Curtin Artificial Reef is Moreton Bay’s biggest artificial reef in terms of the sheer number and size of components.

The reef is north of Cowan Cowan on the west side of Moreton Island in depths ranging from 16m to 27m.

The site was created in 1968 by the Underwater Research Group of Queensland, whose members have sunk vessels, cars, tires and pontoons over several decades.

The reef is a “junk reef”, meaning it is not made from purpose-built components.

The first wreck sunk was the Amsterdam barge in 1968, and the last installed was the Hustler in 1998.

The largest wreck is the 50m coal barge Bremer.

The smallest wreck is the concrete 10mk yacht Solace.

Other wrecks include two whale chasers from the former Tangalooma whaling station on Moreton Island.

A total of 32 ships, car bodies, buoys, concrete pipes and tyres were installed.

While there are many structures to fish, this site gets very busy on weekends.

Strong currents flow through this area and heavy sinkers are required.

Anchoring off the wrecks on sand and dropping baits back can work well the tide is flowing.

The turn of the tide and night are the best times to fish.

Curtin Artificial Reef Fish Species

This site attracts a huge range of fish, including large rays, sharks and groper.

Boaters can expect kingfish, cobia, trevally, pink snapper, tricky snapper (“grassies”), bream, flathead and spotted, school and spanish mackerel.

Barracuda school on the wreck, and wobbegong and leopard sharks are often present, as well as passing whaler, hammerhead, bull and tiger sharks.

Curtin Artificial Reef Fish Species GPS Marks

The reef is marked with buoys and the components are spread in a rough north-south direction.

The site is at WGS84 mark 27 06.700S 153 21.780E.

Sound around and mark the various lumps before picking a spot to fish.

This reef was created by divers and is still popular with divers, so take care when dive boats are using the site.

North Stradbroke Island Artificial Reef is 1.5km north of Adder Rock Camping Ground on North Stradbroke Island.

The reef consists of 38 reef modules deployed in five clusters.

It was built in 2018, covering an area of 30ha in waters about 12m deep.

This site is quite protected from southerly winds, but is exposed to easterly and northerly winds.

North Stradbroke Island Artificial Reef Fish Species

This reef produces pink snapper, tricky snapper (“grassies”), trevally, cod, flathead and squid, with mackerel in season and occasional yellowtail kingfish and cobia.

North Stradbroke Island Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Reef modules

27 24.598S 153 30.318E
27 24.546S 153 30.387E
27 24.567S 153 30.428E
27 24.598S 153 30.528E
27 24.653S 153 30.404E

Scarborough (Turner) Artificial Reef is a shallow site 1.6km east of Redcliffe Peninsula’s Scarborough.

The reef area includes six clusters of 17 concrete modules.

The site is in just 6m of water, making it Moreton Bay’s shallowest artificial reef.

Because it is shallow and the water is often clear, the fish can be easily spooked.

This reef is best fished at night on big tides during the week, when boating traffic is less.

Turner Artificial Reef Fish Species

Like much of the shallow rocky reef off Redcliffe Peninsula, this reef produces pink snapper, bream, cod, flathead and squid, with school mackerel in season.

During daylight hours you must fish with fine tackle and fresh bait to catch fish.

Turner Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Small concrete modules

27 11.660S 153 07.804E
27 11.705S 153 07.732E
27 11.703S 153 07.813E
27 11.834S 153 07.724E
27 11.851S 153 07.783E
27 11.887S 153 07.747E

South Stradbroke Artificial Reef is east of South Stradbroke Island, 3km north of the Gold Coast seaway.

The reef consists of four clusters of large concrete modules called “fish boxes” over a 208ha area, at an average depth of 22m.

This reef produces pelagic and reef fish, including large mackerel, cobia and mulloway, as well as snapper, flathead, cod and more.

South Stradbroke Artificial Reef Fish Species

Trevally, mackerel, kingfish and cobia are the main catch, but other species show up as the modules attract bait schools.

Snapper, cod and flathead are also caught around the structures, but most boaters chase bottom fish on the deeper natural reefs in the region.

South Stradbroke Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Fish box clusters

27 52.416S 153 27.334E
27 52.784S 153 27.316E
27 53.141S 153 27.400E
27 53.279S 153 27.588E

North Moreton Artificial Reef is a shallow site located north of Moreton Island.

The reef was designed mainly to attract pelagic fish for spearfishing, but fishing is also allowed.

The site consists of 25 large square concrete modules called fish boxes installed in three clusters of six boxes, covering an area of 200ha.

The average depth is 14m.

North Moreton Artificial Reef Fish Species

Trevally, mackerel, kingfish and cobia are the main catch, but other species show up as the modules attract bait schools.

Snapper, cod and flathead are also caught around the structures, but most boaters chase bottom fish on the deeper natural reefs in the region.

North Moreton Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Fish box clusters

26 58.953S 153 23.594E
26 59.104S 153 24.165E
26 59.390S 153 24.051E

Wild Banks Artificial Reef consists of steel towers installed in 35m of water, east of Moreton Bay’s Wild Banks.

The towers are dubbed “fish caves”.

Each tower is an 11m-high structure of steel, 11m wide and weighing 14 tonnes each.

The total reef area covers 175ha.

The tower design attracts pelagic fish, but bottom fish are also caught, however anchoring is not allowed on these structures.

Because anchoring is not permitted, skippers use an electric motor spot-lock to fish, or just drift past the reefs while dropping baits or jigs.

The turn of the tide can bring on the best fishing.

Wild Banks Artificial Reef Fish Species

Fishermen catch mostly trevally, mackerel, cobia and kingfish on these reefs, with dolphin fish and wahoo also showing up.

Bottom fish caught include pink snapper, slatey bream, cod and tricky snapper (grassies).

The towers attract bait schools, and marlin and sailfish have been caught in the vicinity of the reefs.

Wild Banks Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Fish caves

26 54.238S 153 17.290E
26 54.530S 153 17.463E
26 54.678S 153 17.829E

This reef covers a 15ha area on the east side of Coochiemudlo Island.

It is made of 174 concrete reef balls installed in 13 clusters of 11 to 16 balls.

Each cluster has balls of varying sizes rising to almost a metre off the seabed.

The balls within each cluster are a few metres apart and each cluster is 80m to 100m apart.

East Coochie Artificial Reef Fish Species

The reef produces a lot of small fish, and a few bigger ones.

The main catch is pink snapper, bream, tricky snapper (“grassies), tuskfish and flathead.

Passing school mackerel are caught.

Fish the turn of the tide, be sure to move if you don’t get bites, and try to fish mid-week and at night when boating traffic is lower.

East Coochie Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Reef Ball Clusters

27 34.106S 153 21.094E
27 34.143S 153 21.040E
27 34.159S 153 21.117E
27 34.208S 153 21.072E
27 34.222S 153 21.005E
27 34.273S 153 20.961E
27 34.283S 153 21.036E

West Peel Artificial Reef is a 50ha area of clustered concrete reef balls in about 15m of water on the west side of Peel Island.

The reef was installed in 2010, with more reef balls added in 2012 and 2013.

The reef is made of 341 reef balls in 19 clusters of 10 to 16 balls of varying sizes, rising to almost a metre off the seabed.

The balls within each cluster are spaced a few metres apart and each cluster is between 100m to 200m apart.

This is a reasonably sheltered location near boat ramps, but it gets choppy with a sea breeze and runout tide combination.

West Peel Reef Fish Species

The reef does not look much on a sonar, and often produces small fish, but jewfish are caught at times.

Other species include pink snapper, tricky snapper (“grassies”), sweetlip, cod, flathead and tuskfish.

Pelagic fish pass through on occasion, including mackerel and cobia.

West Peel Reef GPS Marks

Reef ball clusters

27 29.880S 153 18.725E
27 29.921S 153 18.849E
27 30.002S 153 18.715E
27 29.997S 153 18.890E
27 30.075S 153 18.802E
27 30.117S 153 18.702E
27 30.185S 153 18.867E
27 30.232S 153 18.800E
27 30.275S 153 18.700E
27 30.276S 153 18.855E
27 30.350S 153 18.772E

The Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef is 7km east-south-east of St Helena Island, covering 34ha in about 21m of water.

The reef began in 1975 with 17,000 car tyres.

In 1987, 200 shopping trolleys were added.

In 2008, about 150 cubic metres of quarried rock was added.

The 24m Tiwi Pearl was scuttled on-site in 2010, standing upright. The highest point is 12m up from the sea floor.

Also in 2010, 450 tonnes of concrete pipe was deployed in four locations.

Each cluster was 23 pipes of different sizes, ranging from 2.5m to 6m above the seabed.

In 2014, a 26m, 60-tonne barge was scuttled.

Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef Fish Species

The reef produces a lot of small fish, and a few bigger ones.

The main catch is pink snapper, tricky snapper (“grassies), tuskfish, sweetlip, flathead and jewfish.

Passing mackerel are caught and occasional cobia.

Fish the turn of the tide, be sure to move if you don’t get bites, and try to fish mid-week and at night when boating traffic is lower.

Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef GPS Marks

Boundaries
27 24.029S 153 18.642E
27 24.257S 153 18.928E
27 24.553S 153 18.048E
27 24.794S 153 18.405E

Tiwi Pearl
27 24.532S 153 18.304E

Quarry Rocks
27 24.350S 153 18.675E

Pipes
27 24.262S 153 18.704E
27 24.404S 153 18.386E
27 24.537S 153 18.527E
27 24.604S 153 18.411E

Kingscliff tides
Kingscliff coastline
NSW fishing regulations
NSW marine parks

Kingscliff has good surf fishing and some rock wall fishing.

Surf fishing for tailor is usually good in an area about a kilometre from the bowls club, but the gutters move around.

The southern wall of Cudgen Creek is a good spot with occasional very large mulloway caught there, as well as bream, tailor, luderick and flathead.

Immediately south of the southern wall are low-tide spots among the rocks, these fish well for tailor, bream, snapper, mulloway and more, but it is a hazardous area.

Cudgen Creek has whiting, flathead, bream, jacks and luderick.

There is reefy bottom 500m or so north of the creek mouth, and extensive reef further offshore.

Kayak fishing the inshore reefs is a popular activity, with snapper, cobia, kingfish, morwong, spangled emperor, cod and mackerel caught.

Tailor fishing in this area is from July to February, with the biggest fish often caught at night in summer.

Flathead, whiting, bream and dart are the common catch in the surf, best in the early morning.

Other nearby spots to try include the Tweed River, Fingal Head and Norries Head.

At the Tweed, big whiting are caught at the mouth of the inlet near the caravan park at Chinderah.

Use worms for bait at night on ultralight tackle.

South of Kingscliff, Hastings Point rocks produce mainly yellowfin bream, with a chance of passing tailor and mulloway.

Cudgera Creek at Hastings Point produces flathead, bream, whiting, jacks and luderick.

Use lures to get past the small bream in the creeks.

Mulloway are a chance at all the local creek mouths after prolonged heavy rain.

The road south to Pottsville follows the beach and it is easy to stop along the way and look for gutters.

Bream, tarwhine, tailor, dart, flathead, whiting and mulloway can be caught in the surf throughout this area.

Shallow Mooball Creek, between Hastings Point and Pottsville, has flathead.

South of Pottsville is a beach near a rock patch “Black Rocks” – this area produces quality tailor.

Beaches in this region have cockles (pipis) and beach worms.

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Gear tips for surf beaches

Large Alvey sidecast reels are traditionally used for surf fishing because sand doesn't hurt them. There isn't much that can go wrong with these reels so a secondhand one can be a good buy, but be sure the lip of the spool is not chipped or rough as this will damage the line. See the latest eBay Alvey listings here.

Note that sidecast reels work best with a rod that has the reel mount at the bottom (butt) of the rod. These rods are often a single piece and up to 4.6m or so long, making them somewhat of a specialist item.

A suitable spinning reel for surf fishing is a large one loaded with 8kg to 10kg line, but reel and rod size also depends on what a fisho finds comfortable. Checkout the Shimano Sedona eBay listing here for a quality reel suitable for surf fishing.

For a cheaper spinning reel, see the eBay listing here.

An affordable 4.5m, 3-piece surf rod suitable for a spinning reel can be seen at the eBay listing here.

For a higher grade 4.6m surf rod, view this eBay listing here.

Metal slice lures are ideal for catching tailor and salmon in the surf. See eBay listing here.

Ganged hooks in 6/0 size are perfect for chucking pilchard baits. See eBay listing here.

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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed around Kingscliff are featured below.

Kingscliff drone footage

More Kingscliff drone footage

Spearing headland mulloway

Norries Head (Cabarita) drone footage

Hastings Point fishing

Hastings Point fishing