Warrnambool and Port Fairy fishing spots

Victoria's south-west faces the open Southern Ocean. Warrnambool's breakwater and the Hopkins River estuary give shore anglers salmon, gummy sharks, black bream, estuary perch and mulloway, and Port Fairy's Moyne River and beaches add bream, mullet, whiting and salmon. Boats head out for yellowtail kingfish around Killarney and Lady Julia Percy Island, and for southern bluefin tuna from late autumn.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

7 spots here: 6 fished from land and 1 reached only by boat. Seasons follow our West Coast species list for Victoria. 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

7 spots: Warrnambool and Port Fairy
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Warrnambool breakwater	Breakwall	Land-based	Ocean coast	Merri Marine Sanctuary; no-take zone nearby
2. Hopkins River mouth & Blue Hole	Estuary	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
3. Killarney Beach	Beach	Land-based and boat	Ocean coast	–
4. Moyne River wharf, Port Fairy	Wharf	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
5. Martins Point, Port Fairy	Estuary	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
6. East Beach, Port Fairy	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
7. Lady Julia Percy Island	Island	Boat	Offshore	–

1. Warrnambool breakwater

Type: Breakwall · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. End of Viaduct Road: upper and lower walkways along the wall, with the harbour side sheltered and the ocean side exposed.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, gummy shark and snapper. Also: silver trevally.
Best tide: Rising tide; dawn and dusk.
Best wind: Northerly to north-westerly winds; heavy southerly swell makes the ocean side unsafe.
Note: Fresh baits for salmon and gummies, soft plastics for trevally; fish the harbour side in rough weather. It is a working port, so give boats room.
Safety: Waves can sweep the lower level in big swell: stay off it then. Wear a lifejacket on rocks and breakwalls, watch the sea for a while before going down, and plan an escape route.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. Merri Marine Sanctuary's boundary is about 65 m west of the breakwater's shore end (about 240 m from the pin): no fishing of any kind inside it, so do not cast west or south-west from the base of the wall. Check the boundary markers or the VicFishing app. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.40212, 142.47800 · Open in Google Maps (position: WARRNAMBOOL PIER, Vicmap Hydro - Water Structure Line)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Hopkins River mouth & Blue Hole

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Blue Hole Road (east bank) and the Point Ritchie car park (west bank, stairs down); toilets at both.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream and mulloway. Also in season: estuary perch, Australian salmon and yellow-eye mullet.
Best tide: Run-in tide when the mouth is open; the week after a fresh opening fires for bream.
Best wind: Sheltered in northerlies.
Note: Sand flats and weed give way to a drop-off: wade the shallows and cast to the edge for bream, perch and mullet, salmon push in on the run-in, and sandworms can be pumped on the flats.
Safety: The river mouth is shallow and dangerous: do not take a boat through it.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Merri Marine Sanctuary, about 3 km west. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.40330, 142.50920 · Open in Google Maps (position: Point Ritchie / Moyjil, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Killarney Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based and boat. Killarney Beach Road: small car park and a rough single-lane ramp with jetty.
What's good here: Peak in October: southern calamari. Also in season: King George whiting and Australian salmon.
Best tide: Rising tide.
Best wind: Northerly winds. Faces S.
Note: A reef-sheltered bay: pipi baits for summer King George whiting and jigs for calamari; boats head out from here to the inshore reefs for kingfish.
Safety: Shallow reef around the ramp: launch on higher tides.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Merri Marine Sanctuary, about 14 km east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.35710, 142.31310 · Open in Google Maps (position: Killarney Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Moyne River wharf, Port Fairy

Type: Wharf · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Walkways and jetties along both banks from the footbridge to the mouth; town-centre parking.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream and mulloway. Also in season: yellow-eye mullet, Australian salmon and estuary perch. Also: silver trevally.
Best tide: Run-in: start a couple of hours before high and fish an hour past it.
Best wind: Sheltered in most winds.
Note: Simple running-sinker rigs with prawn, crab or shrimp for bream; mullet in winter, and perch and the odd mulloway on warm summer nights.
Safety: Leave room for boats near the ramp.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Merri Marine Sanctuary, about 19 km east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.38758, 142.24107 · Open in Google Maps (position: PORT FAIRY WHARF, Vicmap Hydro - Water Structure Line)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Martins Point, Port Fairy

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Near the Moyne River mouth by the Griffiths Island causeway; short walk from parking.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand flathead. Also in season: King George whiting and Australian salmon.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered from westerlies by Griffiths Island.
Note: Cast into the river mouth or the small inlet towards the Cutting for whiting, salmon and flathead.
Safety: Surge near the river mouth in big swell.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Merri Marine Sanctuary, about 19 km east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.39030, 142.24400 · Open in Google Maps (position: Martin Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. East Beach, Port Fairy

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Port Fairy's main patrolled beach; fish well away from swimmers.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon and King George whiting.
Best tide: Rising tide into the gutters.
Best wind: North to north-westerly winds. Faces SE.
Note: Look for gutters as darker water, berley them and cast baits for salmon (winter fish can be big); whiting are possible on calm summer days.
Safety: Rips and shore dumps in swell.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Merri Marine Sanctuary, about 19 km east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.36730, 142.25580 · Open in Google Maps (position: East Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Lady Julia Percy Island

Type: Island · offshore (boat)
Access: Boat. Boat from Port Fairy (Griffiths Street ramp).
What's good here: In season in October: gummy shark. Out of season now: yellowtail kingfish and southern bluefin tuna.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Only in light winds and low swell: it is about 20 km out from Port Fairy.
Note: One of the most reliable kingfish spots in the west: slow-troll squid strips (often with a downrigger) or live bait. Tuna sometimes gather wide of the island when bait is thick.
Safety: Open ocean: carry an EPIRB and VHF. Stay off the island and clear of the seal colony.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Merri Marine Sanctuary, about 40 km east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.41720, 142.00310 · Open in Google Maps (position: Lady Julia Percy Island, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

Victoria's boat ramp register isn't published under an open licence we could confirm, so we don't list its ramps yet.

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Warrnambool and Port Fairy in October: black bream, mulloway, sand flathead, southern calamari and 1 more. Of the 13 species our West Coast list has for this part of the coast, 5 peak in October 2026 and 6 more are in season.

Peak in October: black bream, mulloway, sand flathead, southern calamari and leatherjacket.

Also in season: Australian salmon, King George whiting, gummy shark, estuary perch, yellow-eye mullet and snapper.

Out of season in October: yellowtail kingfish (best Dec–Apr); southern bluefin tuna (best May–Jul).

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: Victoria's own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL) needed for all fishing incl. bait, shellfish, prawns, spearfishing unless exempt. From 1 Jul 2026: 3-day $10.00, 28-day $24.70, 1-yr $40.80 online ($43.30 agent), 3-yr $111.20 ($117.40). Exempt: under 18, 70+, Seniors Card, some pension/DVA cards, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Victoria's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at Warrnambool and Port Fairy

Merri Marine Sanctuary, at the Merri River mouth right beside the Warrnambool breakwater, is no-take.
Abalone disease (AVG) controls can change on the west coast: check the VFA abalone disease page before taking abalone.
Skates and rays cannot be taken within 400 m of a pier, jetty, rock wall or breakwater.

Marine parks and no-take zones

The zone notes here name Merri Marine Sanctuary. A no-take zone starts close to Warrnambool breakwater: its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Warrnambool and Port Fairy

Open Southern Ocean coast: big swells arrive with little warning, so check the swell before going near rocks or breakwalls.
Leaving Port Fairy, hold the correct course until clear of the reef and the breaking waves on your right.
Tuna trips run 40-60 km offshore: a suitable boat, EPIRB, VHF and company are essential.
The Hopkins River mouth is shallow and dangerous for boats.

Victoria: official links

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

Boating: Victoria boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Wear on boats <=4.8m, and on boats up to 12m at heightened risk: crossing a bar, Port Phillip Heads, alone, at night, restricted visibility, or under a BOM gale/storm/severe weather warning.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Victoria Marine Search and Rescue (MSAR) network and Australian Volunteer Coast Guard (Victorian flotillas). Log on with TripWatch on the Coast Guard website, or with your local flotilla.

Marine parks and closed areas: Marine national parks and marine sanctuaries (VFA list with maps), Parks Victoria (park pages and boundary coordinates) and Australian Marine Parks (South-east network).

Rock fishing lifejacket zones: Lifejacket required at high-risk rock fishing zones incl. Cape Bridgewater, Lorne area, Point Nepean-West Head, Phillip Island sites, Bore Beach-Kilcunda, Point Roadknight. Fines apply. More.

Victoria's official rules: size and bag limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

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

Nearby fishing areas

Portland and Nelson (about 68 km west)
Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine (about 191 km east)
Mornington Peninsula (Port Phillip side) (about 221 km east)
Robe and the Limestone Coast (SA) (about 233 km north-west)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in Victoria · 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 Vicmap Hydro - Water Structure Line (State of Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning)), 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: vfa.vic.gov.au (Hopkins River access points, species, salt wedge and navigation (VFA)); vfa.vic.gov.au (Warrnambool tuna, kingfish, Lady Bay ramp (VFA)); vfa.vic.gov.au (Port Fairy ramp exit, Lady Julia Percy Island kingfish, tuna (VFA)); greatoceanroad.com.au (Moyne River wharf and East Beach species); fishingmad.com.au (Moyne River species, baits, tides; Martins Point and Killarney); melbourneplaygrounds.com.au (Warrnambool breakwater layout and access); vfa.vic.gov.au (Merri Marine Sanctuary map); vfa.vic.gov.au (Abalone disease controls); vfa.vic.gov.au (Rock fishing safety and the 11 zones where lifejackets are compulsory); vfa.vic.gov.au (No fishing of any kind in marine national parks and sanctuaries; list and maps); ga.gov.au (Spot coordinates: the site place index (Composite Gazetteer of Australia and ABS localities, CC BY 4.0)); discover.data.vic.gov.au (Jetty, pier and breakwater coordinates (Vicmap Hydro water structure lines, CC BY 4.0; midpoint of the named feature)); safetransport.vic.gov.au (Ramp coordinates, lanes, tide access and facilities from the Safe Transport Victoria boat ramp register (boating.vic.gov.au), CC BY 4.0); discover.data.vic.gov.au (Marine national park and sanctuary boundaries used for the zone checks (PARKRES, CC BY 4.0)).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.