Fishing in Budawang National Park

Budawang National Park sits in the southern Budawang Range of New South Wales, roughly 200 kilometres southwest of Sydney and 25 kilometres north of Batemans Bay.

The terrain is steep and deeply incised, and the waters here reflect that — small rivers and creeks running through narrow valleys, draining high-elevation forests before eventually feeding larger systems like the Clyde.

This is remote, rugged country, and the fishing matches it. The Yadboro River is one of the more accessible anchors for anglers inside the park.

Long Gully campground sits on a grassy flat beside it, and the river provides water for campers willing to boil it — which tells you something about the character of the place.

The Clyde River rises in the Budawang Ranges and flows through the park before transforming downstream into the broad estuary that reaches Batemans Bay; the upper freshwater reaches inside the park are a different proposition entirely from the tidal water below.

The Mongarlowe River runs along the park's boundary country near Braidwood, with clear water and a reputation for platypus — a reliable indicator of stream health.

Other named waters in the park include Currowan Creek, Bimberamala River, Oaky Creek, and Backhouse Creek, though access to most of these requires genuine commitment on foot through difficult terrain.

The Budawangs is a declared wilderness area, and that status shapes how you move through it. Group sizes, firewood use, and camping locations are all subject to restrictions under the Guidelines for Walking in the Budawang Wilderness.

A permit is required to camp at Cooyoyo Creek over the Easter and October long weekends.

Check with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for current conditions and any access alerts — there is unexploded ordnance in the former Tianjara Military Training Area within the park boundary.

The fishing here rewards people who come prepared to work for it. The streams are small, the valleys are steep, and the walk in is often the price of admission. That's also why the water stays the way it is.