A guide to fishing on K’gari (Fraser Island), Qld

K’gari (Fraser Island) is one of Australia’s most beautiful island destinations, and its fishing opportunities make it even more enticing.

As the world’s largest sand island and located only a short distance from Brisbane, K’gari (Fraser Island) has a lot to offer. From fantastic 4WD beach and inland tracks and remote beach camping through to stunning snorkelling and diving locations, there’s something to keep adventurers of all ages and interests busy.

K’gari is also located in the Great Sandy region, one of the most popular and bountiful recreational fishing areas on Australia’s east coast. And due to its location, keen anglers can enjoy a wide range of species due to the overlap of tropical and temperate marine zones.

Many of the target species can be caught year-round, while others such as tailor and whiting are more abundant during winter and spring.

Please note, fishing and bait collecting is banned in all freshwater lakes and streams on K’gari.

So, let’s dive into all the different kinds of fishing and fish you can experience while visiting this beautiful sandy island.

75 Mile Beach

This beach is visually stunning and a great place for a bit of sand four-wheel driving and is also a fantastic fishing location. Anglers should head to the gutters between the beach and the sand banks, as this is where the breaking surf stirs up food and attracts whiting, bream and swallowtail.

The best time of day to cast a line is during low tide at dawn or dusk. Keep an eye out for birds, such as crested terns, which will help point you towards the schooling areas. Or join any other anglers already on the beach.

Anglers can find a wide range of species all year here, including jewfish, golden trevally, surf bream, flathead and dart. Mackerel and tuna can be found near the surface beyond the surf zone in summer months.

One of the busiest fishing seasons is from July to October when tailor is plentiful, so expect to see plenty of other anglers on the beach all day during this time, all trying to fill their bag limit: 30 in total during a stay on the island of 72 hours or more, with a minimum size of 30cm.

Some bait recommendations include pilchards, bloodworms, prawns, pipi and sandworms.

Rock ledge fishing

Indian Head, Middle Rocks and Waddy Point are all popular spots for those wanting to try their hand rock ledge fishing. The main species targeted in these spots are squire, sweetlip, trevally, Moses perch, cod and snapper.

All anglers should fish with care, be aware of the tides and behave sensibly while on the rocks, as there have been serious injuries when waves or swell have washed visitors into the water.

Out on the water

Alternatively, if you have brought or hired a boat, these can be launched in the crystal-clear water behind Indian Head and Waddy Point to access the deeper channels beyond the rocks. As you head further out onto the continental shelf, anglers can find northern coral and southern reef species, such as red emperor, coral trout, snapper and sweetlip. Wahoo, tuna, queenfish, dolphin fish, giant trevally and marlin are found in the outer reefs and require sport and game fishing charter boats from Hervey Bay.

Always be aware of weather conditions before heading out on the water.

Fishing on the sand flats

As you tour around the island, don’t miss the beach and sand flat fishing spots on the western side of the island. Wathumba and Coongul Creeks and Moon Point are popular spots.

Common species to find here include mullet, whiting, garfish, bream and flathead. The shallow sandy flats are a great spot to find big golden trevally and bone fish, both of which can be caught by either wading off the beach or casting from a boat with the aid of expert local guide.

These areas are considered as some of the top saltwater fly fishing areas in Australia, so be sure to check it out.

Woody Island (Tooliewah)

Heading a bit further afield, Woody Island (Tooliewah) is part of the Great Sandy Strait between K’gari (Fraser Island) and Hervey Bay and can be reached using a private charter or aboard your own boat.

This small island is an angler’s paradise, and the rocky reefs and ledges and the nearby artificial reefs are home to large groper, coral trout, tusk fish, parrot fish and cod.

Further south in the Great Sandy Strait, anglers can enjoy crabbing and fishing for mangrove jack, threadfin salmon and barramundi.

Fish within the lines

It’s important to have a clear understanding of the marine park zoning before heading off on a fishing adventure in and around K’gari.

A detailed Great Sandy Marine Park Visitor Guide is available here. This guide provides clear explanations of the various zones, with zoning maps and a table clearly explaining the activities which are or are not allowed in each zone. The guide also includes tips for environmentally friendly fishing, and advice on where to go for permits and fees.

Other zoning maps are also available here and from boat and tackle shops.

To sum it up, recreational line fishing is permitted everywhere in the park, barring the buffer zones (which are marked olive on the maps) and the marine national park zones (green).

There are no restrictions on boating, diving and underwater photography.

Obey the rules and regulations

Anglers don’t need a licence for recreational fishing in the Great Sandy region. However, there are bag and size limits and closed seasons for many fish species. Those caught breaking these rules, even unintentionally, face heavy fines.

So, always obey the rules and remember to fish sensibly and sustainably, and only take what you need and help protect this valuable resource.

To keep up to date with the latest rules and regulations, head to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries website or call the team on 13 25 23.

For current information on boating rules and regulation, head to the Maritime Safety Queensland website or call 13 74 68.

Another handy resource is the Queensland Recreational Boating and Fishing Guide. This guide was created jointly by Maritime Safety Queensland and Fisheries Queensland, and includes information related to both of these activities.

While fishing licences are not required, all boats with a motor or auxiliary exceeding 3kW (4HP) must be registered when on the water, and a valid licence is required to operate a recreational boat with a motor exceeding 4.5kW (6HP). A valid licence extends to current interstate boating licences.

Any visitors to the island, whether it is for a day trip or longer will need to organise a vehicle access permit, while those planning on utilising the many camping sites on the island will need a camping permit. Both must be organised prior to arrival.

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