Yacaaba Headland

Yacaaba is the steep rock headland on the Hawks Nest side of the Port Stephens entrance, where the harbour empties past a steep bushland-topped headland into open ocean. The deep, current-swept water inside the mouth is what makes it — bait gets funnelled through the entrance on every tide, and tailor, snapper and jewfish all hold tight to the rock to ambush it. One thing has to be settled before you walk in, though: the ocean-facing eastern side of the headland is the boundary of the Cabbage Tree Island Sanctuary Zone, which is no-take by any method, so the front ledges out on that side are closed to fishing. What is left is still the good half — the rock at the base where Bennetts Beach ends, the south-facing ledges over the entrance channel, and the harbour-side boulders — and it is a walk-in, foot-only spot, so those ledges are the ones most people aren't willing to carry gear to. The reward for the walk is a genuine big-fish headland with none of the breakwall crowds across the bay.

Locals fish the cluster of boulders at the base of the headland where Bennetts Beach runs out, and the south-facing ledges over the entrance channel, rather than scrambling for height or working round onto the ocean-facing eastern rock, which fronts the sanctuary zone. Jewfish sit at the base of the rock and under the ledge overhangs, and the start of the run-in tide into dusk and dark is the prime window — live yellowtail or a fresh squid head fished tight to the wash does the damage. Tailor and salmon are spun with metals and ganged pilchards through the white water at first and last light. When a southerly swell is pushing through, the boulders on the sheltered harbour side of the headland come into their own for bream and luderick on fish baits and weed.

Tailor are about most of the year and are the most reliable target, smashing metals in the wash at change of light. Mulloway are the headline fish — caught year-round but best worked from late summer into autumn on live bait around the run-in tide after dark. Snapper come on through the cooler months, May to September, and rock blackfish — black drummer, 30 cm minimum and a bag of 10 — hold along the lower wash all year for anyone fishing cunjevoi or bread. Australian salmon push through on the colder southerly months, and the inside boulders give up yellowfin bream year-round plus luderick on weed through autumn and winter.

The harbour-side boulders are the move when the open southern ledges are unfishable — a southerly swell that blows them out fires the sheltered bream and luderick fishing. Carry live bait in or catch yellowtail off the lower rocks before dark for the best jewfish shot. Mulloway are 70 cm minimum with a bag of one per person, plus a boat limit of two per boat per day when two or more are aboard, so a headland session is about one good fish. Zoning is the thing to get right here, and the generic advice to check a map is not enough: the Cabbage Tree Island Sanctuary Zone runs west to the headland's own shoreline along the whole ocean-facing eastern side, from the south-east corner at 32°42.082′S around the eastern point and north to the headland’s north-east corner. A sanctuary zone is no-take by any method, so every east-facing ledge on that stretch is closed to fishing, no matter what you are using. The rock at the base, the south-facing ledges below that south-east corner and the harbour-side shoreline all sit outside the zone in habitat protection and general use water, where land-based line fishing is fine — carry the zoning map or the FishSmart NSW app and know which side of the point you are on. The headland is also inside Myall Lakes National Park, so follow the NPWS signage on the way in. It is a long carry along soft sand, so go light: one rod, a bait bucket and a small backpack beat a full trolley you will regret by the headland. Fish the bottom half of the run-in into dark and you will have the structure to yourself once the day-walkers head home.

Park at the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club car park on Beach Road, Hawks Nest, then walk south along Bennetts Beach to the base of the headland — roughly 3km of soft sand, which is a serious carry with surf gear. Toilets, showers and a playground are at the surf club, and there is nothing at all at the headland itself. The summit walking track is steep, rocky and closed beyond a viewing point for safety, a NPWS closure in place since October 2024, but the fishing ledges sit at the base and are reached off the beach rather than up the track. The headland is inside Myall Lakes National Park, so NPWS rules apply on the walk in and on the rock. The sand walk and the boulder scramble rule it out for limited mobility, and it is not a spot for young kids — the calmer beach and the wharves at Hawks Nest suit families far better.

The headland sits right on the harbour mouth, so the open southern ledges over the entrance fish best in light winds and a swell under about 1.5m — anything bigger washes the low rock and shuts them down. A westerly or light offshore is the friend here, flattening the wash and letting you work the ledges safely. When a southerly swell rolls in, swing to the inside boulders, which stay sheltered and actually fish better for bream in those conditions. The run-in tide pulls bait through the mouth and is the most consistent feeding window across all species, with dawn and dusk the standout sessions.

This is an exposed ocean headland and demands respect — swell sets wash the lower ledges without warning, the rock is slick with weed and spray, and the deep water gives no easy exit if you go in. Watch any ledge for several minutes before committing, never turn your back on the sea, and never fish the front in a building swell or alone after dark. Cleated boots belong on everyone who steps onto this rock, and a lifejacket is strongly recommended on any swell-washed rock or wall here — adults AS 4758 level 50S or greater, under-12s level 100. The long sand walk in the dark, slippery boulders on the inside, and summer bluebottles on a northerly round out the list.

The open southern ledges over the entrance produce tailor, snapper, mulloway (jewfish) and rock blackfish (black drummer), while the sheltered boulders on the harbour side hold yellowfin bream and luderick. The ocean-facing eastern ledges are inside the Cabbage Tree Island Sanctuary Zone and closed to fishing by any method. Tailor are the most reliable target and are about most of the year, with the autumn and winter run the standout, and the headland has a genuine reputation for jewfish on live bait after dark — mulloway are 70cm minimum with a bag of 1 per person. A NSW Recreational Fishing Fee is required to fish anywhere in NSW, including off the rocks here.

Park at the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club car park on Beach Road, Hawks Nest, then walk about 3km south along Bennetts Beach to the base of the headland. The fishing ledges are at the base and are reached off the beach, not via the steep summit walking track, which has been closed beyond a viewing point since October 2024. Toilets and showers are at the surf club car park, and the headland itself is inside Myall Lakes National Park.

No. The Cabbage Tree Island Sanctuary Zone extends west from Cabbage Tree Island to the Yacaaba Head shoreline, and its western boundary is the headland's own ocean-facing rock — from the south-east corner at 32°42.082′S, around the eastern point, north to the headland’s north-east corner. Sanctuary zones are no-take by any method, so those east-facing ledges are closed to fishing full stop. Fish the boulders at the base where Bennetts Beach runs out, the south-facing ledges over the entrance channel below that corner, or the harbour-side shoreline, and check the Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park zoning map or the FishSmart NSW app if you are unsure which side of the point you are standing on.

Wear one. A lifejacket is strongly recommended on any swell-washed rock or wall here — adults AS 4758 level 50S or greater, under-12s level 100. The swell, the depth and the slick rock give no second chances on these ledges, so a lifejacket and cleated boots are standard kit for everyone who fishes them.

Jewfish hold at the base of the rock and under the ledge overhangs, and the start of the run-in tide into dusk and dark is the prime window. They're a year-round chance but peak from late summer into autumn. A live yellowtail or fresh squid head fished tight to the wash is the standout bait.

Swing to the boulders on the sheltered inside of the headland — a southerly swell that blows out the exposed southern ledges actually fires the bream and luderick fishing on the harbour side. If the whole headland is unworkable, the gutters along Bennetts Beach or the calm estuary at Moira Parade wharf are safer fallbacks.