Bundaberg and Burnett Heads fishing spots
Bundaberg's fishing centres on the Burnett River: rock walls at the mouth for mackerel, tuna, bream and whiting, and a long estuary of port walls, rock bars and sandbars for jacks, barra, fingermark, salmon and flathead. North and south, the Kolan and Elliott rivers and the beaches at Moore Park and Woodgate add crabbing, whiting and runs of tailor and mackerel. Green zones and turtle areas dot the Bargara coast.
Updated
6 spots here: 5 fished from land and 1 reached only by boat or kayak, plus 5 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our Wide Bay & Bundaberg species list for Queensland. 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
| Spot | Type | Fished from | Water | Marine park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Burnett River mouth rock walls | Breakwall | Land-based and boat | Ocean coast | – |
| 2. Burnett River (port to Town Reach) | River | Land-based and boat | Bay, estuary or river | – |
| 3. Kolan River | River | Boat and kayak | Bay, estuary or river | Great Sandy Marine Park |
| 4. Elliott River & Elliott Heads | River | Land-based and boat | Bay, estuary or river | Great Sandy Marine Park |
| 5. Moore Park Beach | Beach | Land-based | Ocean coast | Great Sandy Marine Park |
| 6. Woodgate Beach | Beach | Land-based and boat | Ocean coast | Great Sandy Marine Park |
1. Burnett River mouth rock walls
- Type
- Breakwall · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
- Access
- Land-based and boat. Walls either side of the river mouth at Burnett Heads and the Port of Bundaberg; pin is the official harbour feature beside the northern wall.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: dusky flathead, whiting, trevally and queenfish. Also in season: school mackerel, spotted mackerel, longtail tuna and yellowfin bream.
- Best tide
- Moving water through the channel; pelagics come in with the run-in.
- Best wind
- Light winds; south-easterlies against the run-out stand up the channel. Faces NNE.
- Note
- Locals rate the northern wall the best land-based spot for bream, whiting and flathead; when birds work the shipping channel, cast metal slugs or float pilchards for mackerel and tuna.
- Safety
- Wave-washed rocks: watch the swell for a while first, wear grippy footwear and a lifejacket. Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Shipping channel: stay clear of ships and the port's restricted areas.
- Zone
- No marine park zone mapped at this point. The Woongarra turtle protection area, seasonal go-slow area (15 Oct-30 Apr, within 300 m of shore) and a conservation park (yellow) zone start about 230 m south of South Head, the end of the south wall, about 1.4 km south-east of this pin. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.75230, 152.40270 · Open in Google Maps (position: Bundaberg Harbour, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
2. Burnett River (port to Town Reach)
- Type
- River · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based and boat. Ramps at Burnett Heads and in town; land-based spots along the town foreshore.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: mangrove jack, barramundi, javelin / grunter, dusky flathead and queenfish. Also in season: king threadfin and yellowfin bream. Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January). Also: golden snapper.
- Best tide
- High tide in Town Reach; last two hours of the run-out for the lower river; early run-out on the Fairymead sandbar.
- Best wind
- Fishable in most winds upstream.
- Note
- Port rock walls and pylons for jacks, barra and fingermark; Fairymead sandbar for whiting and flathead; Town Reach for trevally and queenfish at high tide. Rubyanna Creek is a local crabbing spot.
- Safety
- Outside the usual crocodile range, but rare sightings happen: stay croc-aware at creek and river edges. Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Oyster-covered structure: wear shoes and handle line carefully.
- Zone
- River is outside the marine park zones at this point. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.77700, 152.38220 · Open in Google Maps (position: Burnett River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
3. Kolan River
- Type
- River · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Boat and kayak. Small ramps on the lower river north-west of Bundaberg.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: dusky flathead, barramundi and mangrove jack. Also in season: yellowfin bream, king threadfin and mud crab. Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).
- Best tide
- Last of the run-out and early run-in.
- Best wind
- Light winds.
- Note
- Quiet estuary for flathead, bream and jacks; barra fans head upstream to the Bucca and upper Kolan reaches, a noted kayak area.
- Safety
- Outside the usual crocodile range, but rare sightings happen: stay croc-aware at creek and river edges. Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Shallow bar at the mouth: check conditions and cross only on a rising tide in light winds.
- Zone
- River mouth is a general use (light blue) zone: normal fishing rules; no green zone within 5 km. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.65620, 152.19240 · Open in Google Maps (position: Kolan River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
4. Elliott River & Elliott Heads
- Type
- River · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based and boat. Ramp, jetty and picnic areas at Elliott Heads.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: whiting, dusky flathead, trevally, javelin / grunter, grass sweetlip and mangrove jack. Also in season: yellowfin bream.
- Best tide
- Run-in for whiting and flathead near the mouth.
- Best wind
- Light winds; the bar is rough in south-easterlies.
- Note
- Family-friendly river mouth where both estuary and reef fish turn up. Boats head to the inshore reefs and artificial reefs off Elliott Heads for grunter and sweetlip.
- Safety
- Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Shallow bar at the mouth: check conditions and cross only on a rising tide in light winds. Outside the usual crocodile range, but rare sightings happen: stay croc-aware at creek and river edges.
- Zone
- Lower river is a conservation park (yellow) zone: limited line fishing (2 lines, 2 hooks per person); green zones lie off Barolin Rocks and Bargara to the north. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.93280, 152.47190 · Open in Google Maps (position: Elliott River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
5. Moore Park Beach
- Type
- Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
- Access
- Land-based. Beachside town north of Bundaberg; pin is the gazetteer's town point.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: tailor, whiting, dusky flathead and trevally. Also in season: school mackerel and yellowfin bream.
- Best tide
- Rising tide in the gutters.
- Best wind
- Light westerlies; easterlies blow onshore. Faces NNE.
- Note
- Long beach where tailor and mackerel pass close in: whole pilchards on gang hooks or small metal lures, and watch for birds and bait flicks.
- Safety
- Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Surf beach: watch for rips.
- Zone
- No zone mapped at this point; check the Great Sandy map before fishing the reefs offshore. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.71640, 152.27499 · Open in Google Maps (position: Moore Park, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
6. Woodgate Beach
- Type
- Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
- Access
- Land-based and boat. Beach township south of Bundaberg with a tidal ramp at Theodolite Creek; pin is the town point.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: tailor, whiting, dusky flathead and trevally. Also in season: school mackerel and yellowfin bream.
- Best tide
- Rising tide on the beach; Theodolite Creek on the run-in.
- Best wind
- Light westerlies; south-easterlies blow along the beach. Faces NE.
- Note
- Tailor and mackerel move along the beach in season; whiting and flathead in Theodolite Creek. Burrum Coast National Park borders the town.
- Safety
- Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Outside the usual crocodile range, but rare sightings happen: stay croc-aware at creek and river edges.
- Zone
- Waters off the beach are habitat protection (dark blue) zone: normal fishing rules with yellow zones nearby; no green zone within 5 km. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
- Map
- -25.10279, 152.56055 · Open in Google Maps (position: Woodgate Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
Boat ramps
5 public boat ramps are listed for Bundaberg and Burnett Heads, with positions from Built features - Queensland series (Marine infrastructure lines). Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.
| Ramp | Notes | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Burnett Heads boat ramp | Two-lane ramp in the Burnett Heads boat harbour at the river mouth. | -24.75869, 152.40126 Google Maps |
| Bundaberg town boat ramp (Burnett River) | Two-lane ramp in central Bundaberg on the Burnett River town reach. | -24.86286, 152.34558 Google Maps |
| Elliott Heads boat ramp | Two-lane ramp on the Elliott River near the mouth. | -24.92961, 152.47465 Google Maps |
| Kolan River boat ramp | One-lane ramp on the lower Kolan River. | -24.67653, 152.19858 Google Maps |
| Woodgate boat ramp (Theodolite Creek) | One-lane tidal ramp on Theodolite Creek. | -25.07513, 152.54451 Google Maps |
What's biting here in October?
In peak season at Bundaberg and Burnett Heads in October: dusky flathead, whiting, trevally, mangrove jack and 10 more. Of the 33 species our Wide Bay & Bundaberg list has for this part of the coast, 14 peak in October 2026 and 13 more are in season.
Peak in October: dusky flathead, whiting, trevally, mangrove jack, barramundi, javelin / grunter, tailor, queenfish, grass sweetlip, estuary cod, Spanish mackerel, coral trout, tuskfish and marlin and sailfish.
Also in season: yellowfin bream, school mackerel, king threadfin, mud crab, spotted mackerel, longtail tuna, blue threadfin, blue swimmer crab, cobia, red emperor, spangled emperor, redthroat emperor and snapper.
Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).
Closed now in part of the area: mud crab in Eurimbula Creek (near Agnes Water): no take of mud crabs (all year); Spanish mackerel in Platypus Bay (K'gari, Hervey Bay): no take by recreational fishers (all year); coral trout, red emperor, nannygai, spangled emperor, redthroat emperor and tuskfish in Coral reef fin fish waters north of 24°50′S: Agnes Water, Baffle Creek, Burnett Heads and Bargara (8 October to 12 October 2026).
Closing soon in part of the area: coral trout, red emperor, nannygai, spangled emperor, redthroat emperor and tuskfish in Coral reef fin fish waters north of 24°50′S: Agnes Water, Baffle Creek, Burnett Heads and Bargara (closes 6 Nov; closed 6 November to 10 November 2026).
Out of season in October: winter whiting (best May–Aug); banana prawns (best Feb–May); tiger squid (best Jun–Jul and Dec–Feb).
Seen now and then, so not rated: black jewfish, grey mackerel and nannygai.
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: Queensland's own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.
Can you fish here? Rules and safety
No licence or fee for recreational fishing in Queensland tidal waters, including the Gulf and Torres Strait (as at 9 Oct 2026). Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Queensland's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).
Rules at Bundaberg and Burnett Heads
- Great Sandy Marine Park zoning: green zones lie off Bargara and Barolin Rocks; check the 2024 zoning map before fishing the Woongarra coast.
- Woongarra coast (Burnett Heads to Elliott Heads): seasonal go-slow area 15 Oct-30 Apr within 300 m of shore; Mon Repos foreshore closed to the public 6 pm-6 am, 15 Oct-31 May.
- No fishing from 400 m above to 400 m below the Burnett and Kolan barrages; no recreational netting (incl. cast nets) in the Burnett River town reach.
- No spearfishing in the Bargara Basin or near the Woodgate artificial reef.
- Coral reef fin fish closures (8-12 Oct and 6-10 Nov 2026) apply north of 24°50'S, i.e. from just south of Bargara north.
Marine parks and no-take zones
The zone notes here name Great Sandy Marine Park. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.
Safety at Bundaberg and Burnett Heads
- Bundaberg is south of the usual crocodile range, but sightings occasionally happen in the rivers.
- Stingers, including Irukandji, are uncommon here but possible in summer.
- River-mouth bars (Burnett, Elliott, Kolan) are dangerous with wind against tide.
Queensland: official links
Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: Qld coastal and local waters forecast map and current warnings.
Boating: Queensland boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Must wear: crossing a designated bar in an open boat or open area (any length); open boat <4.8m underway alone or at night; children 1-11 in open boat/area underway. AS 4758 only.
Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ). Until MRQ is fully operational, log on with your local marine rescue unit by boat radio or by phoning the unit. Channels and hours differ by unit.
Marine parks and closed areas: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Commonwealth) - GBRMPA zoning maps, GBRMPA - interpreting zones, Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park (State) and all Qld state marine parks, Moreton Bay Marine Park - app and maps, Great Sandy Marine Park - app and maps and Australian Marine Parks (Commonwealth waters, e.g. Coral Sea).
- Help on the water (non-emergency): MRQ unit pages list 131 MRQ (131 677). More.
Queensland's 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
- Hervey Bay (about 68 km south-east)
- Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy (about 83 km north-west)
- K'gari (Fraser Island) east coast (about 96 km south-east)
- Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay (about 112 km south-east)
Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in Queensland · 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 Built features - Queensland series (Marine infrastructure lines) (State of Queensland), 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: bundabergregion.org (Burnett River mouth and northern wall, Port of Bundaberg walls, Fairymead sandbar, Town Reach, Rubyanna Creek, Elliott River, Kolan River and Bucca); queensland.com (Port Bundaberg rock wall for mackerel and tuna; north wall for whiting, bream and flathead); brcnow.bundaberg.qld.gov.au (Moore Park Beach, Woodgate Beach and Rules Beach tailor and mackerel (council news, Tackle World report)); brcnow.bundaberg.qld.gov.au (Elliott Heads inshore and artificial reefs; Burnett River bread-and-butter species); parks.qld.gov.au (Great Sandy Marine Park 2024 zoning and designated areas maps; zones checked against the Qld spatial layers); parks.qld.gov.au (Woongarra seasonal go-slow area, Mon Repos foreshore restrictions, turtle protection area); dpi.qld.gov.au (Barrage closures, Burnett town reach netting, Bargara and Woodgate spearfishing closures); dpi.qld.gov.au (Coral reef fin fish closure line at 24°50'S); qld.gov.au (Crocodile range (rare south of Gladstone)); services.ga.gov.au (Moore Park and Woodgate Beach positions (Composite Gazetteer of Australia, CC BY 4.0)); data.qld.gov.au (Boat ramp positions (Marine infrastructure lines, CC BY 4.0)).
- Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.