Nelly Bay
- Saltwater
- Beach
Nelly Bay
- Saltwater
- Beach
- Sq. miles
- 0.2
- Boat Ramps
- 1
- Access Points
- 1
- Species
- 4
Nelly Bay is a picturesque coastal bay situated on Magnetic Island, part of Townsville City in Queensland, Australia. It serves as a primary hub for the island's amenities and offers a blend of sheltered inshore waters and access to the deeper currents of the Great Barrier Reef. The bay features a harbor with maintained canals and a prominent jetty, providing a variety of fishing environments from calm, family-friendly spots to more adventurous offshore grounds.
Species & education
Learn what type of fish are at Nelly Bay and what's needed to catch them.
Find which waters have the species you want to catch
Black Marlin
Istiompax indica
Coral Trout
Plectropomus leopardus
Giant Trevally
Caranx ignobilis
Red Emperor
Lutjanus sebae
Fishing spots, boat ramps & amenities
Learn how to get on Nelly Bay. Uncover great fishing access points, boat ramps, and all the facilities you need for an unforgettable day on the water. Some locations shown may border or include private property. Always check property boundaries and applicable regulations before visiting. onWater's Public & Private Land layer can help you plan your access with confidence.
Know where you can legally fish on Nelly Bay
See public and private land boundaries along the water, turn on private parcels with owner details to know where permission is required, and find land-trust parcels that offer permitted fishing access.
Queensland licenses and regulations
Queensland Boating Regulations
Official Queensland Government boating and marine hub (Maritime Safety Queensland), covering recreational marine and PWC licences, boat registration, safety equipment, speed limits, and the general safety obligation.
Queensland Fishing License
Queensland has no general recreational fishing licence - most saltwater and freshwater fishing needs no licence. The exception is line fishing in stocked dams/weirs: anyone 18 or over needs a Stocked Impoundment Permit, which this official Fisheries Queensland page explains.
Queensland Fishing Regulations
Official Queensland Government recreational fishing rules hub, covering size and possession limits (tidal and fresh waters), closed seasons and waters, regulated and no-take species, and permitted gear.
Queensland Stream Access Laws
Queensland has no single dedicated stream-access page; this is the closest official page for anglers, listing which state-owned dams and weirs allow public recreational access for fishing, camping and boating, with per-site restrictions.
Take Nelly Bay with you
The onWater Fish app keeps this water's access points, species and conditions in your pocket, with the tools you use once you're there.
Use the map without signal
Download the map around Nelly Bay to use it offline when coverage drops.
Log your catches here
Keep a private fishing journal for Nelly Bay to find where and when fish are biting for you.
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Tides, wind & water conditions (10 day forecast)
On open water, wind and tide matter as much as the weather. See the best times to fish Nelly Bay and check the marine forecast before you launch.
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Fishing near Nelly Bay
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Crocodile Creek
Alligator Creek
Major Creek
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Leichhardt Creek
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