Would you take a boat over to moreton Island?

[timddo]

I have been invitedon a camp over at moreton island and am considering bringing my boat over. However on research, there is no sealed roads on the island and no boat ramps.

I' unfamiliar with beach launching and the island can be shollow. The boat is a 5.45 meter boat. I also heard there is no fuel for sale on the island anymore???

I'm not keen to just drive the boat over and park on the beach as we will be exploring the island a fair bit. ( freeloaders will probably help themselve to the contents of the boat).

[TREVELLY]

Tim you can be lucky and you can be unlucky.

I opted to take the boat and anchor it off campsite and off resort - was grateful I had no problems.

Admittedly the boat is 6.2 so it was very handy for taking all aboard plus gear to island so no transport costs with ferry.

I kept boat gear to a minimum and stripped the goodies out when over-night and left onboard lifejackets and stuff of little interest.

I did consider putting security to cabin but left it open and had no issues.

I reckon quite a few leave their boats anchored offshore and to anyone passing they do not know if there is someone onshore watching or not from camp or resort so only a night time issue and then it would be tricky for them - but you can be unlucky just don't leave anything worthwhile onboard.

Same applies to a camping spot - you leave gear behind.

Launching on western side is easy if you pick your spots - a good spot is where the barge lands at the wrecks - of course no spot is easy in a Westerly but may be manageable behind the Tangalooma wrecks but pretty ordinary on the water anyway.

A mate at work took his 14 footer across a few weeks back on the barge and was hopeful to look about the reefs and channel markers but it was a disaster as he left the boat too close to shore and in the night it became a part of the shore break that filled the boat and put a heap of water into the motor and fuel - musta got drunk to do something so basically wrong but it stuffed their trip for fishing and anything else whilst they tried to remedy it. A lesson learnt.

7592375922

[netmaker]

hey tim, a lot cheaper driving boat over and maybe emptying boat stuff into mates car when unattended? or you could also anchor a little off the beach and swim back (assuming you are talking western side) to discourage looting. fuel is available at $3 a litre at bulwer (20 litre drums).
cheers
davo

[PADDLES]

hey tim, if you're camping i wouldn't bother mate.

enjoy the beach fishing on offer instead and you'll be able to go to sleep at night with a skin full of beer and not have the stress of worrying about your boat either: a - being there in the morning and not floating off into the shipping channel somewhere or b - being rolled up the beach and smashed by a nasty little through the night westerly. besides it'll be heaps cheaper than taking a trailer on the barge too.

when you want to go to moreton in a boat it's better to camp on the boat and not the shore i reckon.

[johncar]

Years ago we thought nothing of leaving our boats all day with all our gear, just like leaving your camp but yeah I guess it seems there is more incidence of theft and things now but I think it is fairly rare still. More chance of your boat coming to grief through inadequate anchoring with a bit of a blow through the night, not allowing for tides etc.
We often take the boat over there, check the tide situation, anchor up accordingly and if going to be a while one of us may have to swim ashore or one stays behind. Night we normally sleep on board.
But if you can work it, definitely nice to have the boat over there. Just consider the stuff you take and leave nothing that may be attractive to low lifes on board or at least in view. Take a back pack or something to take with you and take your ignition key and lanyard with you too but don't lose them or you will be in strife, better to hide it on board somewhere me thinks. And I wouldn't be swimming to the boat at night if possible, I see a few take little inflatables with them for getting ashore but ya still have to deal with having to put that somewhere so it's less likely to walk.
You could sit a blow up doll, (I know you have one;)) out the back with a big hat and fishing rod in hand, might discourage opportunists too.

[ozscott]

...not swimming at night..men in grey suits?

Cheers

[johncar]

...not swimming at night..men in grey suits?

Cheers

ahha, men in grey suits alright! Some of the half fish I have landed around there make me a bit nervous, one tuna head approx 400mm diam bitten clean through like a guillotine had cut it, ouch!!

[marto78]

The only time we have had someone go through our stuff was the bloody rangers last time we went over there. They left all our bags opened up with stuff pulled out and a couple of notes tied to the tarp saying we will be fined for not paying camping fees (which we had, just didnt have the little tag displayed) and another saying we would be fined for burning native timber (this is while there was 4 empty 25kg firewood bags next to the fire place).
You got to watch them buggers if they had half a brain they would be dangerous.

As for leaving your boat unattended as long you anchor it out past the low tide mark you wont have any problems (I don't think the rangers like getting their feet wet). We quite often leave the boat anchored up overnight with the rods still in the holders and the sounder and gps still on the dash.

There was a thread a while back for anchoring your boat up using two anchors and one rope where you leave one anchor out deep and the other on shore and you can pull the boat out to deep water and pull it back in when finished. http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?146805-Anchoring-and-Boat-retrieval&highlight=anchoring+system

If your worried about doing a day trip and have to leave the boat in the water throw all your gear in one of the tents.

[TREVELLY]

When I stayed at the resort I used one of their dozen or so moorings - apparently you can rent one - I just used it - so did another guy on the next one along - he said go for it and see if they chase it. We both figured we were paying a lot for accommodation - either way they are a safe anchor if you have concerns about the anchor.

BIL fished last year and a guy took along a smaller boat about 14 foot and did successfully anchor it offshore but a bad Westerly blow hit one night and although it did not sink the boat the boat took such a buffeting on the anchor fixing to the boat he needed repairs done when back on mainland. His boat was messed enough that he got half way back then got the rescue guys to tow him the remainder as he was then at risk of sinking.

So taking a boat has it's pluses and it's risks. I have planned to take my boat three times and only taken it once; each other time canned due to the weather forecast close to time and I was glad i did not bother with the boat each time I cancelled - made for easier and more peaceful trip and yes the weather was not accommodating. If the weather is a risk you will have sleepless nights if the boat is on the water and that is no holiday.

[merseybluenose]

Never been to moreton, is it worth a day trip just for fishing? Would you get out that far in a 4m tinnie with a 40 on the back??

[TREVELLY]

Never been to moreton, is it worth a day trip just for fishing? Would you get out that far in a 4m tinnie with a 40 on the back??

Fishing is confined to Western side but you are close to the shipping channel so some deep water. The boats seem to fish along the weed banks for squid, around the Tangalooma wrecks for pelalgics and whiting on the sandflats around it and there is always the reefs not far offshore such as Curtain and end of old jetty at Tangalooma for a snapper and drifting the sandflats.

Usually see some surface fish not too far from shore under birds or fishing the 4 beacons for a mackerel.

Plenty of options with a 4m boat - just have to pick the day weather wise.

[Booya]

If your launching from Manly harbour, head to the big/small sand hills of southern moreton island..... once there, drop off some crab pots while you fish for the whiting. Once you've caught a good feed, head into the blue hole and try for some 1.5-2kg squire (caution! crab island is a green zone, so don't get too close). Try around the oyster leases for a bream or two... Once you've run out of bait, or start feeling hungry, head into the Gutter Bar at Kooringal for lunch and a beer. It's reopened & service is a lot better. Afternoon session will see you in Days Gutter jigging for squid. Great day done, time to head home......... Its all around the southern tip of Moreton Island

[fat-buoy]

It costs an arm and a leg to get the car and boat over on the ferry these days.. cheaper to motor the boat over for sure. I have taken a 14 foot tinnie over on the old barge from Scarborough with no probs at all with towing (it was a lot smaller than your boat though) but as long as you know that it is beach towing you are going to be doing you will be fine... beach launching is generally restricted to the western beach.

On the other side of the coin my brother and I were in his 15 foot half cab years back and had the boat moored with the 2 anchor system on the Western side and a massive westerly blew up (Brownies coastwatch said light to mod SE winds???) anyway the long story short was the boat was smashed up on the beach and had to be salvaged as it was too dangerous to board by the time we realised we were in trouble from the increasing swell size rolling in.

There is plenty of shore options for a great weekend camping and fishing on Moreton so don't be too dissapointed if you don't bring the boat but the boat will open up the door to a whole lot more fishing opportunity for the bigger fish.

[merseybluenose]

If your launching from Manly harbour, head to the big/small sand hills of southern moreton island..... once there, drop off some crab pots while you fish for the whiting. Once you've caught a good feed, head into the blue hole and try for some 1.5-2kg squire (caution! crab island is a green zone, so don't get too close). Try around the oyster leases for a bream or two... Once you've run out of bait, or start feeling hungry, head into the Gutter Bar at Kooringal for lunch and a beer. It's reopened & service is a lot better. Afternoon session will see you in Days Gutter jigging for squid. Great day done, time to head home......... Its all around the southern tip of Moreton Island

Thanks for the info, that sounds like awesome fun. Are all these places e.g. blue hole,days gutter etc places that are just common knowledge or can you find these places on some sort of map? I find most people who are willing to tell you where to try for fishing/crabbing all seem to mention places like there common knowledge or easily accessed from a map.....I'm a novice when it comes to knowing places around the bay like this.....is there something I'm missing or have you all just been doing it for so long that you know where abouts these places/nicknames are????

[bugman]

Its amazing how many people have lost a boat at anchor on the Western side of Moreton. I'll put my hand up as well.
Huge westerly came in overnight. She pulled her anchor chain and got smashed in the surf. Sitting on the bottom at high tide the next morning.
One Haines 16C that went to the boat yard in the sky.
Brett

[timddo]

Thanks guys

Can anyone confirm the prices to go over to moreton island
Large 4x4 $255 ( only allows driver and 1 passanger)

All extra passangers pay extra $48 each.

We are thinking 1 large 4x4, 8 passangers

so thats $270 Plus $48*6 passangers =$550 plus 40.75 for the permit

Thats $600 just to land on the island - now to calculate boat prices.


I hope i'm wrong with the prices as they look rediculous.
Might be cheaper to go to straddy and go via amity trader???

[Booya]

Thanks for the info, that sounds like awesome fun. Are all these places e.g. blue hole,days gutter etc places that are just common knowledge or can you find these places on some sort of map? I find most people who are willing to tell you where to try for fishing/crabbing all seem to mention places like there common knowledge or easily accessed from a map.....I'm a novice when it comes to knowing places around the bay like this.....is there something I'm missing or have you all just been doing it for so long that you know where abouts these places/nicknames are????

Yeah, been exploring the bay for a while - yet, we continue to come across new places all the time! All these places are found on various maps, try the A3 laminated roll up one of Moreton Island that most tackle shop sells or the QLD Maritime (Brownies coast watch) Beacon to Beacon. If you head out to the southern end of Moreton Island, watch out for the many sandbanks. If you head into days gutter, you may want to go in at high tide - make sure you throw out alot of anchor and chain when you anchor - the current rips through there. The "Gutter Bar" is behind the trees, along the main esplanade of Kooringal...... enjoy

[The Woo]

Your prices are correct.

Unfortunately, our Government allowed Hawkins Transport (who own the Micat) to buy out the ONLY competition (The Combie Trader), then close it down. They have a monopoly. And monopolies are NEVER good. In the buyout they also took over the Bulwer store, stopped pumping fuel, and basically own the bloody island now....... It reminds me of the bad old days at Fraser, when Sid ran any barge competition out of town by running a free service until the newcomer went broke.

I spend 3 weeks on the Island every New Year, and many days in between. This year the girls wanted some cheese, $12.50 for a small packet at the Bulwer shop! haha!

So, I avoid using the Micat service whenever I can, and either use a boat or a PWC to go over and back.

As many others have said, anchoring is fine, and having a boat really opens up your options, but many good seamen have had vessels swamped if an unexpected westerly blows up.
My buddy had his 14' tinnie swamped and overturned on anchor on Jan 8 this year, blew up during the night. Thankfully is was a basic boat and not much was lost, and the old school 30 horse Johnno only needed a flush through and started on the 3rd pull :)

Your boat @ 5 metres plus is really getting right on the limit of what I'd take via trailer. Moreton is a bigger challenge than the likes of Fraser, on the big tides there's no beach left, and it can be near impossible to get a larger trailer up and into the allocated campsites. Fact, I saw two sub 20ft off road caravans with their floor boards being lapped by the sea (and blocking the high tide beach route) on the new year's larger tides..... the vans were simply too large to manouver into the campsite in the soft stuff.

[The Woo]

Oh, and Booya, I didn't get down the southern end this year, but I heard the Gutter Bar has closed for good?

[timddo]

There is still the amity trader - unless it has been brought out

[The Woo]

Yes it still runs, but it's not a mainland to Moreton service, it's a Straddie to Moreton, and hence, doesn't really make much sense.

FWIW, I responded as someone who frequents the northern end of the island, seldom do I go south of Tangalooma, bloody mexicans down there :p

[Blackened]

Oh, and Booya, I didn't get down the southern end this year, but I heard the Gutter Bar has closed for good?

G'day

I can confirm the gutter bar is back up and running, had a beer alongside calamari and chips (bloody good) about 2 weeks ago there.

Dave

[The Woo]

Ahhhh! Bloody ripper, I'll be sure to head down there as the next chance! Great to know, thank you! :)