Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury fishing spots

Broken Bay is where the Hawkesbury River, Pittwater and Brisbane Water meet the sea, ringed by Ku-ring-gai Chase and Bouddi national parks. The Hawkesbury is famous for mulloway and big bream, with hairtail in Cowan Creek in winter and bass and estuary perch upstream. Pittwater suits flathead, whiting, bream and squid, and the open bay brings kingfish, salmon, tailor and bonito in the warmer months.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

10 spots here: 5 fished from land and 5 reached only by boat or kayak, plus 6 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our NSW Mid Coast to Sydney 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

10 spots: Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Palm Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	Barrenjoey Head Aquatic Reserve; no-take zone nearby
2. Careel Bay flats	Flats	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
3. Pittwater (main basin)	Bay	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
4. Lion Island	Island	Boat	Ocean coast	–
5. Flint and Steel	Headland	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	–
6. Juno Point	River	Boat	Bay, estuary or river	–
7. Hawkesbury River bridges (Brooklyn)	River	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	–
8. Cowan Creek (Cottage Point)	Estuary	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
9. Patonga Beach	Beach	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
10. Hawkesbury River (Spencer to Wisemans Ferry)	River	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–

1. Palm Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Paid beachfront parking; walk on anywhere along the beach.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand whiting, Australian salmon and mulloway. Also in season: yellowfin bream and tailor.
Best tide: Low tide to read the gutters, then the run-in to dark.
Best wind: Westerly winds; nor'easters and big south swell. Faces E.
Note: Long surf beach running north to Barrenjoey: gutters for bream and whiting, salmon and tailor in the cooler months, mulloway after dark.
Safety: Rocks at the south end are in the Northern Beaches declared rock-fishing area: lifejacket compulsory. Busy patrolled beach: fish away from swimmers and surfers.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. The aquatic reserve starts at the north end of the beach and runs around Barrenjoey Head: line fishing is allowed there, but no taking cunjevoi or invertebrates other than abalone and rock lobster. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.59840, 151.32610 · Open in Google Maps (position: Palm Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Careel Bay flats

Type: Flats · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Foreshore reserves and wharf at Careel Bay.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand whiting and dusky flathead. Also in season: yellowfin bream, southern calamari and luderick.
Best tide: Rising tide over the flats; fish the channel edges at low.
Best wind: Sheltered from easterlies; strong westerlies blow across Pittwater into the bay.
Note: Shallow seagrass and sand flats on the eastern side of Pittwater: surface lures and worms for whiting, plastics along the edges for flathead, squid jigs over the weed.
Safety: Very shallow at low tide: watch your draft. Avoid damaging seagrass when anchoring or wading.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Pittwater east of the Barrenjoey - Observation Point - Stokes Point line is closed to nets (other than landing nets). Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.61510, 151.31780 · Open in Google Maps (position: Careel Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Pittwater (main basin)

Type: Bay · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Ramps at Bayview and Palm Beach (Sand Point); many public wharves.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, snapper and sand whiting. Also in season: yellowfin bream, yellowtail kingfish, southern calamari and tailor.
Best tide: Run-in tide for clean water; kingfish often show on the higher stages.
Best wind: Sheltered from swell; strong southerlies and nor'easters blow along its length.
Note: Deep central channel with moorings, marinas and weed edges: drift for flathead, watch for kingfish on bait schools and around moorings, cast small lures at marinas and jetties for bream.
Safety: Heavy boat and ferry traffic on weekends.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.61510, 151.30950 · Open in Google Maps (position: Pittwater, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Lion Island

Type: Island · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Boat. Boat only, from Palm Beach, Patonga or Brooklyn ramps.
What's good here: Peak in October: snapper, Australian salmon and mulloway. Also in season: yellowtail kingfish, tailor, Australian bonito and southern calamari.
Best tide: Tide changes and the run-out, when bait is pushed out of the bay.
Best wind: Westerly winds; a big easterly swell and run-out tide make the bay mouth rough.
Note: Island in the mouth of Broken Bay: troll or cast around it for tailor, salmon and bonito, and drift the reef edges for snapper and kingfish.
Safety: The island is a nature reserve protecting seabird and penguin habitat: do not land. Swell and tidal current meet at the bay mouth.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Barrenjoey Head Aquatic Reserve (line fishing allowed, collecting restricted) is about 2.3 km south-east around Barrenjoey Head. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.55810, 151.31780 · Open in Google Maps (position: Lion Island, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Flint and Steel

Type: Headland · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. By boat, or a steep walking track in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park (vehicle entry fee).
What's good here: Peak in October: mulloway, snapper and dusky flathead. Also in season: yellowtail kingfish, yellowfin bream and tailor.
Best tide: Around the tide changes, when the strong flow eases.
Best wind: Southerly winds are blocked by the headland; north-easters blow in.
Note: Rocky point on the south side of the Hawkesbury mouth with deep, tidal water; DPIRD lists it among proven mulloway locations. Kingfish sometimes push in on the high tide.
Safety: Strong tidal currents close to the rocks. Steep track and slippery rocks for land-based anglers.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.57340, 151.28450 · Open in Google Maps (position: Flint and Steel Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Juno Point

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat. Boat from Brooklyn or Patonga.
What's good here: Peak in October: mulloway, dusky flathead and snapper. Also in season: yellowfin bream and tailor.
Best tide: Tide changes: fish one change here, then move up-river to catch later changes.
Best wind: Fairly sheltered; strong westerlies blow down the river.
Note: Deep river bend in the lower Hawkesbury, a proven mulloway location: anchor with squid or yellowtail baits, or work soft plastics and vibes down the contour.
Safety: Strong currents and commercial boat traffic.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.57340, 151.25950 · Open in Google Maps (position: Juno Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Hawkesbury River bridges (Brooklyn)

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. Foreshores at Brooklyn and Mooney Mooney; Parsley Bay ramp at Brooklyn.
What's good here: Peak in October: mulloway and dusky flathead. Also in season: yellowfin bream, tailor and luderick.
Best tide: The last of each tide and the slack; mulloway are most active as the flow slows.
Best wind: Sheltered; strong westerlies funnel down the river.
Note: Point is Kangaroo Point by the road bridge. The road and rail bridge pylons are classic mulloway structure; shore anglers fish nearby foreshores, boats anchor up-tide of the pylons.
Safety: Strong current around the pylons. Keep clear of the rail bridge and navigation spans.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.54010, 151.20120 · Open in Google Maps (position: Kangaroo Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

8. Cowan Creek (Cottage Point)

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Ramps at Akuna Bay and Apple Tree Bay (national park entry fees).
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead and mulloway. Also in season: yellowfin bream, tailor and luderick.
Best tide: Deep edges on the changes; winter hairtail bite best at night.
Best wind: Very sheltered steep-sided creek.
Note: Deep, steep-sided creek in Ku-ring-gai Chase, known for winter hairtail at night and for bream, flathead and mulloway along the deep edges.
Safety: Cold, dark winter nights on the water: carry lights and warm gear.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Cowan Creek and Jerusalem Bay are closed to nets other than landing nets. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.61510, 151.20120 · Open in Google Maps (position: Cottage Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

9. Patonga Beach

Type: Beach · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Village parking; beach, wharf and boat ramp side by side.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand whiting and dusky flathead. Also in season: yellowfin bream, southern calamari and tailor.
Best tide: Rising tide; the creek mouth fishes best on the run-out.
Best wind: Northerly winds blow offshore; southerlies blow straight in. Faces S.
Note: Sheltered beach on the north shore of Broken Bay beside Patonga Creek: yabbies or worms for whiting, plastics at the creek mouth for flathead, squid jigs near the wharf.
Safety: Creek mouth currents on the run-out.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Patonga Creek has netting closures (see rules). Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.54840, 151.27620 · Open in Google Maps (position: Patonga Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

10. Hawkesbury River (Spencer to Wisemans Ferry)

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Ramps at Wisemans Ferry and Spencer.
What's good here: Peak in October: mulloway, dusky flathead, Australian bass and estuary perch. Also in season: yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Tide changes come later the further you go up-river: follow them.
Best wind: Sheltered by the valley; strong westerlies blow down the reaches.
Note: The gazetted river point sits in the brackish middle reaches. Mulloway range up to Wisemans Ferry in dry spells; bass and estuary perch hold on snags upstream, bream and flathead along the banks.
Safety: Floodwater and debris after heavy rain. Car ferries cross at Wisemans Ferry and Spencer: keep clear of the cables.
Zone: Not in a marine park. Bass and estuary perch are catch-and-release only 1 May to 31 August. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -33.43180, 151.03450 · Open in Google Maps (position: Hawkesbury River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

6 public boat ramps are listed for Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury, with positions from Maritime NSW Boat Ramps. Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.

Boat ramps: Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury
Ramp	Notes	Position
Bayview Boat Ramp (Rowland Reserve)	3 lanes, 51+ car/trailer spaces, water access: shallow at times, pontoon, toilets, fish-cleaning table, fee payable (TfNSW record). Rowland Reserve, Bayview: main Pittwater ramp; parking fee and shallow at times.	-33.66187, 151.30397 Google Maps
Sand Point Boat Ramp	2 lanes, 11-20 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, toilets (TfNSW record). Sand Point, Palm Beach: closest Pittwater ramp to Broken Bay.	-33.60298, 151.31761 Google Maps
Parsley Bay, Brooklyn	4 lanes, 21-50 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Brooklyn: the lower Hawkesbury, bridges and Broken Bay; four lanes.	-33.54772, 151.23005 Google Maps
Patonga Beach	1 lane, 21-50 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, toilets (TfNSW record). Patonga beach ramp on the north side of Broken Bay.	-33.55075, 151.27756 Google Maps
Akuna Bay Boat Ramp	2 lanes, 11-20 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, toilets, fee payable (TfNSW record). Coal and Candle Creek in Ku-ring-gai Chase (national park entry fee).	-33.64591, 151.23602 Google Maps
Wisemans Ferry Boat Ramp	3 lanes, 150 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon, toilets (TfNSW record). Upper tidal Hawkesbury; large parking area.	-33.38313, 150.98990 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury in October: dusky flathead, mulloway, sand whiting, snapper and 4 more. Of the 29 species our NSW Mid Coast to Sydney list has for this part of the coast, 8 peak in October 2026 and 16 more are in season.

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

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

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

Seen now and then, so not rated: mangrove jack.

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 Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury

Barrenjoey Head Aquatic Reserve: line fishing and spearfishing allowed, but no cunjevoi or invertebrates other than abalone and rock lobster.
Pittwater east of the Barrenjoey Head - Observation Point - Stokes Point line: no nets except landing nets.
Cowan Creek and Jerusalem Bay: no nets except landing nets.
Patonga Creek: no hand-hauled prawn nets, and no nets other than landing nets from noon Friday to 6 pm Sunday; Mooney Mooney Creek has a weekend netting closure.
Australian bass and estuary perch: catch and release only in rivers and estuaries from 1 May to 31 August.

Marine parks and no-take zones

The zone notes here name Barrenjoey Head Aquatic Reserve. A no-take zone starts close to Palm Beach: its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury

Northern Beaches and Central Coast are declared rock-fishing areas: lifejackets are compulsory on ocean-exposed rocks.
Wind against tide makes steep seas at the Broken Bay entrance.
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park: vehicle entry fees and gate hours apply.

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

Central Coast and Tuggerah Lakes (about 28 km north-east)
Sydney Harbour (about 30 km south)
Botany Bay and Port Hacking (about 51 km south)
Lake Macquarie (about 65 km north-east)

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: dpird.nsw.gov.au (DPIRD Go Fishing Hawkesbury guide (2024): mulloway locations (Flint and Steel, Juno Point, bridges, Bar Point), hairtail in Cowan Creek, Broken Bay pelagics, bass and perch); dpird.nsw.gov.au (DPIRD Go Fishing Hawkesbury River page); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Pittwater, Cowan Creek, Patonga and Mooney Mooney closures); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Barrenjoey Head Aquatic Reserve rules and extent); nsw.gov.au (Northern Beaches declared rock-fishing areas map); fishraider.com.au (Fishraider Pittwater article (2020): flats behind Palm Beach, marinas for bream, kingfish (anecdotal)); nationalparks.nsw.gov.au (NPWS Lion Island Nature Reserve); nsw.gov.au (Rock fishing lifejacket law and the list of declared LGAs); dpird.nsw.gov.au (NSW bag and size limits, bass and estuary perch catch-and-release period); data.gov.au (Spot coordinates: the site place index built from the Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and state naming authorities) and ABS ASGS 2021, CC BY 4.0); data.nsw.gov.au (Boat ramp coordinates, record ids, lanes, parking, water access and facilities (Maritime NSW Boat Ramps, Transport for NSW, Creative Commons Attribution; data updated Oct 2026)); spatial.industry.nsw.gov.au (NSW Marine Protected Areas zone polygons (DPIRD): every spot point was tested against sanctuary, aquatic reserve and special purpose zones).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.