Fraser Island: Trailerboat Travel Destinations

We were sighting fish in the shallows all the way to our camp, but what happened next took me a moment to process. Barely 100 metres ahead I spot what looks like half a dozen dark slender shapes snaking along at speed behind a showering school of baitfish.

As I came off the plane and started stalking the commotion ahead, I realised we were witnessing our first school of baby black marlin on the flats.

This fishery is now world famous and the Holy Grail is to present a saltwater fly to these shallow-water marlin, although most are caught and released by more conventional methods such as trolling skirt lures or casting soft plastics.

I had my Stradic 5000 spin outfit loaded with 20lb braid and a lure ready to go. I presented the perfect cast. Unfortunately, the baby billfish were not interested that day and shied away, quickly slipping over the drop off into deeper water.

But at that moment, my two boys and I looked at each other wide eyed and I think we all said at once: "Wow! We're hooked on Fraser!"

As you can see from the photos accompanying this destination piece, we've been back to Fraser Island a few times — seven, in fact — with other trailerboat families and friends in tow.

Now here's what you need to know for a great trailerboat camping and fishing holiday at this terrific Fraser Island destination.

DESTINATION WATHUMBA CREEK, FRASER ISLAND
- Hervey Bay is a renowned trailerboat destination
Let's be up front here. This trailerboat trip isn’t for the faint hearted! Although Hervey Bay is a renowned trailerboat destination, the distances travelled to the northern area are vast, its relatively remote meaning you need to be totally self-sufficient if camping onboard, and if the weather gods don’t play their part you will be punished.

But no pain, no gain, as they say. And when it all comes together, it’s surely one of the great trailerboat adventures in Australia. Hervey Bay is a massive bay, encompassing the calmer waters of The Great Sandy Straits to the south, through to the more open and exposed waters of Platypus Bay to the northern.

Located approximately 3.5 hours drive north of Brisbane is our launch ramp of choice at Urangan Boat Harbour. There are two quality three lane ramps here and plenty of car parking, a sure indication of just how popular the area is with trailerboaters.

We have left our car and trailer here for four days with no issues as far as theft (just don’t park under the light pole like I did – it’s clearly the Pelican's toilet!). But there are stories of trailers going missing, so it could pay to use the adjacent caravan park or nearby secured trailer parking facility.

From the harbour you can see Fraser Island just 6nm away. The passage around the north of Big Woody Island and across to Moon Point is well marked, but don’t take any short cuts as this is rock and coral territory.

Even on a 20-25 knot SE day, with an incoming tide against the wind, the crossing is reasonably okay in a trailerboat. Better to time it with an ebb tide to improve conditions and best practice is to log on with VMR Hervey Bay.

From Moon Point heading north you’ll soon get a feel for how vast the distances are up this way. It's 20nm to Wathumba Creek, our choice of anchorage, and a further 11nm to Rooney Point where the fishing is famous.

THE WEATHER AT FRASER
- The ideal wind direction is anything easterly
While the best wind is an easterly, nor’easters and sou’easters are good as long as it doesn’t get much over 15 knots.

But be warned, anything from the south, sou’west right around to nor’nor’west, and above 10 knots, becomes very uncomfortable in a trailerboat.

Looking at a chart of the area will quickly confirm just how exposed the western shore of the island is to these winds. Although not as powerful as ocean swells, the resulting wind winds are large enough to turn the entrance of Wathumba Creek into a quasi coastal bar, with breakers all the way across.

You’ll notice on a chart of the area the horseshoe shape of the shoreline. This creates more favourable conditions either at the northern end or southern end depending on the wind direction.

For example, when running north in a northerly wind you can have a rough passage, but once you get far enough north, you start to get the protection of the hook in the bay as it comes around towards Rooney Point.

Rooney Point is surprisingly calm in a northerly, however as soon as it gets a hint of nor’west the swell starts to wrap around the corner and it’s time to run for cover.

THE ANCHORAGE
- Trailerboat camping at the top of Fraser
Trailerboats sometimes anchor overnight in the protection of Rooney Point in nor’easters, but with easterlies just about anywhere close to shore is reasonably comfortable.

However, be aware that it’s not uncommon for a sou’westerly to spring up during the evening with the land-breeze (convection) effect. So we find the calm, safe waters of Wathumba Creek our ‘go to’ anchorage.

Wathumba Creek is approximately 25nm north of Urangan Harbour and 12nm south of Rooney Point. To enter for the first time, I’d recommended at least half a making tide, good sunlight if possible, and do lay a track on your plotter screen for next time.

Be aware that during the last hour or two before low tide the water is stained from the mangrove tannins to the colour of tea, making it near impossible to spot the sandy bottom and sunken logs.

There is a small shallow channel but it does some alarming ‘S’ bends and doesn’t flow the way you might expect. My advice is look at Google Earth to get a handle on it — of course, it has changed slightly every year I have been there but overall that will help.

At dead-low tide, the entrance channel is no more than knee deep at best, so expect to be land locked inside or outside for that couple of hours. The anchorage itself is behind the northern bank of the entrance. There is a gutter about 2m deep, maybe 150m long and 20m wide, at low tide.

But be warned, the tides are around 3m and once the vast sandflats are dry this gutter becomes a fast flowing drain. I’ve seen boats drag anchor and head towards the mouth at almost a running pace!

THE FISHING
- Fishing can be hit and miss, but also red hot
Our winter trips are probably the slowest for fishing and we are often confined to the creek given the prevalent westerlies. However, in the summer months, Hervey Bay can be alive with busting schools under birds — Spotty mackerel, Longtail tuna, Mac tuna, and more are on offer.

What has recently put this area on the world map are the small black marlin that can be caught on the sand flats from Wathumba Creek north to Rooney Point. Being a third-generation marlin fisherman, I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself!

It’s not as easy as you might have read about, but I have now seen a few caught and released sight fishing on saltwater fly and soft plastics in chest-deep water. We have caught a few trolling along the drop off using a traditional spread of skirt lures. It’s the craziest feeling trolling in shallow green water when you are targeting marlin!

There are also Queenfish, cobia and Spanish mackerel all in the same area when it’s working.

FUEL AND PROVISIONS
- Plan ahead, take spare fuel and food, as the runs are long
When fishing, the distances when travelling north to Rooney Point from Wathumba Creek daily can really add up. To give you an example, on a 4-5 day trip you need to plan on 240nm+, so we carry plenty of extra fuel in quality Jerry cans.

There are no shops of course so you need to take absolutely everything and it might be best to not rely on catching fish for dinner either. And it goes without saying you need to take all your garbage back out.

AND ANOTHER THING
- Camping permits, phone coverage and VMR
You’ll need to book camping permits if intending to sleep ashore, phone coverage is patchy but climb a sandhill if need be for weather updates, etc, and call VMR Hervey Bay. You may as well become a member, as this could save you a small fortune if you require towing home. They also have an option for locking your car and trailer in a secure area while you’re away.

A WORD OF WARNING
- Creatures and critters that bite
I don’t want to sound alarmist but you really should be aware of the things that can go wrong as you are a long way from help. Google “recent Irukandji incidents at Fraser Island” and think about that.

Unfortunately, the last few years has seen four or five incidents in Wathumba Creek or nearby that required airlifts and hospitalisation. It’s a cruel thing, because the incoming water is so crystal clear and lovely for swimming. We still swim in the summer months, but now we wear long-sleeve rashies – it’s a risk still!

There are also lots of stingrays in the creek and I know a couple of people who have independently witnessed 6ft-plus Bull Sharks swimming right up into the mangrove system on high tide, presumably to eat the stingrays.

I should also mention the Dingoes if you have young kids with you. Keep an eye on them at all times. If all that’s not enough to scare you off, there are currently two crocodiles in the Mary River and that isn’t too far away to the south!

THE WRAP OF WATHUMBA CREEK
- There are challenges, but there are big rewards
Wathumba Creek isn’t for everyone. There are sandflies that threaten to eat you alive, navigating the creek and being at the mercy of the tides can be challenging, the fishing can be very hit and miss, plus there are lots of things that might sting or eat you.

But for me, the remoteness, beauty and adventure of Wathumba Creek is what makes it well worth the effort. Check out some of my photos and you’ll see why we keep returning!

Happy and safe boating.
Peter Jenyns