October Bush Ramble: Walking Country: A Journey from Oyster Point to Toondah Harbour

This October, we invite you to walk with us through one of Redlands Coast’s most precious and contested landscapes — from Oyster Point in Cleveland to the tidal sanctuary of Toondah Harbour.

We are extremely fortunate to be guided on this journey by Una Sandeman and Chris Walker.

Una is a committed nature advocate, environmentalist, artist and amateur photographer who has lived in the area for over 35 years. She is a talented photographer who has extensive knowledge of the birds and the wetland ecosystems through which she will lead the Ramble.

Chris Walker is the chairperson of the Toondah Alliance and is deeply involved in the decade-plus-campaign to protect Toondah Harbour from being destroyed by a developer. Chris is photographer with a special interest in the wildlife of Redland City which includes migratory shorebirds and koalas.

More than a walk, this Ramble will be a journey through layers of life, history, and deep cultural significance.

As your footsteps trace the shoreline, you’ll be following ancient Songlines — walking in the footsteps of the Quandamooka People, the Traditional Custodians of this land and sea. For thousands of years, this area has been a place of abundance, story, ceremony and connection. The mangroves, mudflats and wetlands sustained the clans of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) with shellfish, fish, birdlife, and seasonal harvests — cared for with respect and responsibility. The landscape still bears witness to that care and you will see Middens on the shoreline at Oyster Point.

This walk will also pass through places layered with European settler history — early boat landings, oyster leases, and the remnants of a colonial past that dramatically altered the ecology and use of the land. Yet despite development and encroachment, nature still thrives here — clinging on with astonishing resilience.

On this gentle, guided walk, you might hear the haunting call of the Eastern Curlew, one of the world’s great migratory birds, who travel thousands of kilometres to rest and feed in these Ramsar-listed wetlands or see other shorebirds that call this habitat their home. Rainbow Bee-eaters flash through the trees. Honeyeaters sing. Koalas — increasingly under threat — still find refuge in the remaining Nandeebie park eucalypts and along the trail. You are likely to see  butterflies through butterfly alley where they drift between native shrubs and wildflowers, marking the quiet arrival of spring.

This is a walk to observe, reflect, and connect — not only with nature but with one another. It’s a chance to learn about the complex web of life that exists in this unique corridor, to appreciate the stories that shape this place, and to understand why so many in our community are fighting to protect it from large-scale development.

Toondah is not just a ferry terminal. It is a living wetland, a cultural landscape, and a vital part of the Redlands’ ecological identity.

Join us in October for this immersive walk — to listen to Country, to witness its beauty, and to stand together in its defense.

Access & Parking: Car parking at the location is available.

WHEN: Sunday 5 October 2025,  7:45am - 9:30/10:00 am

WHERE: Oyster Point Park, Phelan Street, Cleveland 4163

WHAT TO BRING: Binoculars and cameras if you have them, water, sunscreen, mozzie repellent, hats and walking shoes

Bring a flask of water/tea/coffee and stay around for a cuppa after the walk.

Toilets are available in the park at Oyster Point

Numbers are limited, so please register here. Tickets are $2.00.

All photos by Una Sandeman

NEW!

ACF BSL Bush Ramble 2026 Calendar

$5.57

Support us by buying our 2026 down-loadable nature calendar.

A high quality PDF featuring a collection of images of wildlife and wild places taken by our own photographers during our regular bush rambles.

The photos on the calendar have been taken and shared by the talented photographers on our Bush Rambles.

The ACF Brisbane South & Logan Bush Ramble Calendar is now available to download as an "Add-on" once you progress to ticket purchase. You may also choose to buy the calendar alone.