Great Sandy Strait, QLDof international importance and the
creek’s upper reaches are a Declared
Fish Habitat Area, where restrictions on
fishing apply to encourage sustainable
use. Anglers should be aware of these
and other fisheries’ regulations.
TINNANBAR TO
MAAROOM
Immediately north of Kauri Creek, the
secluded settlement of Tinnanbar lies
on the mainland shore of Shark Inlet.
Tinnanbar is the first in a series of
delightfully quaint fishing villages on
the western shore of the strait, followed
by Poona, Tuan, Boonooroo and
Maaroom.
Each of the villages has a small
resident population that is joined on
a regular basis by tourists towing vans
and tinnies in search of the relaxed
lifestyle and excellent fishing. Local
facilities include bowls clubs, golf
courses, tennis courts, bikes for hire
and playgrounds for the kids. There are
also plenty of accommodation options
to suit all budgets, including friendly
caravan parks with loads of amenities
at Maaroom, Boonooroo and Poona.
Tinnanbar has a good boat ramp
that is sheltered from prevailing
winds, there are several creeks close
by and good access to offshore fishing
grounds with water depths up to 27m.
The Poona Palms Caravan Park has a
convenience store and sits adjacent
to the boat ramp and a park complete
with barbecues and public toilets.
North of Poona, the twin gems of
Boonooroo and Tuan offer a range of
general services, including boat ramps
at Tuan Creek and Boonooroo Point.
Finally, the tiny village of Maaroom
sits on a point overlooking the strait
from a picturesque park next to an
all-weather boat ramp and floating
pontoon with tidal access for fishing.
At low tide, Maaroom Creek contains
minimum navigable water with
exposed shoals and is recommended
for small craft only, operating at slow
speed.BROWN’S GUTTER TO
GARRY’S ANCHORAGE
On the other side of the strait,
beginning opposite the entrance to
Kauri Creek, the western side of Fraser
Island is dotted with several places of
interest.
The first is Brown’s Gutter, a popular
anchorage close to the island duringsouth-easterly winds, but with a barred
entrance and suitability for deep keels
only on a rising tide. North of Brown’s
is Snout Point, well known to yachties
for some good camping spots and
lovely white sand beaches. Next, Fig
Tree Creek is a beautifully hospitable
location being slightly more open to
the breeze, with abundant birdlife and
small armies of soldier and fiddler
crabs marching across the mudflats at
low tide.
At the end of this stretch of water,
near red navigational marker S36,
the main channel continues up the
strait and the right arm enters Garry’s
Anchorage, tucked in between Fraser
and Stewart islands. This is one of the
most popular anchorages in the strait
for its sheltered, deep-water location,
pleasant beach and national park
campsite ashore.
Proceeding north from Garry’s is a
little tricky and it’s crucial to navigate
the extensive shoal area on a rising tide
which, below Boonlye Point, floods to
the north. The channel between the
brace of islands and Boonlye Point is
well marked with lit lateral beacons,
but it’s not uncommon for keel yachts
to touch the soft, sandy bottom here.tradeboats.com.au 45