Thin and covered
The summer ride
December to February
- TopThin long sleeves
- LegsLight long pants
- ExtraWater and sunscreen
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What to wear on a Moreton Island tour from Brisbane with the quad
Moreton Island day with the ATV quad ride
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Get a seatA Moreton Island tour from Brisbane with a quad ride asks for two outfits in one: rider kit for the tracks and beach clothes for the rest. Here is what works, item by item.
Editorial team, moretonislandquadbike.com · Updated November 8, 2026 · 7 min of reading
Key facts
- ShoesEnclosed footwear: the resort lists it first.1
- Sun coverSunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, on the resort's own list.1
- ClothesLong sleeves and long pants protect best, says the regulator.2
- ValuablesA locker on the island costs from AUD 2 per use.3
- For the boatA layer: the crossing is about 75 minutes.4
The resort's own list, and why it is short
The resort that runs the ride keeps its kit list brief: enclosed footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.1 The packages all bundle a safety talk and the protective kit, so that gear is handed to you on the day rather than packed in your bag.5 What you bring is the layer underneath: shoes, clothes and sun protection that suit a sandy, sunny, bumpy hour.
Shoes are the item that stops people at the start. Enclosed footwear means trainers or sturdy closed shoes, not thongs, sandals or bare feet. Your feet work the foot controls and rest on footboards that collect sand, so a shoe that grips and covers your toes matters more than anything else you wear.
National advice goes further than the resort's list. Australia's consumer regulator says that besides a helmet, quad riders should wear goggles, boots, gloves or other hand protection, and long sleeves and pants.2 That list is written for farm riding, but the logic holds on a guided tour: covered skin handles sun, branches and flying sand better than bare arms.
Kit list
Every item and why it matters
| Item | Why | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosed shoes | Foot controls and sand | The resort |
| Sunscreen | Open beach and midday sun | The resort |
| Sunglasses or goggles | Dust from the bike ahead | The resort and the regulator |
| Long sleeves and pants | Sun and scratches | The regulator |
| Gloves | Grip on sweaty handlebars | The regulator |
| Insect repellent | Mosquitoes and sand flies | The island guide |
From the resort's kit list, the national regulator's rider advice and the Quandamooka island guide.1,2,7
Clothes for the saddle
For a quad, think light and covered. Thin long trousers or knee-length shorts that do not ride up, and a light long-sleeved top, give you sun cover without overheating. The resort's temperature table runs from 29 degrees at the height of summer down to 20 in July and August, so match the fabric to the month.6
Avoid anything loose or dangling. Long scarves, open beach shirts and wide skirts can catch on the machine or flap in your face at speed. Tie long hair back. If you plan to swim straight after the ride, wear your swimsuit underneath and carry a dry layer, so you are not riding in wet clothes or changing twice.
Gloves are optional but worth packing. The regulator lists gloves or hand protection in its rider kit, and on a hot day the handgrips get slick with sweat and sunscreen.2 Thin cycling or gardening gloves are enough. Keep sunscreen off your palms before you ride, for the same reason, and wipe your hands on a cloth before you take the handlebars. A slippery grip is the commonest small problem on a hot afternoon ride.
Dress for the month
Average air temperature on the island, by pair of months
- Jan to Feb29
- Mar to Apr25
- May to Jun22
- Jul to Aug20
- Sep to Oct24
- Nov to Dec28
Average air temperatures as the resort publishes them for Moreton Island.6
Sun, sand and dust
Sunscreen is on the resort's list for a reason: the ride runs on open beach and sand, often in the middle of the day.1,11 Put it on before you leave the resort buildings, cover the backs of your hands and neck, and choose a sweat-resistant formula. A ride from 10am to 4pm puts you in the strongest sun of the day.12
Sunglasses are the other must. Riding behind other bikes means sand and grit in the air, especially when the tracks are dry; the island guide warns that dry weather makes inland tracks slow and bumpy.8,1 Wraparound sunglasses or goggles keep the dust out of your eyes. Contact lens wearers often prefer glasses on the day, or a spare pair of lenses in the bag.
The hat is for everything around the ride: the walk to the start, lunch on the terrace and the afternoon by the pool.1 Pack one that squashes into a bag, since you will carry it while riding. Add insect repellent for the evening: the island guide recommends it against mosquitoes and sand flies.7 Sand flies bite around dusk near the water, which is exactly when combo guests wait for the dolphins.
Your question
What to wear for your situation
Find your situation and see what to change in the bag.
If I only packed sandals
Buy or borrow trainers
Enclosed footwear is on the resort's kit list.1
If I wear contact lenses
Bring wraparound glasses
If I want photos of the ride
Secure the phone or buy prints
The resort photographers sell photos on its photo site.9
If We are staying for the dolphins
Pack a full change
Feeding often means wading in to the waist.10
If It is winter
Add a fleece
Midwinter air sits around 20 degrees on the resort's table.6
Three outfits
Hot day, cool day, feeding evening
Layers
The winter ride
June to August
- TopLong sleeves and a fleece
- LegsLong trousers
- ExtraA jacket for the boat
Ready to wade
The dolphin evening
On a feeding combo
- PackA full change of clothes
- Leave offRings and watches
- Rinse offSunscreen first
Phones, cameras and valuables
Most riders want photos, and a loose phone on a bouncing quad is a lost phone. Keep it zipped into a chest or thigh pocket, or leave it behind in a locker for as little as AUD 2 per use.3 Keep a waterproof pouch for the boat and the beach, and a small cloth to wipe sand off the lens, since fine grit gets into every pocket on a dry day.
Signal is patchy for some networks. The resort warns that Vodafone reception can be extremely weak and in places absent.16 If you rely on your phone for tickets or for meeting up with your group, download what you need before the boat leaves Holt Street, and agree a meeting point at the resort in case messages do not arrive.
For pictures without the worry, the resort's official photographers work around the island, and their photos are downloaded later from the resort's photo website, some at a cost.9 Ask at the start whether a head- or chest-mounted camera is allowed on your ride; the guides decide, and staff directions must be followed.17
Price the day
Book the quad day for your group
Enter your group to price the plain day against a dolphin evening.
2 options compared
Book the quad day for your group
Enter your group to price the plain day against a dolphin evening.
- Plain quad dayHome on the 4pm boat · price per person from $119
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View - Quad and viewingEvening dolphins · price per person from $156
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Starting prices from GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. You will see the exact price when booking.
Dressing through the day
What you wear from boat to boat
On the morning boat
A light layer
The crossing takes about 75 minutes.4
Before the ride
Shoes, sunscreen, glasses
The resort's list: enclosed footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat.1
At the start
Safety equipment
Handed out with the briefing in every package.5
After the ride
Swimwear for the pools
Resort access includes two swimming pools.5
On the boat home
The layer again
About 75 minutes back across the bay.4
The rest of the day: beach, pools and the boat
The ride is under an hour; the island day is long. Your package includes resort access, with two swimming pools, restaurants and bars, so bring swimwear, a towel and dry clothes to change into later.5 With no lifeguard patrols anywhere on the island, swim near the shore and watch children.18 A light cover-up or a dry shirt is worth carrying for lunch, so you can sit in the restaurants without dripping.
If your day includes dolphin feeding, dress to get wet. The resort says feeding often means wading in to the waist, and advises bringing dry clothes to change into.10 Sunscreen and lotions are rinsed off before guests enter the water, and rings and watches come off, so leave jewellery at home.14 Quick-dry shorts and a top you do not mind soaking are the easiest choice, with the dry outfit kept in a bag on the jetty.
Finally, bring a layer for the crossing. The boat home takes about 75 minutes, longer when Moreton Bay has a swell, and you will be sun-tired and slightly damp.4 A light jacket or jumper makes that last stretch comfortable. For the full packing list for a beach day on the island, our sister guide moretonislanddaytrip.com has a dedicated page.
Video
A first ATV ride: an easy guide for beginners
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Besides a helmet, this includes goggles, long sleeves, long pants, boots and gloves or hand protection.
Dressing for each season
Summer is about sun and heat. With summer air at 29 degrees on average by the resort's count, choose the thinnest long-sleeved top you own, take extra water, and ride in a morning slot if you can.6 Summer evenings on a combo stay warm, though the boat breeze still bites. A wide-brimmed hat for lunch, a refillable water bottle and an after-sun lotion for the boat home round out the summer bag.
Winter is gentler on riders. In July and August the resort's table shows 20 degrees in the air and 21 in the water.19,6 Wear long trousers, a long-sleeved top and a light fleece for the morning boat, and expect to strip a layer once you start riding. Whale season runs from June to October, so keep the camera handy on the crossing.20
Spring and autumn sit in between. September and October average 24 degrees in the air on the resort figures, and the water 22 degrees.6,19 Layers are the answer in every season: a tee under a long-sleeved shirt and a jacket for the boat covers most of what the island throws at you. In these months a passing shower is common, so a thin waterproof that packs into a pocket earns its place.
What not to bring on a tour of Moreton Island
Before you tour Moreton Island, leave a few things behind. Alcohol is one: the resort and its launches are fully licensed, so no alcohol may be brought onto the boats or the resort.13 National safety advice is never to ride after drinking, and resort staff can refuse anyone who appears intoxicated.21,22 Save the cocktail for after the ride, or for the evening package that includes one.
Pets are another. Moreton Island is a national park, and the resort says pets are prohibited.15 Large bags are awkward on a day trip; a small backpack that fits in a locker is plenty.3 Valuables you will not need on the island, such as passports and spare cards, are safer left at your hotel in Brisbane than carried across the bay and back.
The last thing to leave at home is the wrong expectation. You are not dressing for an off-road race but for a guided hour on sand tracks, a swim and a long boat ride. Comfortable, covered, sun-safe and layered is the whole formula, and the checklist further up this page turns it into ticks. Pack the night before, put the shoes by the door, and you will be first in line at the tours desk.
FAQ
Straight answers to common questions.
What shoes should I wear for the quad ride?
Enclosed footwear.
The resort lists enclosed footwear first on its kit list; sandals and thongs are not enough.1
Should I wear long pants?
Long and light is best.
The regulator lists long sleeves and long pants in its rider kit, with goggles, boots and gloves.2
Can I take my phone on the quad?
Only if it is secured.
Zip it into a pocket or use a locker, from AUD 2 per use on the island.3
Is safety gear provided?
Yes.
A safety talk and the protective kit are part of every quad package.5
Do I need sunglasses?
Yes.
Sunglasses are on the resort's list, and they keep sand and dust out of your eyes.1
Can I bring drinks for the day?
Not alcohol.
No alcohol may be brought onto the resort boats or the resort itself.13
Will my phone have signal?
Depends on your network.
The resort warns that Vodafone reception can be extremely weak and in places absent.16
Sources
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · ATV Quad Bike Tours at Tangalooma & Moreton Island ↩
- ACCC Product Safety Australia (productsafety.gov.au) · Quad bike and side-by-side vehicle guide ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · ATV Quad Bike Day Cruise ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (mulgumpincamping.net.au) · Staying safe on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) ↩
- Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (mulgumpincamping.net.au) · Staying safe on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · ATV Quad Bike Tours at Tangalooma & Moreton Island ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · ATV Quad Bike Tours at Tangalooma & Moreton Island ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · ATV Quad Bike Tours at Tangalooma & Moreton Island ↩
- Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (mulgumpincamping.net.au) · Staying safe on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- ACCC Product Safety Australia (productsafety.gov.au) · Quad bike and side-by-side vehicle guide ↩
- Tangalooma Island Resort (operator official site) · ATV Quad Bike Tours at Tangalooma & Moreton Island ↩