Tuross Head (One Tree Point)

Tuross Head — the 15 m point locals also call One Tree Point, after the lone Norfolk Island pine on top — is the rocky knuckle at the south-east corner of the village, where One Tree Beach ends and the Tuross River meets the sea. It forms the northern entrance to Tuross Lake, which is why it fishes: the point sees ocean wash on one side and the river's outflow on the other. That puts salmon and tailor in the whitewater, drummer and luderick on the ledges, and the chance of a mulloway hunting the entrance after dark. It sits in the Tuross–Coila habitat protection zone of Batemans Marine Park, where line fishing is allowed, with the general use zone starting a short cast offshore.

Work the wash on the ocean side of the point at first and last light with a ganged pilchard or a 30–40g metal slice for salmon and tailor, keeping the bait moving through the whitewater. Drummer and bream sit in the gutters right at your feet — a short, strong rod, a small ball sinker straight onto a 1/0–2/0 hook and peeled prawn, bread or cabbage weed fished close in. Luderick take green weed or cabbage under a float along the sheltered edges. When the entrance is open and running out after dark, a fresh squid or a slab of fresh fish soaked toward the entrance is the mulloway chance. Cunjevoi is out as bait here — collecting it is banned in every habitat protection zone of the park — so bring your own.

Australian salmon have no minimum size in NSW and a bag of 5, and tailor are 30 cm with a bag of 10. Rock blackfish (black drummer) are 30 cm with a bag of 10 — not to be confused with blue drummer, which are release-only. Luderick are 27 cm with a bag of 10, yellowfin bream 25 cm on a bag of 10 shared with tarwhine, and mulloway 70 cm with a bag of one per person. Eastern blue groper can't be taken by any method in NSW until the end of February 2028 — release any you hook. Octopus cannot be taken from any ocean rock platform.

Fish the point on a falling or low tide in a small swell, when the ledges are dry and the wash is white rather than green. Berley of bread and chopped weed brings drummer and luderick up into range, and a short trace keeps them out of the cracks. The ocean side and the river side fish differently, so if one face is too rough the other may still be workable. Check whether the Tuross entrance is open before planning a mulloway session — the bar shoals and has at times closed completely, and a closed mouth takes the river flow out of the equation.

Park in the car park off Tuross Boulevard above One Tree Beach and walk down the short track to the beach and out onto the point. The ledges are natural rock with no rails or steps, so this is a spot for sure-footed anglers rather than young children. The village shops, toilets and the Tuross Head foreshore are a short walk away.

The point is exposed to swell from the south-east round to the north-east so a swell much over a metre makes the lower ledges unfishable. Westerly winds flatten the sea and are the classic winter rock fishing weather here, while a north-easter blows straight in. The falling tide is the safer and more productive time on the ledges, and the run-out through an open entrance switches the river side on. Big rain floods the Tuross and pushes dirty water and bait out past the point, which can fire the salmon and tailor.

This is ocean rock with a river mouth on one side, and both can kill. Check the swell forecast, never turn your back on the sea, watch it for at least ten minutes before stepping down, and get off the lower ledges if the swell or tide is rising. Eurobodalla is not on the NSW declared rock fishing list, but a lifejacket is strongly recommended here, along with cleated shoes and light clothing you can swim in. Never fish the ledges alone; if you are washed in, swim away from the rocks, float, signal and have your mate call 000, and know your retreat before you cast. The Tuross bar is unsafe and the river runs hard through an open entrance, so do not wade or swim the mouth. One Tree Beach also has sharks, bluebottles and rips.

Tuross Head itself — the point at the south end of One Tree Beach, also called One Tree Point — is the main option, fishing the ocean wash and the Tuross entrance for salmon, tailor, drummer and luderick. It is in a habitat protection zone of Batemans Marine Park, where line fishing is allowed but cunjevoi cannot be collected.

Eurobodalla is not one of the ten council areas declared under the NSW rock fishing lifejacket law, but a lifejacket is still strongly recommended on any ocean rock. The point faces open swell and the river entrance, and the adjoining beach is rated moderately hazardous.

It varies. The front of the lake has become very shallow, the entrance has at times closed completely, and the bar is generally unsafe for boats. Check it on arrival — an open entrance with water running out is what brings mulloway and bait to the point.

Salmon and tailor in the cooler months, drummer and bream all year, and luderick on green weed all year, with mulloway a chance at the entrance on warm nights. Eastern blue groper can't be taken by any method in NSW until the end of February 2028 — release any you hook.