Fortescue River Mouth (Mardie / Fortescue River Road)

The Fortescue mouth is a tide-driven mangrove river: trevally, queenfish and flathead in the shallow mouth, jewfish in the deep hole near the launch, and mangrove jack — with the odd summer barramundi — in the pools the tide strands upstream. The Fortescue is the best known of the rivers that reach the Karratha coast, and south-west of town it finishes as a mangrove-lined tidal channel with a rough launch on its bank and an informal camping area that is not one of the City of Karratha's designated camp grounds. It sits at the end of the City-maintained Fortescue River Road, about 100km and two hours from Karratha. Everything here runs to the tide — including whether the road in stays dry at the creek crossing.

At the mouth, cast metals and small hardbodies across the shallows for trevally, queenfish and flathead, and only run the mouth by boat from mid to high tide. The deep hole near the launch is the place for a vibe hopped along the bottom on the neaps, or a floated live bait after jewfish at night, when the creeks on this stretch of coast give up their big ones. Upstream, small pools 2–4 metres deep are cut off from the main channel at low tide, and hardbodies cast tight to the mangroves there find mangrove jack and the occasional barramundi in the warmer months; reach them by boat and a walk, because the site roads beside the river belong to the Sino Iron mine. Threadfin push into the mangroves and feeder-creek mouths on the springs and drop back into the deeper holes on the neaps.

Mangrove jack, threadfin and black jewfish are the river's mainstays, with trevally, queenfish and flathead around the mouth and barramundi an occasional warmer-months bonus up in the pools. DPIRD's limits are mangrove jack 300mm and 2 per day, black jewfish 700mm and 2, king threadfin 450mm and 2, blue threadfin no minimum and 4, and barramundi a 550–800mm slot, 2 per day, landed whole — check the current guide before keeping anything. It is a mud-and-mangrove fishery that pays anglers who fish the tide rather than the clock.

Fish the neaps for jewfish and threadfin in the holes, and the springs for threadfin along the mangrove edges. Plan around the tide twice: once for the creek crossing on the road in, which needs a 4WD on the springs, and once for the mouth, which is too shallow to run except from mid to high tide. Launch on a high tide, with a second vehicle for the recovery if you can — the launch is rocky pebbles, so small boats handle it best. If you plan to throw a cast net for live mullet, get a Recreational Net Fishing Licence first.

The launch and the deep hole beside it are where the road meets the river, and the upstream pools are a boat ride and a walk further on — the road in passes CITIC Pacific's Sino Iron operation, whose site roads are private, so stay on Fortescue River Road. Turn off the North West Coastal Highway onto Fortescue River Road for about 23km of unsealed road — around 100km and two hours from Karratha, or 57km on from 40 Mile; the City listed it open to all vehicles at its 31 July 2026 update, but a small creek crossing floods on the spring tides, so take a 4WD. The land at the mouth is unallocated Crown land and a public-purpose reserve, subject to native title, not station land. Fishing from a powered boat needs a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence. It is not a designated camp ground: the City allows coastal camping only at Cleaverville and 40 Mile and issues $100 on-the-spot fines elsewhere, so ask City Ranger Services on (08) 9186 8555 before staying overnight. Bring all your water and fuel, and treat it as a self-sufficient 4WD trip — no mobility access, and not one for young kids near the water.

The tide is everything: the mouth is shallow and only navigable from mid to high tide, the upstream pools are cut off at low water, and the springs bring water over the road crossing. The neaps suit jewfish and threadfin in the deeper holes, while the springs push threadfin up onto the mangrove edges. Cyclone season runs November to April. DFES now issues cyclone warnings as Advice, Watch and Act and Emergency Warning, and says that when a cyclone is forecast the best option is to leave the area — so pack up at the first Advice for this coast, because the road out is unsealed and crosses a tidal creek.

The mangrove edges and pools that hold the jacks are saltwater crocodile habitat — the Department of Transport warns that crocs inhabit Pilbara coastal waterways, and Parks and Wildlife confirmed more sightings along this coast in 2024 than in the previous decade combined. Cast from the bank rather than wading, keep back from undercut banks and clean fish well away from the water. Tides flood the creek crossing and the flats and can strand a boat in the shallow mouth, so set your departure by the tide chart, not the clock. The site is remote and hot, with no drinking water — carry plenty, tell someone your plan and don't rely on phone coverage.

Turn off the North West Coastal Highway onto Fortescue River Road and follow it about 23km to the river, around 100km and two hours from Karratha. The City of Karratha listed the road open to all vehicles at its 31 July 2026 update, but a small creek crossing floods on spring tides, so take a 4WD. Check the City's road-condition page after rain.

It is not one of the City of Karratha's designated camp grounds. The City allows coastal camping only at Cleaverville and 40 Mile (Gnoorea Point), plus caravan parks, and issues on-the-spot $100 fines for camping elsewhere. Ask City Ranger Services on (08) 9186 8555 before staying overnight, or base yourself at 40 Mile, about 57km away.

Mangrove jack, threadfin and black jewfish are the mainstays, with trevally, queenfish and flathead around the shallow mouth and the occasional barramundi up the pools in the warmer months. The deep hole near the launch suits a floated live bait for jewfish, and the tide-isolated pools upstream suit hardbodies for jack.

Not to reach the mouth on the public road. The land at the mouth is unallocated Crown land and a public-purpose reserve, subject to native title, and Fortescue River Road is a City road rather than a station track. Stay on the formed road: the mainland beside the river is covered by mining tenements around CITIC Pacific's Sino Iron operation, whose site roads are private, and the Mardie pastoral lease adjoins this coast. Respect any signage from the City, the mine or Traditional Owners.

Treat it as croc country. The Department of Transport warns that saltwater crocodiles inhabit Pilbara coastal waterways, and Parks and Wildlife confirmed more sightings on the Pilbara coast in 2024 than in the previous decade combined. Don't wade the river or the mangroves, keep back from undercut banks, and clean fish well away from the water.