Mapoon camping & fishhing Info

[Gary M]

Hi,

I am going up to Cullen Point in May and would appreciate any information as far as the fishing and camping areas and the amount of people that may be visiting the area.

[Gary M]

Hi,

I am planning a trip to Mapoon and Cullen Point in May this year and would appreciate any information about camping sites and how many people could be around the camping areas at this time.

[Lucky_Phill]

Not too sure, But I think ausfish member Daintreeboy goes over there a lot.

Search here for mapoon or pm Daintreeboy.


cheers LP,.
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[Lucky_Phill]

I'll save you the trouble... here is the link.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...ghlight=mapoon


LP.
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[Gary M]

Thanks LP for the help with the site but we are thinking of going somewhere up that way where alchol constrictions aren't such an issue. Any information on areas up there would be helpful.

Gary M

[Slider]

Gary, to relate a conversation I had with police at Pennefather Rvr who arrived with Customs and Fisheries officers last year to inspect all camps -

We were drinking at the time and had quite a quantity more for the month or so we were staying in the area. When quizzed about our alcohol by the police officer, I responded that I had been lead to believe by Weipa residents that as long as we behaved appropriately and kept consumption to respectable levels, then alcohol was ok. He responded that I had been given accurate information and we proceeded to have a good yarn about the fishing.

So we just had like 2 cans about 10 times a day and all was good.

Lindsay

[Gary M]

Thanks Slider for the reassurring info about the alcohol - Do you know if the same applies for Cullen Point as I read that Cullen Point is a good fishing and camping area or should we stick to Pennefarther ? Thanks Gary M

[Slider]

My preference would be to stay at Pennefather from a fishing and camping pov Gary, but I would expect alcohol situation to be the same.

Have you been to Pennefather before?

[Gary M]

No I haven't been to any areas up that way. I just thought if we went to Pennefarther we might have to cart our water with us and there are 7 of us doing the trip.

[Slider]

For years there were toilets and showers supplied by tanks on the roof and we received a nasty surprise last year to find these had been demolished, with just a tap in front of the Rangers hut - which was previously accommodation for indiginous camps. Water from the tap was ok and intended for drinking. However, there were palleted powder coated iron sheets and new water tanks in the camping region that looked like would be constructed into new toilets/showers. I know that these have been constructed since, but haven't spoken to anyone that has actually used the facilities and can let me know exactly what's there. Irrespective, there is definately water there and you won't have a worry in this regard, but I would think you would be taking refillable water containers anyway. You could prob check on toilets/showers situation at Pennefather by ringing Weipa Campground.

Is a terrific spot Gary and I can't speak highly enough about it. You will notice in the attached pics, the lagoon, which has been present since my first trip there in about '98, and which we hope will still be there after this monsoon - I'm likely to be there for 6 weeks or so in May/June with a group of friends that haven't been there either. The lagoon is a perfect location for the tinny with easy river access at the mouth and holds plenty of fish on its own - barra, diamonds, big cod, queenies, jack - is always fish splashing and they can keep you awake at night. There is always a resident croc or 4 and usual precautions apply, but I have never known or heard of crocs causing problems here.
Every incoming tide has water pouring into the river proper from sand banks on either side at the mouth, which, every day that I've been there (about 30) has triggered a feeding frenzy of queenfish, goldens, gts, dart, diamonds, mantas, whalers - can be full on. Landbased from the southern side isn't as hectic as the opposite bank from camp (requiring boat), but is excellent nevertheless. Just fish the 'tidal front' as it moves along the banks for big queenies (up to 30lb,) gts (incl huge) and goldens (some of which are beachable). We used mainly surf spinning rods and metal lures between 30 and 50g and poppers for wonderful results. Livies, flesh baits and plastics are all going to get nailed pretty quickly here as well.
A rock bank within the camping region that is easily accessible and comfortable and safe fishing that is several hundred metres long is a certain location to find all sorts of stuff - some of which is beachable. Big goldens, gts, queenies, jack, barra, groper, cod are all available there and you can park your vehicle behind you and listen to some music if you wanted.
Upstream has plentiful supplies of jack, big black bream, barra, threadies, fingermark, queenies, goldens, gts.
You can drive south along the beach for some distance with reef accessible from the beach a couple of kms south. This is good popper and slug country with queenies and gts common. Trolling from a tinny around these reefs generally finds small spanish, the usual queenies, goldens and gts. Plastics, livies and flesh delivers trout and other reefies.
The beaches to the north are glorious and isolated. Within sight of camp are several sand banks that come out of the water and are home to good goldens and barra around the drop offs.
Is really a case of experimenting in locations to find whats working and keeping your eyes open for fish movement or terns. One tern a km or so off the mouth one day lead us to a bait ball that was being rampaged by big gts and queenies that kept us entertained for many hours.
And one thing is for certain between May and August and that is that the wind blows from the south east every day which is offshore causing a flat ocean inshore.
Camping is very comfortable indeed with wonderful scenery and just a few mossies on dusk only. Some rather long spines in the grass are about the only annoyance but not enough to make me put shoes on.
Takes about an hour and a half from Weipa to get there. I would recommend when heading into Pennefather, that you take the sand track behind the dunes for the last 6 or so kms rather than the beach. Drop tyre poundage to less than 15lb as is soft most of the way and you shouldn't have any worries - even towing a trailer.
Email me if you like Gary if you would like more info - ldines@bigpond.net.au

Lindsay

[poppers81]

Gary,
Went up that way in august last year. Stayed at cullen point for almost 3 weeks with a couple of trips back to weipa (approx 40 mins) for fuel and a stock up etc. Every thing u could possibly want is at cullen point including a small shop, fuel and water. There is cold water shower and toilets at the boat ramp that where pretty much brand new when we where there.

As with the booze mapoon and cullen point are a slighty different set of rules to the pennefarther area. We did look into this quite bit.. When we where there you where allowe 2 cartons of beer( mid strength only) and 2.5L of wine per car only. Penney was nothing allowed hence the reason we didn't make it there. My cousin lives in cairns but had a family friend who lived in mapoon and he advised us not to go penney with any booze at all.. We spoke to a few locals up that way and everyone said they took booze there themselves and had never had a trouble but had heard of tourist be caught and fined whilst locals 200m down the beach continued merrily along. One of those things i guess, the rules are there an can be inforced if someone wishes to.

As already mentioned above the weipa camping ground is a good place for a recharge and a swim with out worring about being croc bait but also a wealth of info if you do need anything and where we got all our permits etc.

In my opinon cullen point has more options to fish than the penney (heaps of info around and i am sure the others have opinons on this) but that time of the year is all new to me.. FISH AND BOAT this month edition have 2 good articles about mapoon and i think creekvermin from this site ( my apologies if i am incorrect creekvermin) wrote and 2 edition spread about the area in bush and beach recently maybe nov/dec.

Either way your a lucky bugger and i may see ya there.. have 11-17 the of may penciled in as a fly in fly out week mission at this stage.. Mate have anyother question sing out. But I am by no means a expert on thew area and defs just a hacker when it comes to fishin up that way.. just super lucky have a couple of fantastic cousins willing to let the city slicker come up and jam some lures around.

regards poppers

[darylive]

Well fellows, I am heading up to Weipa later this year. So while you have my attention.

What are the restrictions on taking rods on the plane? Max length?

I had a brand new rod broken coming back from Darwin by those bloody brain dead baggage handlers so it's a bloody worry but they will be well packed.

I envisage taking two outfits, what do we recommend?

Daryl

[poppers81]

Darylive,
Not sure on the rod restriction in length etc. We drove up last last visit. One of the boys did meet us up by plane and defs bought a one piece baitcaster about 6 foot with him on the plane.. He did mention it was a little dinker of a plane though. Some others maybe able to shed some light. Something for me to look at as well. When it comes to rods i packed light last time and me and my mate ended up with 12 in the car.... Good luck with 2 outfits. Really depends on what you are targeting on what to take up.

[Moffy]

Re rods on the plane - Cairns - weipa.

I've flown up to Weipa a number of times with a heap of rods wrapped up in a 7 foot pvc rod tube (100mm) and haven't had a problem yet. (just have them wrapped up well in a sheet in the tube and have the ends packed so they can't slide back and forth and its all been good)

Cheers,

Moffy

[Troppo Mick]

Hello Slider,

Excellent feedback on Pennefather and looks the treat. I have been following other posts you have put up on the place and it got me excited just after our last trip months ago before the wet. We usually head to the east coast in winter but are looking to try Pennefather on the west this year to dodge the south easterly's as you pointed out. Can you answer a few more questions please,

We are heading up in May also and how packed does it get there with campers? i.e. how far apart are your neighbours likely to be as we will be going for a month so our camp obviously spreads out a bit for a family.

Is it safe enough to just leave your tinnie beached at night or do the yahoo's creep in there like so many other places now?

I am guessing there is no problems with having a gennie again depending on the distance to neighbours?

Is there any mangroves around supporting muddies (missus would be devasted without her mud crab fix and will be 5 months preggers so will be particulary pining for it i am guessing)

Cheers mate

Mick