What can you catch in the Murchison River at Kalbarri?

The estuary holds black bream, yellowfin whiting and small tailor along the foreshore and jetties, with soapy mulloway near the mouth and bigger jewfish pushing upstream at times. Blue swimmer crabs enter the river in summer, and the odd giant herring strays this far south in the warmest months — it sits below its usual Shark Bay-and-north range, so treat it as a bonus rather than a target. Pink snapper come from the ocean rock ledges rather than the river itself; note that Kalbarri sits at the northern edge of the West Coast Bioregion, where boat-based demersal fishing is in recovery closure to September 2027, so pink snapper and other demersals must not be targeted by boat at all, not even catch-and-release. Land-based take off the rock ledges continues year-round (bag 2) outside spawning closures. Verify current rules with DPIRD.

Is the Murchison River mouth safe to fish?

The river mouth platform fishes well for mulloway and tailor, but the mouth is exposed to ocean swell and the bar is unpredictable — it can go from calm to dangerous quickly. Check conditions before you fish it and contact Kalbarri Volunteer Marine Rescue on the riverfront if you are unsure. The sheltered town foreshore and jetties are the safer, family-friendly option.

Do I need a boat to fish the Murchison at Kalbarri?

No. The town foreshore, jetties and river-mouth platform all fish well from the bank for bream, whiting, tailor and mulloway, with sealed parking and toilets close by. A boat opens up more of the river and the offshore grounds, but the land-based estuary fishery is one of the most accessible in the Mid West.

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Fish Activity

Murchison River (Kalbarri)

Thu 02 Jul 2026 · Australia/Perth

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📍 Murchison River (Kalbarri)

waning gibbous · 95%

Weather: Sunny Wind: SW 204° · 16 km/h

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Low Fish Activity

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Wind SW 16 km/h — Light

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Moon Phase waning gibbous — 95%

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Activity Forecast

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Best times to fish based on activity score.

First light

6:49 am

Last light

6:05 pm

Sunrise

7:14 am

Sunset

5:40 pm

Moonrise

7:42 pm

Moonset

8:52 am

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