Singleton Beach

Singleton fills the quiet stretch of coast between Golden Bay and Madora Bay — 2.5 km of open west-facing surf beach with a developed family foreshore at its centre and empty sand either side. Tourism WA rates it for mulloway and tailor in good supply, and the reasons are the same ones that make its neighbours fish: gutters and banks that concentrate bait, and enough beach that you can find your own water. The foreshore end draws swimmers and playground traffic through summer, while the sand thins out to almost nobody once you walk. It's a bread-and-butter beach with a genuine after-dark jewfish shot for anglers willing to put the night in.

Walk the beach at low tide and read the banks before setting up — the darker gutters and the drains between the sandbanks are where bait gathers and fish follow. For tailor, work 30–40 g metals or ganged mulies through the gutters at dawn and dusk, when the low light and a moving tide switch the bite on. For mulloway, fish the deepest gutter you can find after dark with fresh whole squid or mullet on the bottom, and settle in for the wait. Herring and sand whiting come off the cleaner sand on light paternoster gear through the day. The incoming tide is the reliable window across all of them.

Mulloway and tailor are the headline pair — mulloway after dark from spring into autumn, tailor through summer in the gutters. Herring fish year-round and are the dependable family target from the beach. Sand whiting hold over the clean sandy patches, and Australian salmon push through with the autumn run. Nothing here is exotic; it's a reliable bread-and-butter beach with a jewfish bonus for the patient.

Fresh bait is the difference for mulloway — frozen squid won't earn a jewfish, so bring fresh whole squid or live mullet. Don't anchor to one gutter; if an hour passes without a touch, move to the next drain along. Scout the banks on a low tide in daylight before committing to a night session in the dark. Gear theft is a known issue at quiet beach access points, so don't leave rods and bags unattended while you walk the sand.

The Singleton Foreshore reserve off Foreshore Drive has a sealed car park, accessible toilets, barbecues, sheltered picnic tables and an inclusive playground close to the parking bays. A sealed pathway with a handrail runs from the car park to the beach, and 20 m of beach-access matting continues onto the sand — unusually good mobility access for a surf beach, though the soft sand out to the productive gutters is still a walk. There is no beach driving; access is walk-on from the foreshore only. Dogs are permitted, and the neighbouring Harmony Park has free exercise equipment. The foreshore is genuinely family-friendly, which is why the fishing gets better the further you walk from the playground.

West-facing open-coast beach exposed to SW swell, with none of the reef or sand-bar shelter that protects Madora Bay or Golden Bay either side. It fishes best in swell under about 2 m; bigger sets wash the gutters out and colour the water. A morning easterly land breeze holds the surface clean for the dawn window before the afternoon sea breeze comes in onshore. The banks and gutters reshape after every significant swell event, so the productive water moves through the year. Clarity is generally good and best on calm mornings after a settled spell.

The gutters and rips that hold fish are also the water that pulls swimmers off their feet — stay back from low, washed gutters in any sizeable swell. The foreshore beach draws swimmers and families through summer, so fish well clear of the busy central stretch in the warmer months. Stingrays cruise the gutters; shuffle your feet if you wade. Bluebottles blow in on summer northerlies. Night sessions here are dark and quiet, so tell someone your plans, carry a head torch, and fish with a companion rather than alone on an empty beach.

Mulloway and tailor are the main targets — mulloway after dark from about October to April, tailor in the gutters through summer. Herring, sand whiting and autumn Australian salmon round out the bread-and-butter fishing off the sand. It's a straightforward surf beach rather than a reef or estuary spot, so the catch is beach species rather than anything exotic.

Dawn and dusk on a moving tide are the prime windows for tailor, and after dark is when mulloway feed. The incoming tide fishes best across all species. Scout the beach at low tide first to find the gutters, then time your session around the light and the tide change.

Yes — Singleton has a genuine land-based mulloway shot, best from October into April at night. Fish the deepest gutter you can find with fresh whole squid or live mullet on a heavy running-sinker rig, and be patient, because jewfish don't rush the bait. The new and full moon phases are the most consistent.

Yes. The Singleton Foreshore reserve off Foreshore Drive has a sealed car park, accessible toilets, barbecues, picnic shelters and an inclusive playground. A sealed pathway with a handrail and beach-access matting make it one of the more accessible surf beaches on the southern metro coast.

No — Singleton is a walk-on suburban beach with no vehicle access. Park at the Singleton Foreshore car park off Foreshore Drive and walk onto the sand. For 4WD beach fishing you would need to head further south toward the Mandurah stretch.