and caring for Country.
The annual festival begins with a Traditional Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country for participants and audiences, set against the backdrop of the yalingila (whale) migration season — making the timing of an August long-weekend visit to Straddie doubly rewarding.
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What’s On: The Full Festival Program
The gathering showcases a diverse lineup of cultural activities, Kunjiel (corroboree/traditional dance), music performances, food, weaving, arts, crafts, markets, workshops, panel discussions, and more.
The program also features guided cultural tours, First Nations film screenings, and a broad range of community experiences.
Based on the festival’s strong programming history, here’s what to plan your day around:
1. Kunjiel — Traditional Dance Performances
Kunjiel is the beating heart of the festival. Watch extraordinary performances of ceremonial dance that have been practised on this island for thousands of years. Past festivals have featured groups including Yulu Burri Ba, Nunukul Yuggera, Goodjinburra, Butchulla, Gubbi Gubbi, and the Wagga Torres Strait Islander Dance Company.
2. Live Music
The festival program includes live music, dance performances, weaving, kids’ activities, and food stalls.
The Quandamooka Festival has drawn acclaimed First Nations artists to its stage, making the music lineup one of the most anticipated aspects of the two-day event.
3. Weaving, Arts & Crafts Workshops
Get hands-on with traditional skills in a relaxed, inclusive workshop setting. Fibre arts and weaving have long been a thriving part of Quandamooka cultural expression.
4. Markets & Food Stalls
Browse artisan market stalls and taste traditional tucker and contemporary First Nations-inspired food. This is the perfect spot to take home something made on Country.
5. Panel Discussions & Storytelling
The program of activities immerses visitors in Quandamooka Culture through storytelling, cultural heritage, and caring for Country.
Panel discussions offer a rare opportunity to hear directly from Elders and community members on topics that matter deeply to the Quandamooka people.
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Where Is the Festival Held?
The Quandamooka Arts and Culture Centre — known as QUAMPI — was officially opened in September 2025 and is now home to the popular annual Quandamooka Festival.
QUAMPI is located at Deanbilla Bay, Gumpi (Dunwich) on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), envisioned as a space for sharing Quandamooka culture through multiple art forms.
The word “Quandamooka” means ‘people of the sand and seas’, and the name QUAMPI refers to the local pearl oyster shell that is a totem of the Quandamooka people, connected with Gumpi, and emblematic of their seagoing heritage.
Co-designed by Cox Architecture and the Quandamooka people, the centre accommodates exhibition and workshop spaces, an open foyer, a yarning circle, a community Elders’ space, a café, and a gallery shop.
There are talking circles and weaving spaces under beautiful cypress trees outside, and a dedicated exhibition gallery within.
Tickets are free but registration is required. The festival site is a short walk from the Dunwich ferry terminal, making it highly accessible to visitors from Brisbane.
Address: QUAMPI Arts & Culture Centre, 14–18 Ballow Road, Dunwich (Gumpi), North Stradbroke Island QLD 4183
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Tickets & Entry
- Cost: Free entry
- Registration: Required — register via the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC) website
- Hours: 10:00am – 5:30pm, Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 August 2026
- Accessibility:
The event welcomes and assists people who have challenges with learning, communication, understanding, and behaviour — including people with autism, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury, dyslexia, and dementia — and also caters for people who are blind or have vision loss, or deaf or have hearing loss.
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How to Get to North Stradbroke Island
The festival is a short and easy ferry ride from the mainland, highly accessible from South East Queensland — only an hour’s drive from both Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) is only 26 km south-east of the Brisbane CBD, with ferries running regularly from Toondah Harbour, Cleveland.
The passenger ferry (water taxi) takes approximately 25 minutes and offers a fast, convenient crossing with connections to the local bus service at Dunwich. The vehicle ferry takes approximately 50 minutes and allows you to travel with your car.
Getting to the ferry:
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The Stradbroke Flyer water taxi provides a free shuttle bus that picks up passengers from the Cleveland Train Station 10 minutes before water taxi departures.
- If driving, head to Toondah Harbour, Cleveland. Book vehicle ferry spots well in advance for a weekend event — vehicle ferry tickets should be booked 7 days in advance, as a ferry can carry a maximum of 25 cars at a time.
On the island: The QUAMPI centre is a short walk from the Dunwich ferry wharf, so foot passengers have everything they need within easy reach.
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Why This Festival Matters
The Quandamooka people are the traditional owners of Minjerribah, who have owned and occupied the lands and waters of Moreton Bay since time immemorial, with over 20,000 years’ association with their Country.
QUAMPI and its annual festival are part of the Queensland Government’s Minjerribah Futures program, investing in the transition of Minjerribah from its past reliance on sand mining to a new future as a leading destination for cultural and ecotourism.
Attending the Quandamooka Festival isn’t just a great day out — it’s a meaningful act of support for a living culture that is actively thriving, sharing, and welcoming visitors to learn alongside them.
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Extend Your Stay: Things to Do on Minjerribah
The festival falls during peak whale-watching season, making a one-night stay on the island an easy decision. After two days of culture, explore more of what Minjerribah offers:
– Stunning coastal walks at Point Lookout offer some of the best land-based whale watching in Australia.
– Adventures include whale watching, 4WD tours, sandboarding, surfing, diving, snorkelling, and cultural activities.
- Visit QUAMPI’s gallery and browse the gift shop for authentic Quandamooka art and crafts.
- Take a dip at Cylinder Beach or walk the North Gorge headlands trail.
For curated Queensland tours that explore Minjerribah and the wider Moreton Bay region, browse our tour directory — the festival weekend pairs beautifully with a guided island experience. You can also explore more of Queensland’s stunning islands of the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland’s best beaches to plan the ultimate Queensland escape.
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Quick Reference: Quandamooka Festival 2026
| Dates | Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 August 2026 |
| Hours | 10:00am – 5:30pm daily |
| Location | QUAMPI Arts & Culture Centre, 14–18 Ballow Road, Dunwich, North Stradbroke Island |
| Cost | Free (registration required) |
| Getting There | Ferry from Toondah Harbour, Cleveland |
| Suitable For | All ages, fully accessible |
| More Info | visitredlandscoast.com.au |
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We acknowledge the Quandamooka people — the Nughi, Nunukul, and Goenpul clans — as the traditional custodians of Minjerribah and the surrounding Moreton Bay waters. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
