What bay is about 15 km from Brisbane's central business district?

Moreton Bay is about 15 km from Brisbane’s central business district. The Brisbane CBD sits on a peninsula of the Brisbane River, roughly 15 kilometres inland from the river’s mouth at Moreton Bay.

The bay is a large coastal waterway on Queensland’s southeast coast, separating Brisbane from Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island. It includes extensive tidal flats, mangroves, seagrass beds and important marine habitats, making it significant for fishing, boating and conservation.

The name dates to the early period of European exploration. James Cook charted the area’s outer coast in 1770, and Matthew Flinders surveyed much of the bay in 1799. It was later associated with the Moreton Bay penal settlement, founded at Redcliffe in 1824 before moving to the Brisbane River in 1825.

A common mix-up is confusing Moreton Bay with Moreton Island. Moreton Bay is the body of water; Moreton Island is the large sand island on its eastern side. Brisbane’s port, river and suburban coastline all connect the city closely to the bay.