The best Qld island boat accessed camping destinations

[NAGG]

Hey All - With regard to camping on Hinchinbrook Island (Macushla) Does anyone know which campsite would be best for anchoring my boat (North or South Macushla) ? - Which offers the best protection (typical April weather) .

It makes it tough when you have to book a site for either camp ground

Chris

[Dicko]

The south is the pick. It's more in the bay than the front side. The bank is steeper as well so the deeper water is in closer at low tide.

[NAGG]

The south is the pick. It's more in the bay than the front side. The bank is steeper as well so the deeper water is in closer at low tide.

Thanks Dicko - That is what I thought ...... it's on the southern side from the rocky outcrop.

mucushla south it is

Chris

[upstart]

Yep Nagg. South side of the rocks is the go. The north side is very shallow.

[TREVELLY]

Okay here is my family holiday at Humpy Island just 18km off Rosslyn Harbour near Yeppoon about 5km South of Great Keppel Island.

Approaching the Island
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Unpacking the gear was an easy affair
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We left home just North of Brisbane Sunday 1am and was at camp set up on Humpy Island 1pm
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We picked a spot that was not under the trees on the grass but out in the open - we got to enjoy uninterrupted sunsets and the view was just well . . .
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There was a gathering there the week before Easter leaving on Monday - of about 40-45 people - they come annually and the gathering gets bigger each year - once they left the place seemed abandoned - this crowd were camped under the bushes on the grass - this seemed a preferred location with shade and wind protection on the Western side of the island
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Behind the Western camping ground the island has open country up to an escarpment and cliffs to the exposed South East
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On the Northern side facing Great Keppel Island is a lovely beach but it does have some coral washed up on it and at one stage my boat washed up on it too - but that's another story
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In this pic you can see the schools of baitfish behind the boat and lower in picture - the trevs gave them a hard time
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[TREVELLY]

The place can get a bit windy at times - so care needs to be taken with anchorage - but that's another story
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I did get out for one day of fishing before the blow and headed up to fern country about 45km NE of Humpy and on the way back trolled The Child which is a smaller island alongside Bald Rock 18km East of Humpy - but that is another story
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A few days it was very windy so we went to Great Keppel Island - although the resort is closed there is still a nice bar and grill and shops selling icecream and we were at a beach well protected from the 30 knot plus SE wind
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Our family had a wonderful and memorable 6 days on Humpy.

The island has good NPWS toilets and a couple of outdoor cold but freshwater showers - you can see in one pic the tank the rangers fill from a spring to service to flush loos and showers.

You are right Steve - it is a great place - glad you mentioned it and JTPython thanks for your help too.

[NAGG]

Well Ausfishers ..... Just got back from our north qld adventure which in cluded our safari to Macushla ( Missionary bay Hinchinbrook Island - Cardwell)
The run from the marina includes the dash across the channel around Hecate Pt then across missionary bay (18nm). I'll try to keep my wind blown bias out of the description as we had shocking conditions for the entire week.
Firstly on arrival ..... you will see the reconstructed shelter (South Mucushla) with the rocks in front ...... with the tide in it is ok to unload or load your gear here but on a falling tide there are rocks just below the surface about 25M to the South .home hinchinbrook.jpg If conditions are ok then you can set up a pulley system and anchor the boat in deeper water ( but you'll need 100m of rope as part of the loop a good sand anchor and 5-7M of chain ) .... the tide ran pretty hard here
Alternatively if conditions deteriorate 100M south there is a little creek / drain that makes for a good place to beach the boat or anchor (approach from the north west) ... In atrocious conditions after loosing our anchor we made our own mooring here which held the boat for a week ... as seen in the photo walking on water.jpgFinal anchoring position in rough weather.jpg.

Once unloaded you can set up a tent next to the shelter under trees or about 30M away to the north just past the picnic table (a more exposed location).
The shelter is a cracker but still exposed when the wind is howling . There is a good gas bbq there with 2 burners & hotplate (free) which we used though I would never rely on it only. A 4000lt water tank but the water needs to be treated ( we carried in our own water but used the tank water for washing).
In the right conditions Mucushla gives you great access to not only the missionary bay creeks but cape richards , Garden Is and Gould Island and also the reef (18nm) ......... sadly we never got to experience anything but the creeks where we found enough barra and jacks to keep us entertained - Crabbing was pretty good with 2-4 bucks taken between the 2 pots each night.
I'll certainly be back to give it another crack ...... hopefully in better conditions

Cheers

Chris

[Chas & Clarry]

Bugga....

Any fish or was it too blowy to fish?

Sorry you had such cr...py weather

Tim

[NAGG]

Bugga....

Any fish or was it too blowy to fish?

Sorry you had such cr...py weather

Tim

we caught enough barra & jacks to keep us casting ........ every day we landed a few & dropped some ( lure casting) - while not on fire it was OK

Chris

[scoota_74]

Hey Nagg, Sorry to hear about the weather. We found a good window the following week but only spent the first day fishing missionary before heading down to cattle creek to set up camp. Awsome spot with plenty of small fish with the odd legal willing to take the lures. Also met some of the resident mud gecko's further up the main creek! If you ever get the chance to fish this creek it is well worth a look!

[mangomick]

Yellow Patch.North eastern end of Curtis Island near Gladstone. It's national Park and no facilities. ,Good Estuary fishing, there's an old barge wreck about a Km off shore . if it cuts up rough you can get back to Gladstone by coming back down the inside of Curtis as long as its 1/2 tide rising or better. Usually plenty of Crabs about and only a short run over to Humpy and Great Keppel islands,

[murf]

Yellow Patch.North eastern end of Curtis Island near Gladstone. It's national Park and no facilities. ,Good Estuary fishing, there's an old barge wreck about a Km off shore . if it cuts up rough you can get back to Gladstone by coming back down the inside of Curtis as long as its 1/2 tide rising or better. Usually plenty of Crabs about and only a short run over to Humpy and Great Keppel islands,

looks like a great spot to hole up for a while

cheers Murf

[NAGG]

Wuthumba Creek up the inside of Fraser Island is a favourite of mine. Fishing the creek, out the front for all sorts of palegics, bottom bashing for reefies or even chasing a little black marlin. You can do the lot. Or kick back with a beer and nibblies and watch the sunsets accross Platypus Bay. Can't wait to get back.

I had a little peek at Wuthumba on Saturday _ it's a bit of a run up there (distance wise) ....... As the tide was out we couldn't get access into the place - Also the creek was very tannin stained which didn't add to the appeal
None the less we will probably organise a trip up there in October with a local -

Chris

Chris

[murf]

I had a little peek at Wuthumba on Saturday _ it's a bit of a run up there (distance wise) ....... As the tide was out we couldn't get access into the place - Also the creek was very tannin stained which didn't add to the appeal
None the less we will probably organise a trip up there in October with a local -

Chris

Chris

was there a couple of weeks back. you have to go up North a bit then run along the beach to get into it. Not recommended on the tannin run out tide first off though. do a track when the water is clear. Take plenty of midge repellent

we watched the netters go through the place even taking a well oversize flathead and giving to a bloke on the beach

a few mud crabs about too

cheers Murf

[Jarrah Jack]

was there a couple of weeks back. you have to go up North a bit then run along the beach to get into it. Not recommended on the tannin run out tide first off though. do a track when the water is clear. Take plenty of midge repellent

we watched the netters go through the place even taking a well oversize flathead and giving to a bloke on the beach

a few mud crabs about too

cheers Murf

Where's your reports Murf, how did the boat go?