Fishing in Bongil Bongil National Park

Bongil Bongil National Park sits on the NSW North Coast, about ten minutes south of Coffs Harbour on Gumbaynggirr Country. It's coastal park country — wild beaches, estuaries, and creek systems running through rainforest and blackbutt forest to the sea.

The fishing here is unhurried and low-key, suited to people who want to wet a line without much fuss. Bonville Creek is the main draw.

It's a saltwater estuary, sheltered and easy to read, with a pontoon at the Bongil picnic area that gives bank anglers a stable platform over the water. Flathead, mullet, and mangrove jack are the species to target here.

The creek also lends itself to fishing from a canoe or kayak — the upper reaches of Pine Creek connect for those wanting to cover more water on the paddle.

Access to the picnic area is straightforward from Coffs Harbour or Sawtell, and facilities are right there when you're done. Beach fishing around Bundagen Head is the other option the park is known for locally.

It's open coast, which means different conditions and different fish than the estuary — worth the walk out when the swell and wind are cooperative. Standard NSW recreational fishing rules apply in the park.

Check current regulations with NSW DPI before you go, and confirm any park-specific conditions with NSW National Parks. The park doesn't demand much of you. Bring a rod, launch a kayak, fish the pontoon at dawn before the day-trippers arrive.

The birdlife — ospreys, kingfishers, kites working the creek — is part of the deal whether you want it to be or not.