Pandanus Beach is in Wynnum, about 20 kilometres east of the Brisbane CBD. It sits on the edge of Moreton Bay, not the open Pacific, which means the water is generally calm and shallow rather than surf-driven. With 711 reviews and a 4.4-star rating on BeachCheck, it's one of the more-reviewed beaches in the Brisbane region and one that shows up frequently in searches without much dedicated content online. This post covers what the beach is actually like, the facilities, and the other options in the area if you want to extend the trip.
Pandanus Beach
Pandanus Beach takes its name from the row of pandanus palms along the foreshore. The beach itself is about 1 kilometre long and faces west across Moreton Bay. Being a bay beach, it's calm: no surf, shallow water at the edges, and conditions rated as safe on BeachCheck.
The beach is not patrolled by lifeguards, which is worth knowing if you're visiting with young children. The water is shallow enough that paddling at low tide is fine, but there's no flag system and no patrol tower. Swim-wise, the depth increases slowly from shore, which is why it's popular with families who want a calm, low-key day out rather than ocean swimming.
Facilities on site: toilets, a playground, a cafe, and parking. There are no showers listed in the BeachCheck database for this beach. The long jetty is the other attraction here, used for fishing and walking. Wynnum Wading Pool, a tidal pool nearby, is a popular spot for young children and has been a fixture in the area for decades.
The beach gets significantly quieter in winter (May to August), which is when Brisbane residents tend to avoid swimming even at bay beaches. Water temperature in winter typically sits around 18-20C. In summer it's consistently warm, 24-26C, and that's when Pandanus gets its highest traffic.
Getting there: the easiest access is via Bay Terrace, Wynnum. The Wynnum train station on the Cleveland line is about 1.5 kilometres from the beach, so it's accessible without a car. From the CBD, allow about 30 minutes by car or 40-45 minutes on the train.
View Pandanus Beach on BeachCheck
Suttons Beach Park, Redcliffe
Suttons Beach Park in Redcliffe is the most-reviewed Brisbane-region beach in the BeachCheck database, with 2,718 reviews at 4.6 stars. Redcliffe sits on the Redcliffe Peninsula about 35 kilometres north of Brisbane, about 20 minutes further from the city than Wynnum.
Suttons Beach is also a Moreton Bay beach: calm water, safe conditions, shallow entry. It has more reviews than Pandanus because Redcliffe has a higher concentration of visitor accommodation and a longer established tourist presence. If you're already at Pandanus and considering extending the trip, Suttons Beach makes sense as a comparison. The two beaches are similar in character but Suttons has a more developed foreshore with more dining options nearby.
View Suttons Beach Park on BeachCheck
Scarborough Beach, Redcliffe
Scarborough Beach is on the ocean-facing side of the Redcliffe Peninsula, which gives it a different character to the bay beaches. It's rated 4.6 stars from 1,799 reviews, has a lifeguard patrol, and conditions are rated safe. If you or someone in your group prefers open ocean over bay water, Scarborough is the logical alternative in this part of southeast Queensland.
The drive from Pandanus in Wynnum to Scarborough Beach is about 40 minutes via the Gateway Motorway. It's not a short detour, but if you're making a day of the Brisbane coastal north side, pairing Pandanus with a Scarborough swim is a practical combination.
View Scarborough Beach on BeachCheck
Sandgate-Brighton Foreshore
The Sandgate-Brighton Foreshore is about 15 kilometres north of Wynnum and the closest bay-beach alternative with a lifeguard patrol. It rates 4.7 stars from 887 reviews, the highest-rated foreshore in this part of the bay. Patrolled, dog-friendly, toilets, showers, and parking are all present.
The foreshore itself is a long stretch that covers multiple suburbs, so it feels less crowded than a single defined beach. It's popular with walkers and cyclists year-round. For a patrolled swim that's closer to Wynnum than Redcliffe, this is the practical choice.
View Sandgate-Brighton Foreshore on BeachCheck
Raby Bay Foreshore Park, Cleveland
Raby Bay Foreshore Park in Cleveland is about 10 kilometres south of Wynnum along the bay coastline. It rates 4.6 stars from 1,810 reviews and is dog-friendly. The conditions are rated safe. Cleveland is on the same train line as Wynnum, so if you're travelling without a car, you can visit both in the same day.
Raby Bay is a canal estate area, and the foreshore park runs along the water's edge with a long walking path, grassed areas, and bay views toward North Stradbroke Island. It functions more as a walking and picnic destination than a swimming beach, which complements a Pandanus visit rather than competing with it.
View Raby Bay Foreshore Park on BeachCheck
Practical Notes
- Best for: Calm bay swimming, fishing off the jetty, families with younger children
- Not suitable for: Surfing, patrolled ocean swims (no lifeguard at Pandanus Beach)
- Nearest train station: Wynnum station (Cleveland line), approximately 1.5km walk
- Drive from Brisbane CBD: 20-25 minutes via Gateway Motorway
- Parking: Available on Bay Terrace, Wynnum
Moreton Bay beaches are generally better between October and April when temperatures are higher. In winter, the water is swimmable but cool, and most visitors use the beach for walking rather than swimming.
For up-to-date conditions across all Brisbane-area beaches, see the BeachCheck Brisbane directory.