Fishing near Rockhampton, Queensland

Rockhampton sits on the Fitzroy River (Tunuba) in central Queensland, and the river defines the local fishing scene. The Fitzroy is the largest river catchment flowing to the Great Barrier Reef and the only place in Australia where anglers can target trophy Barramundi and King Threadfin from within a city. Since commercial netting was banned in the net-free zone in 2015, barramundi size and numbers have grown dramatically — fish over a metre are now routine, and specimens pushing 130–138 cm have been recorded. The region extends from freshwater lagoons and floodplain billabongs upstream to tidal reaches, creeks, and offshore reefs and islands accessible via Port Alma.