Stradbroke Island

▪ islands, Queensland, Australia

      two islands consisting of North and South sections, off Moreton Bay, southeastern Queensland, Australia, named for the Earl of Stradbroke in 1827. It was originally one island, but a storm in 1892 severed it in two by creating Jumpinpin Channel. South Stradbroke is about 14 mi (23 km) long and ¹/₂ mi wide. North Stradbroke, facing Brisbane across the bay, is about 24 mi long and up to 7 mi wide and has an area of 123 sq mi (319 sq km); it rises to 720 ft (219 m) at Mt. Hardgrave and has several large interior lagoons. Formerly the location of a penal colony, it is now the site of several resort towns. Hardwood timbers are cut, and beach sands are worked for rutile, zircon, and titanium.

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