They used to mine sand here. Now Moreton Bay’s Stradbroke Island produces artists

In a strange way, North Stradbroke-based film producer Trish Lake has Cyclone Alfred to thank for her nascent art practice.

In February 2025 she was gearing up for the release of Spit, the sequel to 2003’s Gettin’ Square, both of which starred David Wenham.

It opened March 6, and two days later, Alfred made landfall.

“I was hoping people would turn out in droves but, of course, the cinemas closed,” Lake said.

The film has subsequently overperformed on streaming platforms, but at the time the difficulties got Lake thinking about her future.

Over the past five years she had helped out as a media adviser to one of the island’s big annual events, the Straddie Arts Trail, but had yet to take part as an artist herself despite an interest in acrylic landscape painting dating back to her childhood.

Feeling like she needed a change of direction, she set about creating a body of work – seascapes – in time for last year’s October deadline.

“And I pretty much sold everything I painted, which just astounded me,” Lake said.

Straddie Arts Trail is now in its fifth year and presenting its biggest program yet.

Across three days in August more than 70 of the island’s artists and creatives will showcase their work at 33 locations across Dunwich, Amity and Point Lookout.

That’s 70 artists on an island with a permanent population (in 2021) of just 2156.

They range from an octogenarian painter having her first show to a seasoned nine-year-old pottery artist.

Among the island’s creative residents are award-winning artist and fashion designer Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, celebrated Ngugi creator Elisa Jane Carmichael, photographer Tim Van Vuuren and award-winning painter Clare Purser.

In addition to visual arts there are locally made homewares, swimwear, jewellery, textiles and fashion, much of it inspired by the landscape, history and traditions of North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah.

The event’s creative director, Cath Carroll, who is also an artist specialising in ceramics, said she saw the opportunity for an arts trail during COVID.

“We had so many creatives on the island who had never shown their work, who had never had the opportunity to do so. And so we just created that opportunity ourselves.

“I think islands attract creative people because the lifestyle allows you to find the time to put into that.”

A focal point for the island community has been the North Stradbroke Community Pottery Centre in Dunwich.

A former social club built for employees of the local Sibelco sand mine, the centre has been occupied by the pottery club for three decades but only this week obtained the security of a 10-year lease on the state-owned land the building occupies.

State MP for Oodgeroo Amanda Stoker said she had resolved underlying land tenure questions and smoothed the path for the council to issue a new lease.

“This is so much more than a place to make pottery. It’s a place where people – particularly women – from all walks of life connect, mentor and support each other,” Stoker said.

Visitors to the island during the arts trail can expect to see art shows, workshops and Q&As, while enjoying seafood and whale watching.

Galleries, shops and community clubs will all be given over to exhibitions.

Lake is opening up her Dunwich cottage to the public and sharing it with five other artists.

“When visitors come to meet the artists, it gives another level to their engagement,” she said.

Straddie Arts Trail runs August 14 to 16. Regular buses shuttle visitors between Dunwich, Amity and Point Lookout, and fares are 50¢.

Return adult ferry fares to North Stradbroke Island from Cleveland are $23, and taking a standard car across is $83 one-way.

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