Wyndham / Cambridge Gulf (Five Rivers)

Wyndham is the far East Kimberley port at the head of Cambridge Gulf, around 100km north of Kununurra by sealed road and roughly 33 hours of driving from Perth — most anglers fly into Kununurra and hire a 4WD. Five major rivers — the Ord, Forrest, King, Pentecost and Durack — empty into Cambridge Gulf, and the gulf itself runs some of the largest tides in Australia at 8–9 metres on the springs. The headline targets are wild saltwater barramundi and king threadfin, with mangrove jack, queenfish and trevally rounding out the local mix. Where Kununurra is the freshwater-and-Lake-Argyle fishery, Wyndham is the wild saltwater complement at the gulf head.

Anthon's Landing — the Wyndham Port jetty — fishes for barramundi, mangrove jack, threadfin salmon, fingermark, jewfish and the occasional cod, with the run-out tide either side of the change being prime. Heavy baitcasters with hardbody lures and live mullet around the pylons; barra take the live baits, jacks the hardbodies tight to the structure. King River Road runs 20km out of town to grassy bank-fishing spots on the lower King for barra and threadfin from the shore. Cambridge Gulf bommies and the wider mouth open up to spin and trolling for queenfish, giant trevally, Spanish mackerel and spangled emperor — all boat-based, all dependent on settled tides because of the tidal flow. Five Rivers Lookout on the Bastion Range gives the visual map of the system before you commit a tinnie.

Saltwater barramundi and king threadfin salmon are the prized headline targets at Anthon's Landing and on the lower King and Ord, with the run-out tide either side of the change being prime. Mangrove jack from the jetty pylons and creek snags. Queenfish and giant trevally from the gulf and river mouths year-round. Spanish mackerel and spangled emperor from the bigger gulf and offshore reef in the dry.

Treat every body of water as croc habitat — every tidal creek, the gulf, the river mouths, the jetty fringes. Big saltwater crocs are common and fatal attacks have occurred in the broader gulf system. Don't clean fish at the water's edge, don't dangle hands or feet, don't camp closer than 50 metres from the bank, don't wade. The 8–9 metre tides shift the system enormously between high and low — local knowledge or a guide is the safe way in if you don't know the gulf, particularly in a small boat. Mobile coverage drops outside town.

Sealed road from Kununurra via the Great Northern Highway, around 100km, 90 minutes to two hours. From Perth the drive is around 33 hours via the Great Northern Highway — flying into Kununurra and hiring a 4WD is the realistic option. Wyndham township has fuel, an IGA, a hospital, a tavern and limited tackle. Anthon's Landing sits at the port with sealed access and toilets; the jetty is open for public fishing. The Wyndham boat ramp gives access to the gulf but tides dictate launches. King River Road is sealed for the first stretch then gravel and runs 20km out of town. Five Rivers Lookout on the Bastion Range has a sealed access road and is signposted from the highway.

The fishery runs on a wet/dry cycle, not a tide cycle in the sense of west-coast spots. The dry season (May–October) is the trip window — clear roads, calm conditions, manageable heat and a working barra fishery. The wet (November–April) brings cyclones, road closures, dangerous heat and reduced access. Cambridge Gulf tides run 8–9 metres on the springs and the system fishes hardest two hours either side of the turn — slack water is dead, peak run is unworkable in a small boat. Mid-dry mornings can drop into single digits inland but days run 30–35 degrees. The gulf gets muddy after big tides; bait push concentrates on the cleaner edges.

Saltwater crocodiles are the dominant hazard and the situation is genuinely serious. Big crocs inhabit every tidal water around Wyndham — the gulf, the rivers, the creek mouths, the fringes around Anthon's Landing — and fatal attacks have occurred in the broader gulf system. Don't wade, don't swim, don't clean fish at the water's edge, don't sleep near the bank, don't dangle anything off the jetty edge while landing fish. The 8–9 metre tides amplify every other risk: a tinnie left on the wrong side of the change is on mud for hours, and getting back to a ramp through the run is hard work. The remoteness compounds the rest — heat is severe, mobile coverage drops fast outside town, and the nearest major hospital is in Darwin. Carry a satellite communicator, water and recovery gear. North Coast Bioregion bag limits and any closures should be verified with DPIRD before each trip.

Genuinely dangerous. Saltwater crocs inhabit every tidal water around Wyndham — the gulf, the five rivers, the creek mouths and the fringes around Anthon's Landing — and fatal attacks have occurred in the broader Cambridge Gulf system. Don't wade, don't swim, don't clean fish at the bank, don't camp within 50 metres of the water and don't dangle anything off the jetty edge while landing fish. Hire a guide for the rivers if you don't know the system.

Yes — the Wyndham Port jetty, officially named Anthon's Landing and opened in 2012, is a recognised land-based barra spot along with threadfin salmon, mangrove jack, fingermark and jewfish. The run-out tide either side of the change is prime. Heavy baitcasters with hardbodies, soft plastics or live mullet tight to the pylons is the standard approach. Barramundi are the headline target on the jetty itself.

Among the largest in Australia — 8–9 metres on a spring tide. The system fishes hardest two hours either side of the turn; the peak run is unworkable in a small boat and slack water is dead. The Five Rivers Lookout on the Bastion Range gives the best visual map of the system before you commit a tinnie.

Only if you have time and gear — the road trip is around 33 hours each way via the Great Northern Highway, longer with stops, and the wet season closes much of it from December through March. Most anglers fly into Kununurra and hire a 4WD for the 90-minute run north to Wyndham. The fishery is genuinely distinct from anything south of the Pilbara, but it is not a casual weekend destination.