Planning trip Mackay - Cairns

[wolverine]

Hi All,
My partner and I are planning a fishing road trip in early October from Mackay to Cairns. We will have approx 6 days on the way back to fish. Looking to get suggestions at fishing spots as the boat will be coming. Keen to get your suggestions for places to try out. Boat is 4.75m, we get offshore often around Mackay, probably further than we should in a boat of that size.....
If there are sights to see that are off the normal track that would be great too as we have a 4wd.
looking for suggestions on places to stay- camping grounds etc.
Thanks in advance,
Carmen & Grant

[Inlike]

Lucinda is worth a look. Nice caravan park and plenty of pylons to work on the long jetty....Cheers

[Alchemy]

Yep, go to Lucinda. In addition to the jetty you have the Hinchinbrook channel, reef only 35km out or awesome camping on Orpheus Island, plus fishing around the Palm Island group.

[wolverine]

Thanks will definitely give the channel a go! Will look further into the two islands. 😊

[wolverine]

Thank you - will check Lucinda out 😊

[FisHard]

Make sure you stop at Cardwell for fish and chips and salad.

[freefish]

Hi, Your trip is better suited to 6 weeks than 6 days. I prospected a similar trip a few years back. Never got to look further north than Cardwell.


If fishing the northern islands off Hinchinbrooke used the ramp at Cardwell. For the channel use the dirt ramp in Fishers Ck (tide dependent no camping), the channel is best accessed from the gravel ramp in Halifax; brings you out mid channel. The southern end use the ramp at Dungeness.

Near Ingham there is Taylors Beach. At Townsville there are the fishing platforms along the Strand. Various spots in the city reaches in Ross River & Ross Ck. Take the ferry to Magnetic Island. Beach fish at Pallarenda or troll Cleveland Bay. South of T'ville there are various creeks that fish well. Morrisseys, Haughton, Barattas. At Ayr there is Alva Beach & access to the mouth of the Burdekin at Groper Ck. Next ramp you turn off at Guthalungra, then the "Funny Dunny". Then on to Bowen with all its beach fishing & access to the reef & islands. Next is Prosperpine & the Whitsundays with all the islands to explore.

As I said a six week trip. Bill