TOP NSW WATERWAYS

TOP BOATING SPOTS IN NSW

NSW IS BLESSED WITH YEAR-ROUND BOATING AND COASTLINES WITH BAYS THAT ARE IDEAL FOR EVERY KIND OF ACTIVITY, SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST OF THEM

WORDS KEVIN GREEN PHOTOS KEVIN GREEN; SUPPLIED

The NSW coast stretches nearly 1000km from the southern port of Eden to the meandering river system of Tweed Heads at the border with Queensland. It offers safe, year-round conditions for boating, surfing, fishing, diving and many other marine activities.

When boating in NSW, skippers should be prepared for the strong southerly-flowing East Australian Current that can run at 3-4 knots, and a fairly rugged shoreline. NSW also has many sand bar entrances, which boaters should be wary of. Always plan ahead for your trip out on the water. The NSW Government website has handy links to bar cams showing conditions. For exposed waters, always check the weather forecast at the Bureau of Meteorology.

A General Boating licence is required when operating a vessel at 10 knots or more in NSW. For personal watercraft such as jetskis, a PWC licence is needed at all times.

Boat ramps are usually found in all regions but check the NSW Government website for the latest information. Many have been upgraded in recent years under the NSW Government's Boating Now program, including car parking. The program is funded from boating licence, registration and other fees collected by Transport for NSW and since its inception in 2014, has delivered more than 250 boating projects boating projects.

WATERWAYS

BERMAGUI

This is a scenic port with breakwater entrance, so follow the leads carefully when coming from seaward. The name is Aboriginal for ‘canoe with paddles’ and Bermagui is 60km north of Eden, 23km south of Narooma. Facilities in the harbour are good, with slipway, fuel, repairs, and berths when available.

The NSW Government has committed $660,000 through the Boating Now Program to upgrade the Bermagui Boat Ramp. Works will include reconstruction of the existing three lane boat ramp, pontoon extension and car park upgrade. Anchoring in the river, outside the harbour, and downstream from the road bridge is possible for shallow draft vessels at certain tides.

Best known for its offshore reef, game and sport fishing which yields quantities of marlin, shark, and tuna, Bermagui is also the centre for a range of fine shore and estuary fishing opportunities. Coastal lagoons and tidal lakes south of the port offer bream, mullet, whiting and luderick, while there are beach and rock fishing spots down to Baragoot Point.

Bermagui has a busy commercial fishing port and angling facilities. Photo credit: Destination NSW

BOTANY BAY

Famous as the arrival place of Captain Cook, Botany Bay is the nation's second-largest container ship terminal that is popular for fishing, water-skiing, jet-skis, kite surfers and many sailing clubs that run races across its windy waters. The Foreshore Road Boat Ramp at the container terminal is a good place to enter the bay with lots of parking spots, as well as a fish-cleaning station. Sheltered anchorages are few and subject to all wind directions. The southern shores are largely national park with limited anchoring; the oil storage terminal at Kurnell uses a long jetty.

Up the Georges River, improvements have been made to the old Ferry Reserve ramp with a handy new jetty and kayak ramp at Illawong, and at the nearby Como ramp at Scylla Bay.

Botany Bay Foreshore Road boat ramp. Photo credit: Kevin Green

BROKEN BAY

Just a three-hour motorboat ride north from Sydney but a world away, thanks to its surrounding National Parks, Broken Bay is one of NSW’s most idyllic and accessible spots for boating, kayak-camping and fishing. This region encompasses the boating areas of Pittwater, Hawkesbury and Gosford's Brisbane Water.

Broken Bay is open to the easterly winds, which makes it ideal for yachting, but it’s also sheltered from the bite of the south-going East Australian Current, allowing safe and secluded cruising. There are public moorings throughout, and popular bays include America's Bay and Coal & Candle Creek. Small marinas are at Cottage Point, Bobbin Head, Church Point and Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River. Boat ramps are found near most of the small marinas and at some small villages. popular catches include mullet, flat head along the sandy creeks, and mud crabs abound among the mangroves.

Looking north to the entrance at Brisbane Water. Photo credit: Kevin Green

The Hawkesbury is ideal for kayaks and has national park camping spots for expeditions. Photo credit: Kevin Green

GOSFORD/BRISBANE RIVERS

Brisbane Water is a body of water between Broken Bay and Central Coast’s City of Gosford with a challenging entrance. Its five nautical mile entrance from Broken Bay into the Brisbane Water has good depths for yachts but is limited by shoals around the entrance and the 17.4m high water clearance under The Rip bridge.

It can be approached from Pittwater or the Hawkesbury River, but go carefully around the Box Head area to avoid wandering into the extensive shoals and breaking seas to its west.

There are berths outside the Gosford Sailing Club Marina, the waterfront nightclub at Gosford, Koolewong and in the Gosford Boat Harbour. The Koolewong ramp has recently been upgraded as part of a $750,000 makeover, including new pontoons under the Boating Now program. Local moorings occupy all bays, but visitors can drop anchor outside the moorings with good-holding mud and sand.

HAWKESBURY RIVER

The Hawkesbury River is navigable by vessels of considerable draft as far as the suburb of Windsor, nearly 130km upstream, where a low bridge (11.5m) and rocky shoals limit further exploration. At its entrance, Brooklyn is a house boating hub. Commercial prawn fishers trawl through Broken Bay near here, but the river can suffer from run-off pollution, so seek advice before angling.

Upriver, caravan parks host water skiing and have general stores. Fuel is also available at the major urban areas of Brooklyn, Berowra Waters, Wisemans Ferry and Windsor

Wiseman's boat ramp and car park is currently undergoing a $2.1m upgrade. Other recent NSW government upgrades include the Tench Reserve boat ramp facility where $800,000 was spent on a new three lane ramp, additional car trailer parking spaces and an extension of the existing jetty. The Governor Phillip ramp's car park is being extended.

LAKE MACQUARIE

A mere two hours’ drive from Sydney, it is one of NSW’s best inland boating waterways. Lake Macquarie is 24km long and narrow in places, yet contains twice as much salt water as Sydney Harbour, with far fewer boats among its sheltered bays. Its east side is a narrow isthmus with the Pacific Ocean beaches a walk away and some good fishing and surfing. Inside, it is notoriously shallow, for keelboats at least, yet for motorboaters it's mostly fine. It has major marinas located at both ends, yacht clubs and many boat ramps in between.

Campsites also abound, including Belmont Lakeside which is dog-friendly and has a ramp for easy forays across the open expanses of the lake where many trailer boats troll.

WATERWAYS

MYALL LAKES

Encompassed by the state’s largest wetlands national park, the shallow, sheltered waterways of this lake system are ideal for navigating by yacht or trailer boat. The lakes consist of Bombah Broadwater, Boolambayte Lake and Myall Lake. Offshore only a mile is Broughton Island, a shoal-strewn archipelago popular with fishers who come from Port Stephens.

Just to the north is another large and shallow waterway, Wallis Lake and its estuary at the tourist town of Forster. Canoe camping is another way to view the abundant wildlife and former Aboriginal hunting grounds and middens. The main entry points are Hawks Nest, Nerong, Bungwahl and Bullahdelah, where houseboats are available. There are also launching ramps at Mungo Brush, Violet Hill, and Nerong. Facilities for shopping and fuelling are available at Hawks Nest or Tea Gardens at its southern end. There are general stores surrounding the lakes at Myall Shores, Bungwahl and Bulladelah.

The Myall Lakes are a vast and tranquil region mostly surrounded by national park. Photo credit: Kevin Green

NORTHERN RIVERS

The Northern Rivers is the most north-easterly region of NSW, stretching from Tweed Heads at Queensland's border to the southern extent of the Clarence River. It encompasses the famous beach towns of Byron Bay and Ballina, Tweed Heads, Kyogle, Lismore, Casino, and Grafton. The main rivers within the region are the Tweed, Clarence and Richmond rivers. The Tweed is navigable up to Murwillumbah by launches and up to Tumbulgum by vessels capable of passing under a bridge with 11m headway. There is a good slipway and small hardstand area at Terranora Inlet near Boyds Bay.

The Clarence River empties into the sea between the coastal towns of Yamba and Iluka which are major yachting havens with marinas and other facilities - just beware of the sand bar entrance in a swell. The Richmond River can be entered from Ballina and offers deep, calm-water cruising, allowing large motorboats to ascend as far as Lismore. Several of the ramps have been upgraded in this area – at Yamba Road boat ramp, the Hickey Island and Witonga Drive ramps.

The Northern Rivers region has tranquil inland waterways and dramatic estuaries, as seen here at the holiday resort town of Yamba. Photo credit: Destination NSW

NEWCASTLE

On the south bank of the Hunter River entrance, Newcastle is NSW’s second-largest port and accessible in nearly all weather and sea conditions by coastal cruisers.

Primarily an industrial port, recreational boating has become popular since the early 2000s. Berths are available at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club Marina (NCYC) in Throsby Basin. Anchorage is possible out of the main channel in shoaling water in the vicinity of a ramp and pontoon off Stockton — however, coal ship movements may make it uncomfortable. A better anchorage with good holding is available downstream of the Stockton Bridge.

There are dozens of spots along the coast that are designated for land-based recreational fishing. Among the diverse variety of fish are Australian salmon, kingfish, luderick, whiting, bream, leatherjacket and mulloway. Some welcome improvements have been made as well as part of the Boating Now program at the North Stockton boat ramp with new toilets and a car park for 42 cars and trailers.

The cascading hillsides and myriad bays of Pittwater is a world class boating destination. Photo credit: Destination NSW PITTWATER

Named after British Prime Minister William Pitt, Pittwater is a five-mile-long southern seaward corner of Broken Bay. Ku-ringgai Chase National Park borders most of its western shore with Sydney’s northern beach suburbs on its eastern shore. All bays have berthed or moored craft, making anchoring within them difficult. However, limited anchoring is possible off Palm Beach, Careel Island, and Church Point. Club-owned moorings are in the north-east corner of Barrenjoey and the famous Coasters Retreat where toilets and barbecue areas make this the most popular anchorage.

Towlers Bay is another anchorage which may be used by visitors unless otherwise instructed. There is also Careel Bay, McCarrs Creek, Towlers Bay, Currawong Beach and Great Mackerel Beach. Prestigious yacht clubs that are open to visitors include the Royal Prince Alfred and the Royal Motorboat Club where casual berths are available. Trailer-boaters are benefiting from the better facilities at Bayview where the Rowland Reserve boat ramp facility has been upgraded.

PORT STEPHENS AND NELSON BAY

Nelson Bay offers good fishing for mulloway off the marina breakwater and the Shoal Bay Sports Fishing Club where some big marlin have been landed. The Nelson Bay Boat Harbour has courtesy moorings with a 24-hour limit. Anchoring within the harbour is not permitted, however the marina provides some free berths between 0830 and 1700 hours.

Other settlements in Port Stephens are at Shoal Bay, where there are more visitor moorings. At the entrance to Port Stephens, there are rock platforms on both north (Yaccaba Head) and south (Tomaree Head) sides, from which tailor, bream, silver drummer, trevally, snapper, and kingfish can be taken. Visitors should be aware that areas of Port Stephens are declared ‘Marine Park Sanctuary Zones’, including parts of the off-lying islands. The NSW Government has invested $1.7m through the Boating Now program to improve the Little Beach boat ramp, including better sea access to the pontoon.

The cascading hillsides and myriad bays of Pittwater is a world class boating destination. Photo credit: Kevin Green

PORT HACKING

Located in the southern part of Sydney city, this meandering waterway of sandbars, shallows and narrow bays is very scenic. It's popular with jet-skiers, canoeists and runabouts fishers. Bounded by Australia's oldest national park to the south, The Royal National Park, it is also the nation's most visited region. A popular getaway is South West Arm that delves deep into the Park, so makes an ideal anchorage. On the Sydney side, the waterway is bounded by busy suburbs, including the major hub of Cronulla. A small passenger ferry runs to the National Park village of Bundeena, known for its artist’s colony and walking tracks. Port Hacking has a formidable ocean entrance, with major offshore shoals which generate large swells. On calm days they are ideal fishing spots for those launching runabouts from various ramps, such as those in Gunnamatta Bay where the Royal Motor Yacht Club is located, along with the Cronulla Marina.

Port Hacking on the southern outskirts of Sydney is a shallow waterway bounding the Royal National Park. Photo credit: Destination NSW

WATERWAYS

Eden is a strategically important port because it is located at the very south of NSW. Photo credit: Kevin Green SAPPHIRE COAST/EDEN

The Sapphire Coast stretches from Bermagui to Eden on the NSW south coast and is best known for its oysters, stunning beaches, sprawling national parks, and historic buildings. Eden is a paradise for whale watching and has a fantastic whale museum

It’s also known as Twofold Bay and is the State's most southerly port. Well-established in the bay are the fishing and wood-chip industries plus a naval explosives wharf. It offers all-weather access and protected anchorages. East Boyd Bay is the best anchorage in the southern quarter, while Quarantine Bay is a useful anchorage in northerly winds as its boat ramp has been recently upgraded. Also in Snug Cove are berths at the Mooring Jetty and Multipurpose Jetty. There are good repair and maintenance facilities in Eden thanks to the fishing fleet working from it. A new wave attenuator is under construction and a marina is proposed.

SYDNEY HARBOUR

One of the world’s finest harbours, this busy port offers all things boating although jet-skis and windsurfers are not permitted.

The whole harbour, except for Middle Harbour is full of busy ferries, most of which display an orange diamond giving them absolute rightof-way. You can sail to secluded spots such as narrow, tree-lined Bantry Bay off Middle Harbour, or berth in the heart of the city at Darling Harbour Marina. Visitors are recommended to anchor in Spring Cove during northerly weather and Rose Bay during southerly weather, where visitors’ moorings are available.

Anchoring is generally allowed apart from in channels, near the naval bases and some environmentally sensitive areas. A major annual boating attraction is anchoring for the New Year fireworks, a rite of passage for Australian boaters. Some recent upgrading of facilities included improvement to the Balmoral jetty at Mosman and the busy Woollahra Sailing Club boat ramp.

Sydney Harbour has deep water right to the edges of its myriad bays and beaches, offering hundreds of anchorages. Photo credit: Kevin Green

WATERWAYS

SOUTH WEST ROCKS

An hour's drive south of Coffs Harbour South West Rocks is bounded by the Macleay River to the west and the ocean to the east and north. To the south is the surf Mecca of Crescent Head, which has one of the best long-board waves in Australia. Once inside the river, it's deep and there are boat ramps and anchoring spots, but beware of the strong current.

It’s a busy spot at holiday time, very scenic and a good place for beach fishing: get away from it all at the secluded Gap Beach, accessible by 4WD only. It's also a popular diving destination because just offshore is Fish Rock Cave. With a 125m-long divethrough tunnel, making it the nation's best cave diving site and a breeding ground for grey nurse sharks.

Enquire at the South West Rocks Dive Centre.

The Macleay River Bar at South West Rocks.

Photo credit:

Kevin Green

SHOALHAVEN AND ILLAWARRA

The Shoalhaven River which flows through Nowra, and the Kangaroo River in Kangaroo Valley are popular for kayaking and canoeing. Water sports are popular at Callala Bay, Huskisson, and Vincentia in Jervis Bay, as well as St Georges Basin, Sussex Inlet and Lake Conjola where the Havilland Street ramp is cited for a $661,000 upgrade. Also, just down the coast at Ulladulla, the Northern boat ramp has been upgraded at the harbour with a new tidal jetty.

Jervis Bay is an extraordinary natural harbour with sandy bottom and clear water. It is a spacious and easily accessible harbour but lacks all-weather coves. The entire bay is protected as a Marine Park but fishing and anchoring is allowed in designated zones.

In the Illawarra, a new marina has recently opened at The Waterfront, Shell Cove featuring 145 berths, with an additional 125 berths still to be constructed.

Shellharbour Marina, Illawarra, has 270 berths Photo credit: Shellharbour Marina INFORMATION SOURCES:

www.nsw.gov.au www.transport.nsw.gov.au www.roads-waterways.transport. nsw.gov.au www.bom.gov.au Cruising the New South Wales Coast [Book] 6th Edition by Alan Lucas.

The NSW Boating Handbook is a mustread before boating.Photo credit: NSW Government

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