Lucinda and the Herbert River fishing spots

Lucinda guards the southern entrance to the Hinchinbrook Channel. The Herbert River delta, Seaforth and Enterprise channels and the mangrove creeks hold barramundi, jacks, grunter and fingermark, while the pylons of the 5.8 km sugar jetty draw queenfish and giant trevally. Taylors and Forrest beaches lie to the south and the Palm Islands offshore. Winter is prime for queenies and mackerel.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

8 spots here: 3 fished from land and 5 reached only by boat or kayak, plus 3 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our Townsville & Hinchinbrook 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

8 spots: Lucinda and the Herbert River
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Lucinda bulk sugar jetty (pylons)	Jetty	Boat	Ocean coast	–
2. Dungeness harbour & wharf	Wharf	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park
3. Herbert River mouth	River	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park
4. Seaforth Channel	Channel	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park
5. Seymour River & Fisherman Point	Estuary	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park
6. Taylors Beach	Beach	Land-based and boat	Ocean coast	–
7. Forrest Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
8. Pelorus Island	Island	Boat	Offshore	Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park; no-take zone nearby

1. Lucinda bulk sugar jetty (pylons)

Type: Jetty · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Boat. Boat only from the Dungeness ramp; the jetty itself is closed to the public.
What's good here: Peak in October: queenfish, trevally, golden snapper, grey mackerel and cobia. Also in season: school mackerel.
Best tide: Tide changes and the run-in along the pylons.
Best wind: Light winds; exposed to SE and N.
Note: The 5.76 km loading jetty stands on hundreds of pylons. Cast poppers and soft plastics at the pylons for queenfish and GTs, or drop baits for fingermark.
Safety: Keep well clear of ships at the loading head. Spearfishing is banned within 100 m of the public jetties at Lucinda Point and Dungeness. Crocodiles: keep hands and legs inside the boat and never clean fish at the ramp.
Zone: No zone is mapped at this point (port waters); the nearest mapped zone, about 1,700 m away, is a general use (light blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.52205, 146.35910 · Open in Google Maps (position: Jetty (unnamed in dataset), Built features - Queensland series (Marine infrastructure lines))
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Dungeness harbour & wharf

Type: Wharf · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. Dungeness Road, next to the four-lane ramp; pontoon and wharf.
What's good here: Peak in October: javelin / grunter, dusky flathead, mangrove jack and mud crab. Also in season: yellowfin bream and blue threadfin.
Best tide: Run-in and the top of the tide.
Best wind: Sheltered from most winds. Faces NNE.
Note: Sheltered harbour inside the channel entrance. Bait for grunter, bream and flathead off the wharf; cast at the rock walls for jacks.
Safety: Crocodile country: stand well back from the edge, never wade, and clean fish away from the water. No spearfishing within 100 m of the Dungeness jetty.
Zone: The water off this spot is a habitat protection (dark blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.52290, 146.31780 · Open in Google Maps (position: Dungeness Harbour, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Herbert River mouth

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Boat from Dungeness, a few minutes away.
What's good here: Peak in October: barramundi, king threadfin, mangrove jack, javelin / grunter and mud crab. Also in season: blue threadfin. Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).
Best tide: Run-out to low, then the first of the run-in.
Best wind: Sheltered inside; the mouth is open to E.
Note: Big delta of channels and mud banks. Work the drains and creek mouths on the falling tide; salmon school on the flats when the river is coloured.
Safety: Crocodiles: keep hands and legs inside the boat and never clean fish at the ramp. Shallow banks; watch the falling tide.
Zone: In a habitat protection (dark blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.53360, 146.30170 · Open in Google Maps (position: Herbert River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Seaforth Channel

Type: Channel · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Boat from Dungeness.
What's good here: Peak in October: barramundi, mangrove jack, golden snapper, estuary cod, javelin / grunter and king threadfin. Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).
Best tide: Neap tides for the deep holes; springs for drains on the run-out.
Best wind: Sheltered.
Note: Mangrove channel joining the Herbert to the Hinchinbrook Channel. Snags and rock bars hold jacks and cod; deep bends hold fingermark on the neaps.
Safety: Crocodiles: keep hands and legs inside the boat and never clean fish at the ramp.
Zone: In a habitat protection (dark blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.52220, 146.27920 · Open in Google Maps (position: Seaforth Channel, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Seymour River & Fisherman Point

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Boat from Dungeness into the southern Hinchinbrook Channel.
What's good here: Peak in October: barramundi, mangrove jack, golden snapper, estuary cod and mud crab. Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).
Best tide: Run-out at the creek mouth; rock bars on the turn.
Best wind: Sheltered.
Note: Creek mouths and rock bars at the southern end of the channel. Cast hard-bodies at snags on the run-out; pots in the side creeks.
Safety: Crocodiles: keep hands and legs inside the boat and never clean fish at the ramp.
Zone: In a habitat protection (dark blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.49560, 146.22330 · Open in Google Maps (position: Seymour River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Taylors Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based and boat. Beachside township; ramp at Boat Ramp Road on Victoria Creek.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, javelin / grunter, barramundi and mud crab. Also in season: whiting and blue threadfin. Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).
Best tide: Run-in on the beach; Victoria Creek on the run-out.
Best wind: W to SW (offshore). Faces ESE.
Note: Small beach township with Victoria Creek alongside. Whiting and flathead on the sand; barra, grunter and crabs in the creek.
Safety: Box jellyfish and Irukandji: highest risk Oct/Nov to May; wear a stinger suit if you wade or swim. Crocodile country: stand well back from the edge, never wade, and clean fish away from the water.
Zone: No zone is mapped at this point; the nearest mapped zone, about 1,100 m away, is a general use (light blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.63070, 146.32580 · Open in Google Maps (position: Taylors Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Forrest Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Beachfront parking; ramp at She Oak Street.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, queenfish and trevally. Also in season: whiting and blue threadfin.
Best tide: Run-in over the low-tide flats.
Best wind: W to SW (offshore). Faces ESE.
Note: Long, flat beach facing the Palm Islands. Fish the gutters on the run-in for whiting and salmon; queenfish follow bait along the shore in winter.
Safety: Box jellyfish and Irukandji: highest risk Oct/Nov to May; wear a stinger suit if you wade or swim. Crocodile country: stand well back from the edge, never wade, and clean fish away from the water. Very shallow water a long way out at low tide.
Zone: In a general use (light blue) zone: normal fishing rules. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.71010, 146.29970 · Open in Google Maps (position: Forrest Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

8. Pelorus Island

Type: Island · offshore (boat)
Access: Boat. About 19 km by boat from Dungeness.
What's good here: Peak in October: grass sweetlip and trevally. Also in season: longtail tuna. Closed season now: coral trout (8 October to 12 October 2026); tuskfish (8 October to 12 October 2026); Spanish mackerel (8 October to 29 October 2026).
Best tide: Neap tides for the reef edges.
Best wind: Calm to light SE; exposed to strong SE trades.
Note: Northernmost of the Palm group, with fringing reef. Fish the island's own reef and points; a green zone lies about 500 m east and an orange (scientific research) zone about 450 m south, off Orpheus, and both are no fishing. Troll the points for mackerel.
Safety: Open water crossing; check the wind before you go. No fishing within 100 m of Yanks Jetty, Orpheus Island.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. The waters around the island are a habitat protection (dark blue) zone: normal fishing rules. A green zone (MNP-18-1082) lies about 500 m east of the island, and an orange scientific research zone (SR-18-2007) off northern Orpheus Island about 450 m south: no fishing in either. Guide only, not for navigation: check gbrmpa.gov.au.
Map: -18.55030, 146.49560 · Open in Google Maps (position: Pelorus Island, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

3 public boat ramps are listed for Lucinda and the Herbert River, 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.

Boat ramps: Lucinda and the Herbert River
Ramp	Notes	Position
Dungeness boat ramp	Four lanes (two double-lane ramps), all tides, floating walkway and big trailer park (TMR HI32, Hinchinbrook Shire). Queues at peak times.	-18.52331, 146.31747 Google Maps
Taylors Beach boat ramp	Double-lane ramp on Victoria Creek at Boat Ramp Road (TMR HI21). Creek bar is shallow at low tide.	-18.62474, 146.33060 Google Maps
Forrest Beach boat ramp	Single beach ramp at She Oak Street (TMR HI11). Best near high tide.	-18.70729, 146.30171 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Lucinda and the Herbert River in October: barramundi, mangrove jack, javelin / grunter, mud crab and 11 more. Of the 31 species our Townsville & Hinchinbrook list has for this part of the coast, 15 peak in October 2026 and 6 more are in season.

Peak in October: barramundi, mangrove jack, javelin / grunter, mud crab, golden snapper, dusky flathead, trevally, king threadfin, estuary cod, queenfish, cobia, grey mackerel, grass sweetlip, black jewfish and marlin and sailfish.

Also in season: blue threadfin, whiting, yellowfin bream, school mackerel, longtail tuna and spotted mackerel.

In closed season now (no take): Spanish mackerel (8 October to 29 October 2026); coral trout (8 October to 12 October 2026); tuskfish (8 October to 12 October 2026); red emperor (8 October to 12 October 2026); nannygai (8 October to 12 October 2026); spangled emperor (8 October to 12 October 2026); redthroat emperor (8 October to 12 October 2026).

Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January); black jewfish (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).

Out of season in October: banana prawns (best Feb–May).

Seen now and then, so not rated: blue swimmer crab and tiger squid.

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 Lucinda and the Herbert River

Barramundi closed season on the east coast: no take from 1 Nov to 31 Jan (min 58 cm, max 120 cm otherwise).
Coral reef fin fish (trout, cods, emperors, tropical snappers, tuskfish, sweetlips) closed 8-12 Oct and 6-10 Nov 2026.
Spanish mackerel north of 22S: no take 8-29 Oct and 6-27 Nov 2026.
Black jewfish on the east coast: closed 1 Nov-31 Jan; otherwise min 75 cm, 2 per person.
Great Barrier Reef zoning applies to every saltwater spot here: green, pink and orange (scientific research) zones are no-fishing; yellow zones allow 1 rod or line with 1 hook per person.
No spearfishing within 100 m of the public jetties at Dungeness and Lucinda Point; no fishing within 100 m of Yanks Jetty, Orpheus Island.
Hinchinbrook area: dugong protection rules restrict netting; check the zoning map and the Hinchinbrook Plan of Management.

Marine parks and no-take zones

The zone notes here name Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. A no-take zone starts close to Pelorus Island: its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Lucinda and the Herbert River

Crocodiles throughout the delta, the channel and the beaches.
Stinger season roughly October/November to May.
The channel entrance and the Palm Islands crossing get rough in fresh SE winds.
Crocodile country: saltwater crocodiles live in rivers, estuaries, beaches and around islands here. Stay well back from the water's edge, never clean fish at the water, and don't stand on logs or overhanging banks. More.
Marine stingers (box jellyfish and irukandji) can be in these waters, mostly in the warmer months: cover up if you wade or swim, and carry vinegar. More.

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

Hinchinbrook Channel and Cardwell (about 35 km north-west)
Mission Beach (about 74 km north)
Townsville and Magnetic Island (about 92 km south-east)
Cairns and Trinity Inlet (about 188 km north)

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: clubmarine.com.au (Dungeness four-lane all-tide ramp; Lucinda jetty length; queenfish and GTs on the pylons); hinchinbrookway.com.au (Hinchinbrook Shire fishing: channel creeks, jacks, barra, zoning and dugong reminders); hinchinbrookway.com.au (Pelorus Island national park and fishing outside green zones); publications.qld.gov.au (Dungeness, Taylors Beach and Forrest Beach ramp names (HI codes)); qld.gov.au (Size, bag and Gulf vs east coast limits (via the repo species file, checked 9 Oct 2026)); dpi.qld.gov.au (Barramundi, coral reef fin fish, Spanish mackerel and black jewfish closed seasons); dpi.qld.gov.au (Closed waters (no fishing / no spearfishing) by region); qld.gov.au (Crocodile habitat and safety); qld.gov.au (Marine stinger safety); gbrmpa.gov.au (Official GBR Marine Park zoning maps); gbrmpa.gov.au (What each GBR zone allows (line fishing, yellow-zone limits, crabbing, spearfishing)); legislation.qld.gov.au (Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park zoning plan: estuarine conservation zone allows line fishing, trapping and netting); maps.eatlas.org.au (GBRMPA zoning polygons (layer ea:GBR_GBRMPA_Zoning-2003) used to test every coordinate); spatial-gis.information.qld.gov.au (Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park zone polygons (QSpatial layer 63) used to test every coordinate); data.qld.gov.au (Marine infrastructure lines (boat ramps, jetties), CC BY 4.0, for ramp and jetty coordinates); publications.qld.gov.au (TMR boating infrastructure plans: official ramp names and facility IDs).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.