Fishing Spots From Yamba to Kalbarri
A few days beside the water, somewhere comfortable to park the van and time to find out what’s biting. That’s a good fishing holiday.
You don’t necessarily need a boat, expensive gear or a freezer full of bait. Some of Australia’s most appealing fishing destinations have jetties, beaches and riverbanks you can explore from a caravan park nearby. Others offer the chance to book a guide and try something you’ve always wanted to catch.
Before heading off, make sure to check fishing licences or permits, size and bag limits, seasonal closures and protected zones for each destination. Rules can change between neighbouring waterways, as well as between states. When booking your RV site, ask about room for any boat or trailer you’re bringing, nearby ramps and fish-cleaning facilities. Keep legal catches cold, dispose of scraps as directed and leave fishing spots free of line, hooks and bait packaging.
Then give yourself a few days. Having time to learn a place, talk to locals and return to a promising spot is part of the appeal of taking the RV fishing.
Yamba, NSW: Settle in beside the Clarence
At the mouth of the Clarence River, Yamba gives anglers plenty of choice. Spend a few hours fishing the estuary, try the beach when conditions suit or book an offshore charter. You can build your stay around fishing without spending every day doing the same thing.
For visitors, the local tackle shop is a useful first stop. Ask about accessible shore locations, tides and bait before heading out. Conditions change and local knowledge can save you a lot of guesswork.
Fishing Haven Holiday Park, at Palmers Island, is well suited to RVers who want the river close by. It offers powered and unpowered RV sites beside the Clarence, three guest jetties, a camp kitchen and barbecue facilities. It’s also a handy base for exploring Yamba. Spend a morning fishing, then head into town for lunch or visit the beaches and coastal walks around Angourie. Offshore charters are available if you’d like to get out on the ocean without bringing your own boat.
Lakes Entrance, Victoria: A different spot each day
Lakes Entrance is a good place to stay for a while. With the Gippsland Lakes on one side and Ninety Mile Beach on the other, you have several fishing options without needing to move the RV.
Black bream are a major attraction in the lakes, alongside flathead and other estuary species. For shore anglers, Kalimna Jetty, just west of town, is one spot where you’ll get bream, luderick and flathead. Experienced surf anglers can also try Ninety Mile Beach when conditions are suitable.
NRMA Eastern Beach Holiday Park offers powered, unpowered and ensuite RV sites. Set up once and head out for fishing outings and day trips around the district. And if you’re after fresh seafood, you don’t have to catch it yourself. Lakes Entrance is a fishing town, with plenty of reasons to leave the cooking to someone else for a night.
Coffin Bay, SA: Whiting, waterways and a walk to the jetty
If you’re touring the Eyre Peninsula with fishing gear aboard, Coffin Bay deserves more than a quick stop. Its bays, channels, beaches and town jetty offer a range of fishing opportunities. King George whiting are a drawcard, with salmon, flathead and other species also found in the district. Where you fish will depend on your equipment, experience and the conditions, so ask locally before choosing a spot.
If you’re looking to stay somewhere close, look no further than Discovery Parks – Coffin Bay. It’s a base within walking distance of the jetty, beach and local shops. That’s useful if you’d rather spend your stay exploring than getting in and out of the car.
Away from the water, make time for Coffin Bay’s oysters and a visit to the national park. Leave the RV at camp and check which roads suit your vehicle before heading in; access varies across the park.
Lake Awoonga, Qld: Make time for barra
Lake Awoonga near Gladstone is worth considering if catching a barramundi is high on your list. The freshwater lake is regularly stocked with barra and offers a different fishing experience from the coastal destinations here. It’s somewhere to spend a few days getting familiar with the water rather than expecting to arrive, cast once and head home with a photograph.
If you’re new to impoundment fishing, consider booking a local guide. It can be a useful way to learn about the lake, particularly if you don’t have a boat. Shore anglers should ask about suitable access and how current water levels affect their options.
Lake Awoonga Caravan Park offers powered and unpowered sites, camp kitchens and amenities. The park sits above the lake, rather than directly on the shoreline, and the main boat ramp is around 2.5 kilometres away. There are walking trails, lookouts, picnic areas and birdwatching opportunities between fishing sessions, so the stop has plenty to offer anyone travelling with you who doesn’t fish.
The Gladstone Area Water Board advises that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is not required at Lake Awoonga. Size and possession limits still apply, including seasonal rules for barramundi. Check its fishing information and current lake notices before visiting.
Kalbarri, WA: Bring the beach rods
Kalbarri is a worthwhile shore-fishing stop on a west coast RV trip, with the Murchison River mouth and Indian Ocean beaches close to town. Tailor and mulloway are among the species anglers pursue here. Wind, swell and tides will influence where you can fish comfortably, so get advice about suitable river and beach access before setting out. There’s no need to venture onto exposed rocks to enjoy a session.
Allow a few days to explore as well as fish. The coastal lookouts and Kalbarri National Park’s Skywalk are worth an outing with the rods left at camp. Plan around the heat and carry plenty of water.
Kalbarri Anchorage Caravan Park offers powered and unpowered sites in town. Include any drawbar or towed vehicle when supplying your RV’s length at booking, so the park can allocate a suitable site.
Know the rules before you cast
Fishing rules can change between states and neighbouring waterways. Before heading out, check licence or permit requirements, size and bag limits, seasonal closures and protected zones for the exact location you plan to fish.
For these destinations, start here:
- Yamba: The Clarence recreational fishing guide covers local restrictions. Confirm whether you need to pay the NSW recreational fishing fee.
- Lakes Entrance: Check the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s Gippsland Lakes information, current species limits and recreational fishing licence requirements.
- Coffin Bay: Read PIRSA’s current fishing rules and closures and check marine park zoning, as protected areas restrict where you can fish.
- Lake Awoonga: The Gladstone Area Water Board advises that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is not required. Size and possession limits still apply, including seasonal rules for barramundi. Check its fishing information and current lake notices.
- Kalbarri: At the time of writing, boat-based recreational fishing for demersal scalefish in WA’s West Coast bioregion remains closed until spring 2027. Check the current West Coast fishing rules before organising a trip.
