The Burnett River

In the tidal section of the Burnett River there is still plenty of good fishing, crabbing and prawning to be had. Local up-to-date knowledge of what's happening is needed to make the most of your time on the water though.

Talking to the old-timers, the tidal range reached all the way up to Bingera Weir, 16.9 km upstream from the Ben Andersen Barrage. When the Ben Andersen was built, it changed the tidal flows and the ability for the lower river to flush itself out, hence the river has been slowly silting and dying ever since. Add this to the separation of its entire original delta (Skyringville), and recent development around the lower reaches, it amazes me how well it still fishes. Hopefully over the next few decades the governments and council will realise the importance of the brackish waters needed for spawning of many species and tidal flow prisms and correct the errors of the past and bring it back to a healthier cleaner river.

Through the seasons of the year you can still expect bream, flathead, cod, whiting, trumpter, prawns, mud crabs and, to a lesser extent, fingermark, threadfin salmon, mangrove jacks and barramundi.