Evans Head fishing spots

A fishing town at the mouth of the Evans River, between Broadwater and Bundjalung national parks. The river gives bream, flathead, whiting and summer jacks; the walls, rocks and beaches give tailor, mulloway, luderick and drummer; and the inshore reefs hold snapper in the cooler months and cobia, tuna and Spanish mackerel when the warm current arrives.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

6 spots here: 4 fished from land and 2 reached only by boat, plus 1 public boat ramp. Seasons follow our NSW North Coast species list for New South Wales. Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.

Under each spot, "Forecast for this spot" opens the app's forecast worked out for that spot: Go, Marginal or No-go for each day of the week ahead, with the best times, wind, waves and tide. Open the forecast.

Spots at a glance

6 spots: Evans Head
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Broadwater Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
2. Airforce Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
3. Evans River	River	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
4. Chinamans Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
5. North Evans Reef	Rocks	Boat	Offshore	–
6. South Evans Reef	Rocks	Boat	Offshore	–

1. Broadwater Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Walk in from the Broadwater Beach picnic area in Broadwater National Park; no vehicle access to the beach.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand whiting and mulloway. Also in season: tailor and yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Rising tide into high; dawn and dusk.
Best wind: Light westerlies. Faces ESE.
Note: Remote beach between Ballina and Evans Head: walk the gutters for tailor in the cooler months and whiting and bream in summer; mulloway after dark.
Safety: Remote and unpatrolled; carry water and tell someone your plans.
Zone: Not in a marine park Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -29.03170, 153.46770 · Open in Google Maps (position: Broadwater Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Airforce Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. On foot from town, or registered 4WDs via Terrace Street onto a 4.6 km zone north of the access point.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand whiting, mulloway and dusky flathead. Also in season: tailor and yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Rising tide for whiting and bream; tailor and mulloway at dawn and dusk.
Best wind: Light westerlies. Faces E.
Note: Long beach north of the river mouth: gutters for whiting and bream on the rise, tailor and mulloway at the ends of the day. Give way to shorebird nesting areas.
Safety: Unpatrolled away from Main Beach; rips. Share the beach with vehicles and horses.
Zone: Not in a marine park Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -29.09840, 153.43440 · Open in Google Maps (position: Airforce Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Evans River

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Riverside reserves through town; South Evans Head ramp.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead and sand whiting. Also in season: yellowfin bream, mangrove jack, mud crab and luderick.
Best tide: Whiting on the run-in; flathead on the last of the run-out; jacks around the changes.
Best wind: Sheltered.
Note: Clear estuary with sand flats, rock walls and mangrove edges: bream, flathead and whiting most of the year, jacks in summer around snags and walls, luderick on the walls in winter.
Safety: The Evans River entrance is a designated coastal bar.
Zone: Not in a marine park Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -29.13170, 153.40110 · Open in Google Maps (position: Evans River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Chinamans Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Walking track down from the Chinamans Beach car park (Dirawong Reserve).
What's good here: Peak in October: sand whiting and mulloway. Also in season: yellowfin bream, tailor, rock blackfish and luderick.
Best tide: Drummer and luderick on the rocks as the tide rises; whiting late in the run-in.
Best wind: Light westerlies with a small swell. Faces E.
Note: Small beach south of Goanna Headland with rock platforms: drummer and bream off the rocks, whiting and tailor in the gutters. Beaches south of Snapper Rock are closed to the public (RAAF range).
Safety: Richmond Valley declared rock-fishing area: lifejacket law applies at mapped locations. Exposed; rips.
Zone: Not in a marine park Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -29.13170, 153.45110 · Open in Google Maps (position: Chinamens Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. North Evans Reef

Type: Rocks · offshore (boat)
Access: Boat. Boat from the South Evans Head ramp across the bar.
What's good here: Peak in October: snapper. Also in season: mackerel tuna and yellowtail kingfish. Out of season now: Spanish mackerel and cobia.
Best tide: Around the tide changes for snapper.
Best wind: Light winds and a small swell.
Note: Inshore reef about 2.5 km off the coast south-east of Evans Head: snapper in the cooler months; mackerel, cobia and tuna when the warm current pushes in from late summer.
Safety: Evans River bar crossing. Log on with Marine Rescue NSW. The Evans Head Air Weapons Range's overwater practice area to the south closes during operations: check RAAF notices.
Zone: Not in a marine park Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -29.16510, 153.46770 · Open in Google Maps (position: North Evans Reef, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. South Evans Reef

Type: Rocks · offshore (boat)
Access: Boat. Boat from the South Evans Head ramp across the bar.
What's good here: Peak in October: snapper and mulloway. Also in season: mackerel tuna. Out of season now: Spanish mackerel and cobia.
Best tide: Around the tide changes for snapper and mulloway.
Best wind: Light winds and a small swell.
Note: Reef off the coast south of Evans Head: snapper and mulloway in the cooler months, pelagics in late summer and autumn. Check RAAF range notices before heading south.
Safety: Offshore of the Evans Head Air Weapons Range: the offshore practice area can be closed during operations. Evans River bar crossing.
Zone: Not in a marine park Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -29.21510, 153.41770 · Open in Google Maps (position: South Evans Reef, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

1 public boat ramp is listed for Evans Head, with positions from Maritime NSW Boat Ramps. Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.

Boat ramps: Evans Head
Ramp	Notes	Position
Evans Head & South Evans Head ramp	Evans River. 5 lanes with pontoon; about 21-50 trailer parks; usable at all tides; toilets, fish-cleaning table; condition good (TfNSW). The main ramp for the river and for crossing the Evans River bar.	-29.12288, 153.43249 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Evans Head in October: sand whiting, mulloway, dusky flathead, snapper and 2 more. Of the 29 species our NSW North Coast list has for this part of the coast, 6 peak in October 2026 and 18 more are in season.

Peak in October: sand whiting, mulloway, dusky flathead, snapper, sand and tiger flathead and Australian bass.

Also in season: yellowfin bream, tailor, luderick, mackerel tuna, yellowtail kingfish, rock blackfish, mud crab, mangrove jack, tarwhine, silver trevally, leatherjacket, eastern sea garfish, blue swimmer crab, southern calamari, Australian bonito, marlin, yellowfin tuna and school and eastern king prawns.

Out of season in October: Spanish mackerel (best Feb–May); cobia (best Feb–May); mahi mahi (best Dec–Apr).

Seen now and then, so not rated: Australian salmon and estuary perch.

Seasons are closure-aware: a species is never listed as in season, for the area or at a spot, while it is closed there; a closure for part of the area says where. Species links go to our South East Queensland species guides, with Queensland's limits: New South Wales' own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

NSW Recreational Fishing Fee needed to fish NSW saltwater (incl. spearfishing, hand gathering, bait collecting, prawning): $7 3 days, $14 1 month, $35 1 year, $85 3 years (Oct 2026). Exempt: under 18, Aboriginal people, Pensioner Concession Card and DVA TPI/EDA Gold Card holders (other cases, e.g. some DVA payments or a charter or guide with an exemption certificate, are on the exemptions page). Interstate licences are not an exemption. Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: New South Wales' limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at Evans Head

Rock Fishing Safety Act: lifejackets are law at Richmond Valley's declared high-risk rock fishing locations ($100 fine).
Airforce Beach: registered 4WDs only, via Terrace Street, within the 4.6 km zone north of the access; 20 km/h; no other vehicle access points.

Marine parks and no-take zones

Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Evans Head

The Evans River entrance is a designated coastal bar.
Richmond Valley has declared high-risk rock fishing locations at Evans Head where a lifejacket is compulsory (see the official map).
The Evans Head Air Weapons Range land is closed to the public at all times and its offshore practice area closes during RAAF operations; beaches south of Snapper Rock are closed.

New South Wales: official links

Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: NSW coastal and local waters forecast map and current warnings.

Boating: New South Wales boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Boats <=4.8m: always on open waters and bars (L100+); enclosed waters when alone or at night. >4.8m: all wear L100+ crossing bars. Under-12s: always on <=4.8m; open areas <=8m underway.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Marine Rescue NSW. Log On when you head out and Log Off when you return. Call your Marine Rescue NSW base on VHF Channel 16 or use the free Marine Rescue NSW app. If you don't Log Off, volunteers start searching.

Marine parks and closed areas: NSW marine parks (Cape Byron, Solitary Islands, Port Stephens-Great Lakes, Jervis Bay, Batemans, Lord Howe Island), NSW aquatic reserves, Intertidal protected areas (Sydney) and Australian Marine Parks (Temperate East network, Lord Howe).

Rock fishing lifejacket law: Lifejacket required by law when rock fishing in declared areas (Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016): Ballina, Central Coast, Kiama, Lake Macquarie, Northern Beaches, Port Stephens, Randwick, Richmond Valley, Sutherland, Wollongong. $100 fine. More.

New South Wales' official rules: size and bag limits and closed seasons and areas (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Emergency: 000 (112 from mobiles) · VHF channel 16 for distress.

Nearby fishing areas

Ballina and the Richmond River (about 31 km north)
Yamba, Iluka and the Clarence River (about 33 km south)
Brunswick Heads and Byron Bay (about 67 km north)
Wooli and Minnie Water (about 75 km south)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in New South Wales · all fishing spot guides.

Sources and checked dates

Spot and ramp positions: Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and the state and territory naming authorities), CC BY 4.0, ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) (Australian Bureau of Statistics), CC BY 4.0 and Maritime NSW Boat Ramps (Transport for NSW), CC BY 4.0; gazetteer and ABS positions through our place index. Guide only, not for navigation.
Spot research checked 9 Oct 2026 and fact-checked 9 Oct 2026; species seasons and rules checked 9 Oct 2026; safety links checked 9 Oct 2026. Text in our own words.
Research sources: nsw.gov.au (NSW rock fishing lifejacket law: declared areas include Richmond Valley); nsw.gov.au (Richmond Valley high-risk rock fishing declared areas map); richmondvalley.nsw.gov.au (Airforce Beach 4WD zone, Terrace Street access, speed limit, shorebird nesting areas, closed accesses); nsw.gov.au (Chinamans Beach access, rock pools, beaches south of Snapper Rock closed near the bombing range); airforce.gov.au (Evans Head Air Weapons Range: land always restricted; offshore area closed during operations); reflectionsholidays.com.au (Evans River species (bream, flathead, whiting) and rock-wall species (tailor, mulloway, luderick); offshore cobia, snapper, tuna); nsw.gov.au (Designated NSW coastal bars on the north coast (Transport for NSW)); placenames.gov.au (Spot coordinates: the site place index (public/data/places), built from the Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and state naming authorities) and ABS ASGS 2021, CC BY 4.0); opendata.transport.nsw.gov.au (Boat ramp coordinates, lanes, parking, tide access and facilities: Maritime NSW Boat Ramps dataset (Transport for NSW, Creative Commons Attribution), metadata updated 3 Oct 2026); spatial.industry.nsw.gov.au (Zone check of every spot and ramp: NSW Marine Protected Areas zone polygons (DPIRD spatial service), distances computed 9 Oct 2026).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.