McLoughlins Beach Jetty

McLoughlins Beach Jetty sits on the channel behind the western end of Ninety Mile Beach, in the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park where recreational fishing is allowed. In July 2025 the 1985 jetty was replaced with a wider, safer, more accessible one built from fibre-reinforced polymer, with extra room on the jetty head. It is a quiet spot — a small settlement, a boat ramp and a footbridge across to the ocean beach — and that pairing is the appeal: whiting, squid and flathead in the sheltered channel, and salmon and the odd kingfish in the surf a short walk away. The old jetty retired after forty years; the whiting barely noticed the changeover.

From the jetty, fish the channel on a moving tide. A light running sinker rig with pipi, mussel or squid strip on a small long-shank hook is the whiting approach, cast toward the seagrass edges. Flathead take soft plastics hopped along the channel bottom or a pilchard strip on the drift. Squid are worth a jig over the weed at dawn and dusk. For the surf, cross the footbridge near the boat ramp to Ninety Mile Beach and fish the gutters with metal lures or a paternoster rig for salmon; surf anglers casting lures here also hook the occasional large yellowtail kingfish.

King George whiting, squid and flathead are the channel species most associated with McLoughlins Beach. Australian salmon are the main surf fish on the ocean side, more numerous in the cooler months, and big kingfish are an occasional surf prize for lure anglers. Victorian limits: King George whiting 27 cm and 20 a day; squid combined 10; flathead 27 cm with a combined 20; salmon 21 cm, 20 combined with herring; kingfish 60 cm and two a day.

Fish the run-in tide in the channel; the surrounding inlets are shallow and much of the fishing depends on water moving over the seagrass. The jetty is shared with boaters using the channel, so keep lines clear of boats coming alongside. Take everything you need — McLoughlins Beach is small, with few services, and the nearest bait is a long way back up the road.

McLoughlins Beach is a small settlement east of Port Albert. The jetty and boat ramp have parking nearby, and the rebuilt jetty was designed to be more accessible, with a wider deck and handrails. The footbridge near the boat ramp gives walking access across to Ninety Mile Beach. There is a playground near the foreshore. Facilities in the settlement are limited, so bring food and water. There are no fees.

The channel is sheltered from ocean swell but not from wind, and a hard blow shifts water levels and tidal flow across Nooramunga by more than the tide tables admit. Light winds and a moving tide are best on the jetty. On the surf side, a moderate swell and light northerly winds suit salmon fishing; a big south-easterly swell closes the beach out.

The channel is tidal and runs strongly at times — supervise children at the jetty edge and do not climb on handrails. Keep clear of boats using the jetty and ramp. Gippsland Ports has issued warnings about the McLoughlins ocean entrance, including debris hazards and bar-crossing warnings; the entrance is not a place for kayaks or small craft without local knowledge. On Ninety Mile Beach, the surf is exposed with rips and no patrol — stay out of the water and wear a lifejacket that meets AS 4758 (Level 50S or greater) if fishing off any rock or structure in rough conditions.

Yes. The rebuilt jetty opened in July 2025, replacing the 1985 jetty with a wider, safer and more accessible fibre-reinforced polymer structure.

The jetty and channel are known for King George whiting, squid and flathead. Across the footbridge on Ninety Mile Beach, surf anglers catch Australian salmon and occasionally large yellowtail kingfish on lures.

Yes. A footbridge near the boat ramp gives walking access across to Ninety Mile Beach, where salmon are the main surf species. The beach is not patrolled and has rips, so stay out of the water.

The jetty is in the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park, where recreational fishing is allowed. All fishing is banned in Victoria's marine national parks, such as Corner Inlet Marine National Park to the west — check the VFA's app if you fish elsewhere in the area.