Aurukun

[Dipmaker]

Anybody fished at Aurukun lately?, I was working there about twenty years ago and only had very limited time for fishing but the little bit I did was fantastic, caught both estuary and reef fish in one afternoon. Do you need a permit to go in there now?, when I was there before I think you had to have a reason to be there e.g work etc.

[ant]

Dipmaker,
I have fished Aurukun over the last five years- it is certainly one special spot. The best barra fishing I have ever experienced in one memorable session. Saw four of us constantly hooked up for over two hours just casting lures from the beach-absolutely awesome.
We have a feature article in the July edition of Fish and Boat regarding a mother ship that operates from there.
If you do not know anyone in the community, you have to get permission/a permit from the council.

[Dipmaker]

Thanks for the reply Ant, I thought the permit situation might still apply, certainly is a special place to fish, I think the local community could be standing on a gold mine if they wanted to open it up to tourism but that is another matter that is up to them.

[ant]

The community has opened it up to tourism (on a sustainable basis). They have the Aurukun Arts Centre which sells art around the world. There is also Aurukun Wetland Charters and Aurukun Fishing Charters. This place has not had a lot of (positive) publicity and is what I believe to be one of the last 'untouched' areas of the Cape (or Australia). Fishing, camping, hiking, etc there is very similar to the remote areas of PNG.

[campdog]

The community has opened it up to tourism (on a sustainable basis). They have the Aurukun Arts Centre which sells art around the world. There is also Aurukun Wetland Charters and Aurukun Fishing Charters. This place has not had a lot of (positive) publicity and is what I believe to be one of the last 'untouched' areas of the Cape (or Australia). Fishing, camping, hiking, etc there is very similar to the remote areas of PNG.
Whats happened with Norman Ceek, can you still get in there to camp.

[ant]

Yeah Norman Creek is still fine. The mining is underway around the area and restrictions are sometimes in place but they are working on trying to still have most areas open. Obviously, permits are still required from the council at Aurukun.

Gotta go- still have to pack the cruiser..........

[campdog]

A few of our locals used to head there every year but said tthat camping on the river had been stopped and only allowed to camp a fair way from the water and didnt like the idea of pulling boats out of the water all the time and too far away to leave them overnight, is this still the same situation.