ST GEORGES BASIN

Ten minutes south of Jervis Bay along the Wool Road lies St Georges Basin, perhaps the jewel in crown of accessible South Coast estuary fishing. The Basin is also an amazing success story in terms of nature’s ability to recover from unsustainable estuary netting, following its declaration as one of 24 NSW recreational fishing havens a decade ago. The last declared commercial catch was around 119 tonnes, let alone the ‘cash crop’ and by-catch. It took only two years to see the difference but what a difference it has made. Regular cricket-score catches of bream, whiting , snapper and flathead are now possible. Every estuary has its peaks and troughs but the Basin is very consistent and home to some monster flathead, bream and tailor. Think Spring and Autumn for that 90cm flathead and year round for 60-70cm tailor and snapper to 3kg – in an estuary! All we have to do as responsible anglers is put the big ones back and take only what we need for a feed and the system will take care of the rest. So do the right thing on your next visit. The Basin has great launching facilities on the northern shores at Sanctuary Point and Basin View, and on the southern Side at Sussex Inlet. Only experienced skippers should attempt to cross the very shallow and dangerous bar, but the reefs and headlands offshore receive little angling pressure and can be very productive. There are three ramps to choose from at Sussex. With over 20 caravan parks and hundreds of affordable holiday homes to choose from, Sussex Inlet is still one of those great family getaways offering so much for the family and travelling angler.

SOUTH

South of Sussex there are myriad estuaries and creeks to explore along with some awesome offshore opportunities. Lake Conjola is a small system with shallow access to the sea. Accommodation is at two caravan parks. To experience the lake at its best think Summer and Autumn. The chances of encountering a mulloway are better at Conjola than at the Basin. Further south, the area’s commercial trawlers and longliners call Ulladulla their home port and generations of commercial fishers continue the tradition. Ulladulla has all the services and be a great place to book an offshore fishing charter. It’s also a staging point for the great estuary at Burrill Lake, another of the rec fishing havens on the South Coast. If you’re travelling from Canberra or inland NSW you can now access the coast by the newly sealed main road 92, which links Canberra to the coast, or you can turn off the Hume Highway at Goulbourn to save 40 minutes and the winding bends of the Kangaroo Valley. Save the Kangaroo valley as great day trip from the coast or that bush camp on a kayak trip. The ACT is now a comfortable two-hour drive through the Morton Wilderness area. Access the Nerriga Road through Tarago, not Braidwood, but don’t tell anyone I told you that!