There are not too many places that fishermen can go in a 2WD that are not populated and unregulated camping is usually banned. Sleeping in the vehicle can go unnoticed however setting up a camp attracts the public wrath and a visit from the police. There are a couple of good spots in the district and of course there is always the local camping & caravan park.
Servicing the Port of Hay Point is Half Tide Tug Harbour where there is a good
launching ramp. The boat ramp is found by turning left down the Hay Point road
opposite the Moana caravan park on the Bruce Highway, left again at the
Alligator Creek shop and then left again at the boat-ramp sign at Half Tide
Beach. The ramp has two lanes where larger boats can be launched to fish the
many offshore islands however there is shallow draft over low tide.
From Half Tide the reefs to the north, Rickermans Reef, Dudgeon Ledge and the Islands of Round Top and Flat Top are a short run. Jew, red jew (nannygai), tusk fish (blueys) and snapper are all caught round the coal loading facilities. Due to international terrorist activities a boat may not approach closer than 50 metres to the jetties and the area inside the jetties is no longer accessible because all fishermen in tinnies may be carrying a large bomb. It is still possible to fish the jetty structure by using less lead and anchoring up tide and there is no mark to measure 50 metres! Lesser mackerels school in the mouth of Louisa Creek and between the coal loading facilities & the tug harbour. Good reef species & spanish mackerel can be caught to the south over the shallow reefs around Victor Island.
Offshore Islands are accessed from Half Tide Harbour (Hay Point Tug Harbour), which offers comfortable overnight anchorage in all but northerly weather. There is a camping & caravan park, The Hay Point Beachfront Caravan Park, which has a pub next door, the Hay Point Hotel Motel. Because the fishing is so good many southern visitors winter over at the caravan park. Depending on the workers needed for the Coal Port it may be hard to get a site at the park.
Louisa Creek is another creek at Hay Point and there are toilets there however camping at the extreme west end where there are old boat pens and a jetty, is tolerated although sandflies are bad. Launching a boat with a 2 wheel drive requires a stout rope to let the trailer down to the water. The creek can be fished by wading towards low and there is extensive yabbie beds up in the creek near the island. Sickle fish are common over high water and are excellent eating even though a fillet may not look very appealing. The mouth of Louisa Creek has a long sand bar and this is good place to wad for whiting, bream and snub nosed dart on the bottom of the tide. One of the few places where stargazers are caught.
This creek is great for wading for whiting and flathead especially during the colder months, access is from the Bruce Highway immediately after crossing the creek driving north, down a dirt road to the east. There is a sand extraction operation down at the creek so just be sure to park out of the way of the trucks. The creek is a mass of yabbie beds and is very shallow at LW. During the spring tides the water rises very quickly. The Moana Camping & Caravan Park is nearby opposite the Hay Point turnoff.
There is access to the opposite bank from Tennis Court Road, then turning in under the power lines that cross the road and the Alligator Creek Camping & Caravan Park is nearby. Camping on this side of the creek would go unnoticed however the sandflies are bad! Small boats can be launched using a mud and stone ramp. The shallow gutters along the sides of the creek crab well. A great place to wade with the family, accessing the creek from the west side. Whiting , flathead and snub nosed gar are the main species in Alligator Creek.
This beach has a boat ramp into Cabbage Tree Creek at the south end and a Sarina Shire Council run camping reserve near by. The creek fishes for mangrove jack, grunter, mud crab and the occasional barra. There is a yabby bed and whiting & flathead are taken over it. Launching here gives easy access to Victor Is., Leeper Reef and the offshore reefs and islands.
Situated on the east side of Cabbage Tree Creek, there is a good launching ramp here and a secluded car park where overnight camping is tolerated, although the sandflies are always extremely hungry. A large rocky outcrop that dries, is situated off the end of the ramp and is marked with a beacon, this rock fishes well for bream particularly in the winter months. Lesser Mackerels school in the bay off Grasstree Beach and south towards Leeper Reef.
Fishing environs near Sarina are detailed in the dedicated page Fishing Sarina so please navigate from this link.
Freshwater Point is accessed from Armstrong Beach Road, along Miran Khan Drive to the end of the bitumen then via dirt tracks. In dry weather there is safe access for 2WD to the point where some lovely small beaches are to be found. Camping is tolerated here however there are no facilities. The fishing is good for beach species, headland species and the milk oysters are good.
An excellent creek to fish in with a fair camp spot at the landing and others to the south although there are no facilities. Just follow the link for more information about Rocky Dam Creek
Carmila Beach is only a few kilometres from the little township of Carmila, situated on the Bruce Highway. Take the turn to the east and follow the road to the beach. There are a few beach houses, to the left is a good boat ramp with a light over it and to the right there are ample beachfront campsites that can be accessed by 2WD with care. There are public toilets but no other facilities. Carmila boasts a pub and an all night service station (cheapest fuel around & great pies) and a camping & caravan park next door.
Carmila Creek is only a short creek however it fishes well for barra, mangrove jack, salmon and crabs. At the south end of Carmila beach there is a little creek called Butchers Creek and the crabbing can be good in here. Boat launch is off a small beach with a 4WD, manhandled or brought round from Carmila Creek however over high water a creek further to the south of Butchers is accessible and it also crabs well. Fishing round the creek mouths and from the beach is good for whiting & flathead and there are blue salmon in the winter.
A couple of miles off Carmila is Aquilla Island which is a really good ground for blue salmon over the mud flats and fingermark round the rocks.
Clairview beach is situated alongside the Bruce Highway to the south and is a quiet little area where the fishing can be great. The beach suffers from exposure to SE winds and lack of water from about 3 hours down to about 3 hours up the tide. The ramp is concrete however it does go dry & really dry!! There is a camping & caravan park at the south end with a small shop and a license (grog). About half way along the beach is a public toilet block and some picnic facilities. At the north end of the beach there is a track through to the beach and overnight camping is tolerated.
Crab the flats in front, fish along the close beaches and creeks to the north and south or run by boat south to Clairview Creek when the weather is good (about 15 minutes).
There is a gate at the south end of Clairview Beach with a "no trespass" sign on it – if the weather is fine and the track dry, proceed through this gate and take the turn to the left where there are some excellent campsites on the beachfront within the first couple of kilometres that are accessible to 2WD with caution.
Some of the best fishing and crabbing is to be found at the more remote locations in the local area and to properly access these spots usually requires a 4WD and a camp setup. Towing a tinnie into a remote location is always an option however fishing from the bank or beach can be just as successful.
Freshwater Point is accessed just south of Sarina via Armstrong Beach Road, along Miran Khan Drive to the end of the bitumen then via dirt tracks. In dry weather there is safe access for 4WD to the point where some lovely small beaches are to be found. Camping is tolerated here however there are no facilities. The fishing is good for beach species, headland species and the milk oysters are good. Launch small boats off the beach.
As can be seen from the map the Cape Palmerston (Palmeston)
National Park is a maze of waterways, which are mangrove lined and lead into
extensive salt pans which is an ideal environment for a fish habitat area and a
dugong protection zone.
From the Bruce Highway, turn east into the Green Hills Road at the Ilbilbie Roadhouse and than turn left again at the Cape Palmerston turn off, 7 kilometres from the highway. The road to the boundary of the Cape Palmerston National Park is a development road and is of reasonable quality although part sealed and part dirt (Pity to dust up the 4WD!). At the boundary of the park there are two options: If the inland route is open (shown in red) then proceed straight ahead or turn right and follow the track to the beach . There is a little camp spot at the beach, and a couple more south of the exit, which are outside the boundary of the park although fishing is limited to beach unless a tinnie is used to go to Temple Islands, just offshore. At low tide the beach is much quicker but 4WD will be needed rounding Coconut Point (also know as Shifty Point). There are 4 recognised camp spots marked with a "C": On the beach front north of Shifty, where a track will be found that leads to North Creek (incorrectly shown as Camp Ck on the map), at a headland where the track divides (called Windmill or Green Beach), up the top at Cape Palmerston ( Cape Creek) or west to the real Camp Creek. There are two camp spots on sandy beaches on Hogans Camp Island however both are boat access only. Apart from crocodiles and marine stingers the main pests in this area are sandflies and professional crabbers!
Camp Creek camp is probably the best for access to the creeks although the whole area goes dry at low water and the mud, rubble & sand flats extend for several miles. The only facility at this camp is a "long drop". Launching a boat is safe on the little beach towards high water however boat management is essential and a stern anchor is recommended. There is a giant groper that visits for fish scraps and it is a most imposing fish. The fishing from the beach at the camp is excellent and a few crab pots can also be walked in to Camp Creek. A boat is not necessary to enjoy a stay here. Camping permits are required and these may be purchased using honour boxes at the campsites within the park.
For the barra enthusiast the spots marked 'R' for rocks! and 'B' for snaggy bank are very good although once up in any of the creeks proper any snag or steep bank is worth a try. Inch Bay fishes for estuary species and in the winter is usually loaded with blue salmon.
The area has yabby beds, prawn & live small fish such as mullet & herring can be cast netted and the fishing and crabbing is great.
Notch Point, Yarrawonga Point (same area) is one of the best
camping and fishing spots on the central coast however there are no facilities
at all. In a bygone era the area was home to about 80 squatter huts, which were
bulldozed a few years ago. The area has good grassy camp spots and for those
planning an extended stay, showers, fuel, take away food, bait and ice are
available back at the Ilbilbie roadhouse. There is a prawn farm back down the
road and during the warmer months a treat of green or cooked "soft and broken"
is worthwhile.
Access is from the Bruce Highway, just turn east at Ilbilbie onto the Green Hills Road then take the first sealed turn to the right. This road is sealed for part then dirt so pass through the prawn farm and take the next turn to the right where there is a gate with signage that is a bit daunting however there is public access through it but make sure the gate is properly shut then follow the track to Notch Point and camp here or follow the track over the hill to the front beach.
Boat launching is into Marion Creek from the sand flat (stay close to the rocks) and requires some care and a 4WD. Marion Creek fishes well for creek species and crabs but dries to a few pools over low tide. The creek opposite Notch Point is called 4 Mile Creek and is a combination of Gillinbin Ck, Basin Creek and Kelleys gully. There is excellent fishing and crabbing in the lower reaches of this creek although the entrance dries at low water. The extensive sand flats between Notch Point and the 4 Mile Creek are probably the best whiting and flathead grounds in Queensland. Live bait is plentiful with a bait or cast net however there are no yabbies with the closest good yabbies at Armstrong Beach or better still in Alligator Creek.
Marion Creek can be accessed from a clay ramp in the middle of the prawn farm precincts and although there is a "no camping" sign it is not enforced.
Take the signposted turn to the east from the Bruce Highway, south of Illilbie and proceed to the end of the road where there is an extensive saltpan. Small boats can be launched into a small creek just to the southwest which flows into West Hill Creek. Camping is possible here in the mangroves although sandflies and mosquitoes are a huge problem and some prefer to leave the boat in the creek and camp out on the grass at the edge of the saltpan. Another option is to pack the camp gear in the boat and motor downstream to the first high bank on the south side of West Hill Creek where a fair campsite will be found. Another high bank further downstream also has a fair campsite and a beach on the south side of the creek mouth is another option.
The saltpan is passable providing it is dry although the floating sensation is not reassuring, so be in 4WD in case the vehicle breaks through the crust. On the other side there is a beach of sorts with some squatter huts, some of which are abandoned and with a quick broom out, make passable campsites.
The fishing in West Hill Creek is excellent for barra, mangrove jack, fingermark, king salmon, blue salmon and mud crab. The beach north of the huts is perfect whiting country although yabby for bait must be brought in. Frozen beach worm available from bait outlets is another bait option that works well.
Inlet Creek is north of West Hill squatter settlement and requires a 4WD to access the small Island at the mouth over low tide. Take care as there is a soft patch of sand with mud underneath. The island is a great place to camp with sandflies and mossies not so much of a problem until the breeze dies down. Inlet Creek crabs well for muddies and the flats out the front are great for whiting. Yabbies are available and a short walk at low water should locate them - look for stingray workings. Catch barra off the beach as the tide floods. No firewood.
On the north side of Inlet Creek is Blind Creek which can be accessed on foot or by 4 wheeler, although there is salt water to pass through. Yabbies are found in the mouth of Blind Creek and the whiting fishing is very good. The beach to the north is 4 Mile Beach and is a Green Zone (no fishing allowed) however the boundary is not marked!. At high tide the whiting are at your feet! Also blue salmon.
Carmila Beach is only a few kilometres from the little township of Carmila, situated on the Bruce Highway. Take the turn to the east and follow the road to the beach. There are a few beach houses, to the left is a good boat ramp with a light over it and to the right there are ample beachfront campsites. There are public toilets near the ramp but no other facilities. Carmila boasts a pub and an all night service station & caravan park.
Carmila Creek is only a short creek however it fishes well for barra, mangrove jack, blue salmon and crabs. At the southern end of Carmila beach there is a little creek called Butchers Creek and the crabbing can be good in here. Boat launch is off a small beach with a 4WD and over high water a creek further to the south is accessible and it also crabs well. Fishing round the creek mouths and from the beach is good for whiting & flathead and there are blue salmon in the winter.
A couple of miles off Carmila is Aquilla Island which is a really good ground for blue salmon over the mud flats and fingermark round the rocks.
This creek system is not for the faint hearted as there are
strong currents, crocodiles, mosquitoes and many species of biting midges (sandflies)
and there are no facilities, but it is a wonderful place to "get away" from the
mob.
Access is from the Bruce Highway, just turn into the south access to Clairview Beach where there is a gate immediately on the right with a "no trespass" sign on it. Proceed through the gate and make sure it is properly shut, as there are cattle in here. The track straight ahead will take you to the mouth of Clairview Creek although after a wet it is extremely rough and boggy. The alternative is to go left and follow the track remembering that no further left turns are to be made. This track in is 11 Kilometres and when towing a tinnie usually takes an hour as it is extremely rough, slow and can be boggy. Only a brave person would attempt to tow a caravan, other than a camper, in here. About half way in, there is a large salt pan about 2 kilometres across and if it is dry then cross it, however if it is wet, follow the track round to the west side which then joins the straight ahead track from the gate.
Having arrived at the creek mouth one might camp (C) there or return a short way (past the Holden Kingswood) and take the first track to the front beach where a couple of good sites are available. There are some quite good sites at the many little beaches that are on the east side of the track in and fishing in front can be good, especially for whiting and blue salmon.
The creek system comprises many creeks, the main ones being Cattle Creek to the west and Clairview Creek to the south however all the creeks in part go dry at low water and there are extensive rock outcrops and gravel beds to hit with the propeller but the fishing and crabbing is excellent. Early flood tide current can be extreme and strong enough to capsize a boat in fact, if moored beam on. Boat management is a must with the trailer being the best option so launch and retrieve (L) over high water from a little beach in the mouth of Cattle Creek where the track ends and it is possible to launch and retrieve at dead low from a rock shelf in front of the next little beach to the east but use caution and "Yes" the water on the rocks is salt!!
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Fishing for the fun of it | Sarina | Fishing the Seasons | For Whiting | Camping Spots
