Fishing in Brindabella National Park

Brindabella National Park sits about 30 kilometres west of Canberra in the northern reaches of the Australian Alps national parks corridor.

The terrain is mountainous, running through open forests from low to high altitude, and the water that drains it feeds the Goodradigbee River — the park's main fishing water. Smaller tributaries thread through the ranges alongside it.

The Goodradigbee is the anchor. At Flea Creek, where the creek meets the river and a basic campground sits on the bank, the fishing is accessible and well known — good for trout, and considered reliable even in dry years. Further upstream, roughly 3.

5 kilometres above Flea Creek, the river opens into more varied and isolated water: longer pools, different structure, fewer people. That stretch rewards the walk.

Summer fishing on the Goodradigbee runs best early — the window between around 7am and 9am before the day heats up is when the fish are most active.

Flea Creek itself is fishable, and the campground there makes it a practical base for covering both the creek and the adjacent river.

McIntyres Hut campground, further into the park, is another option for anglers willing to go without facilities in exchange for access to quieter water.

Most of the park's tracks are 4WD only, and getting to the better water generally means a capable vehicle or a willingness to walk from wherever the road ends. This is a NSW national park, and NSW fishing regulations apply.

Check current rules with the park or NSW DPI before you go — regulations on trout waters in particular can carry specific conditions worth knowing before you rig up. The Goodradigbee through here is wild mountain water.

It doesn't need embellishment — just time, an early start, and the right conditions.