Fishing in Budderoo National Park

Budderoo National Park sits on the Illawarra Escarpment in New South Wales, a 7,219-hectare block of rainforest and plateau country between the coast and the Southern Highlands.

The water here is upland in character — steep, tannin-stained creeks cutting through dense vegetation before dropping off the escarpment or feeding into the river systems below.

The Kangaroo River is the main fishing water associated with this country, draining the valleys on the inland side of the park. The Minnamurra River rises in the same landscape, running toward the coast.

Smaller tributaries — Brogers Creek, Barrengarry Creek, Missingham Creek, and others — thread through the park's gullies, some accessible only on foot via the trail network. Recreational fishing is permitted within Budderoo National Park.

The activity is managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, meaning standard NSW recreational fishing rules apply — check with the park and the department for current conditions before you go, as rules can change.

The terrain shapes the fishing as much as the regulations do. Access to the creek systems is often steep and the rainforest canopy is thick, which limits casting room and makes some water effectively unfishable without local knowledge.

The trails that reach the rivers — including routes to the lower escarpment — are the practical entry points. This is not water you come to for easy access or high numbers.

You come because the country is intact, the streams are cold and clear, and the fishing happens on the creek's terms.