Kingfisher Bay Jetty (K'gari)

Kingfisher Bay Jetty runs out from the beach at Kingfisher Bay Resort on the calm western side of K'gari, into the Great Sandy Strait. It is where the passenger ferry from River Heads lands, and between ferries it is one of the few structures on the island you can fish from. Bream and whiting work the sand under it, trevally and queenfish hunt the edge of the drop-off, and the sunset over the strait is free. The dingoes, sadly, are also interested in your catch.

Fish the run-in and the top of the tide, when there is the most water under the jetty. Drop baits beside the pylons for bream, and cast small baits onto the sand off the sides for whiting. Throw metal slugs or small poppers along the drop-off at dawn and dusk for trevally and queenfish. Flathead sit on the sand edges as the tide drops. Keep your gear tidy and your bait bag closed.

Yellowfin bream are 25 cm (combined possession 30) and sand whiting 23 cm (combined 30); trumpeter (winter) whiting have no size limit and a possession limit of 50. Trevally have no size limit but a combined possession of 20, and queenfish are 50 cm (5). Dusky flathead are 40–75 cm (5).

The water off the jetty is the Great Sandy Strait conservation park (yellow) zone or right beside it — fish to its limit the whole time: max 2 rods or handlines and 2 hooks in total per person. On K'gari it is an offence to feed or make food available to a dingo (wongari), including leaving fish scraps unburied: keep bait and fish in sealed containers or bags, not beach buckets, and bury fish remains at least 50 cm deep just below the high tide mark when no dingoes are around. Fish cleaning is banned in camping areas, and all freshwater fish on K'gari are protected — no fishing in the lakes and streams.

Reach Kingfisher Bay by the passenger or vehicle ferry from River Heads, about a 50-minute crossing. The jetty is at the resort, a short walk from the accommodation and day-visitor facilities. A QPWS vehicle access permit is needed to drive on K'gari. This is a working ferry jetty: stay well clear of the ferry berth and lines when a vessel is arriving or leaving, and follow any resort or ferry signage.

The western side of K'gari is sheltered from the ocean swell and the south-easterly trade winds, so the jetty is fishable on days when the eastern beach is blown out. Tides through the strait are big and the run past the jetty is strongest mid-tide. Westerly winds put chop straight onto it.

Dingoes (wongari) are wild and can be dangerous — stay within arm's reach of children, never feed them, and carry a stick when walking outside fenced areas. Marine stingers, including Irukandji, are a risk in K'gari waters, especially November to May; QPWS also posts crocodile warnings for the island, so read the current K'gari conditions report before you go. Watch for ferry wash and mooring lines on the jetty.

Yes, between ferry arrivals and departures. Keep clear of the ferry berth, and follow the K'gari dingo-safe rules for bait and fish.

Keep them in a sealed container, then bury them at least 50 cm deep just below the high tide mark when no dingoes are around. Leaving fish scraps unburied where dingoes can get them can bring a fine.

No. All freshwater fish on K'gari are protected, and fishing or collecting bait in the lakes and streams is not allowed.