Pandanus Beach at Wynnum, with its fossicking opportunities, clean sands, shallow waters, long jetty and rocky finds, is the perfect little family beach just waiting to be discovered. Tucked away behind the area’s other main attractions, this beach is reason enough to visit the area and just another terrific drawcard to planning a family day out in Wynnum.
Pandanus Beach – Swimming at High Tide
Pandanus Beach, aptly named after the string of Pandanus trees that line its foreshore, is a small but beautiful stretch of white sands and shallow water play on Wynnum’s Foreshore. Man-made from sand imported from Stradbroke Island, the beach is bookended by the Wynnum Jetty and a shorter man-made rock wall.
Even when the tide is high, the gentle slope of the beach means that the water levels never go much above waist deep, even as you wade further out. Equally, the beach has a wide sandy shore perfect for laying towels out, soaking up the glorious Australian sun and building sand castles.
Although Pandanus Beach is not patrolled, its small size and still waters make it a firm favourite with families with younger children due to the relatively safe swimming environment it provides.
Pandanus Beach – Fossicking during Low Tide
Although swimming is best at high tide, visiting here when the waters are out is just as exciting for small kids.
As the tide ebbs away, the remaining muddy flats become a fossicking treasure trove for young children. Small marine life, mud crabs, shells and more litter the open field of play, so it is recommended you bring along a bucket as, no doubt, there will be many unique finds!
Pandanus Beach – Food Options
As Pandanus Beach is located on the Wynnum Foreshore, there are countless cafes and restaurants nearby with mouth-watering menus to explore. We recommend grabbing some takeaway fish and chips from one of the two fantastic seafood cafes across the road and bringing it back to eat in the park or on the beach.
Plenty of picnic tables and grassy lawns surround the playground, beach and pool, and numerous BBQ areas should you wish to cook up or prepare your own picnic or lunch spread.
Nearby Attractions
Wynnum Jetty
With its solid stone foundation, the Wynnum Jetty was built over 80 years ago as a job creation scheme during the Depression. Located south of Pandanus Beach, its fenced walkway extends nearly 400m to the sea and offers spectacular views of Moreton Bay.
Hugely popular with fishermen, the jetty’s end deck allows anglers access to deeper waters, with the main catches here being Bream, Flathead, Whiting and the odd Trevally.
Wynnum Whale Water Park and Playground
Easily the most popular attraction in the Wynnum area for families is the Whale Water Park and playground.
Built on top of a soft rubber matting to avoid slips and slides, this water-play space features a pod of water-spouting whales that kids can climb on and jump off as streams of water burst up and out of them intermittently.
There is also a large tipping bucket and, for younger children, a small water feature and trail that is perfect for collecting leaves and watching them race along the different streams and routes.
The whale pod sits alongside a generously spaced nautical-themed playground with plenty of climbing areas, slides, swings and even a delightful play shop and boat.
Wynnum Wading Pool
Situated alongside the water park and behind Pandanus Beach, Wynnum Wading Pool is a delightfully large natural pool that Brisbane Kids adore. Safer than playing in the actual ocean itself, the large, oval-shaped pool fills with seawater at high tide and seawater is retained by closing valves along the sea wall.
Measuring a huge 128m by 54m (and 0.75m deep at the centre), the pool is over two and a half times the size of an olympic sized swimming pool.
Situated at one end of the pool is a small, twisting slide that children of all ages can enjoy. There are also multiple spots to enter the pool via wheelchair-friendly ramps.
Historic fact: Wynnum Wading Pool was built during the 1930 depression as a way to provide employment for locals.
Wynnum Foreshore – Wynnum to Manly Walk
Pandanus Beach is situated on the well-worn Wynnum to Manly boardwalk. Stretching for 6km from the Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk to the Manly Boat Harbour and Marina, the shared pathway offers cyclists, walkers and anyone keen for a stroll in the open air stunning parkland and seaside views.
Pandanus Beach Facilities
Toilets: Yes. A large toilet block is right behind the beach between the whale park and wading pool.
Beach showers: Yes. One is located at the entrance to the beach.
Disability access: Yes.
Parking: There is a small parking lot alongside the beach and plenty of street parking along the esplanade and surrounding streets. On weekends and during holidays this is an extremely popular spot for families so it can be a bit tricky to secure a close park.
Water fountains/bubblers: Yes! You won’t have to worry about lugging plastic water bottles around for the kids.
Electric BBQs: Yes!
Picnic tables: Yes! You will find picnic tables and park benches around where you find the BBQs.
Playgrounds nearby: You could head down to the Wynnum Whale Park or drive to check out Paul Conti Park at Hemmant.
Picnic shelters and shade: Yes, there are plenty of shady places to sit around the water park and playground directly behind the beach. A line of Pandanus trees stretch between the beach and the park, offering a shady spot to settle beneath as you watch the kids play. The beach itself is pretty exposed, so take a shade tent and pack on that sunscreen.
Playground: Wynnum Esplanade is lined with playgrounds, but the real draw cards are right behind Pandanus Beach. The Wynnum Whale Water Park and surrounding playground are incredible.
Dog-friendly: Absolutely! Bring your four-legged friend for a swim and watch them soak up the shallow waters and soft sands.
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