King Ash Bay

40 km downstream on the McArthur River from Borroloola, King Ash Bay offers pristine wilderness, endless mangrove lined waterways, beautiful off shore islands and fishing. There is also a large variety of bird life, but a keen eye is needed to spot and appreciate some of the smaller breeds as they often don’t travel far from the cover of long grass and thick bushes. Early morning and evening is feeding time and the best opportunity to spot some of the more skittish breeds.

The McArthur River has excellent fishing and provides a gateway to the Sir Edward Pellew group of islands. With 500 acres of land (under lease from the NT Government) right on the bank of the McArthur River, there is space for many camping options and lifestyles apart from fishing. The club is in many respects a small self sufficient township, generating it’s own power, supplying good quality water from a bore and providing many of the other services you would expect in a small community.

Situated right in the heart of prime Gulf of Carpentaria fishing country, it offers pristine wilderness, endless mangrove lined waterways, beautiful off shore islands and of course great fishing. Most people come for the big Barramundi. The statement ‘come for the fishing – stay for the lifestyle’ says much about King Ash Bay. It’s not all about Barramundi. Each dry season (commencing around Easter), the King Ash Bay community swells with the arrival of members and visitors who come to enjoy the great ‘winter’ weather, the fishing and the lifestyle.

Many others drop in for a few days or a few weeks as part of a more extensive visit to Northern Australia. All are made to feel welcome by the members of the King Ash Bay Fishing Club and many return again and again after an initial taste of the King Ash Bay experience.

With a two lane boat ramp, hundreds of km of sheltered, mangrove lined rivers and creeks and easy access to the Sir Edward Pellew Islands and surrounding waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria, the range of fishing opportunities is enormous. The famous Barramundi is perhaps the most sought after fish in the area, and these are available in large numbers.

The ‘build up’ period to the wet season (September to December) and the ‘run off’ towards the end of and after the wet season (March to May) are the best times for Barra fishing, but they can be caught all year round, with some anglers preferring fishing for Barra during the cooler dry season months. The King Ash Bay Boat and Fishing Club hosts the annual Borroloola Fishing Classic, which attracts competitors from all over Australia. Apart from Barra, there is a wide range of terrific sport and table fish available in the area. Such a variety in fact that some anglers bypass Barra altogether and target other species. In the estuaries popular target species include Mangrove Jack, Golden Snapper (Fingermark), Black Jew, Threadfin and Blue Salmon, Javelin fish (Grunter),Queenfish and many more.

Around the islands and reefs, these same species can be caught in addition to Coral Trout, Nannygai, Mackerel, Emperor (various types) and many more. There is powered camping in the park area and the non powered areas are south of that along the river side.   The area contains a small mini mart, a service station and a little club house/pub.  The fishing club has 240v power available 24 hours a day via its own generators and also has its own water supply suitable for drinking.  There are coin operated washing machines available at the main toilet block in the park.  There are taps situated through the umpowered areas and although the water is bore water, it is quite fine for drinking.


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NT Luxury Houseboats

You can fish and cruise the McArthur River in luxury with a NT Luxury Houseboat. Leave the cares of the day to day life behind you and set your own schedule.  This is the perfect way to relax with family and friends. Have a drink and a BBQ on the foredeck; kick back in the spa or relax in the fully air conditioned interior.Based near Borroloola at King Ash Bay in the Northern Territory, NT Luxury Houseboats offers a unique experience in a wild and remote part of Australia. NT Luxury Houseboats now have 2 vessels in King Ash Bay that can take up to 12 people in comfort and offers a great way to do it yourself with a touch of class.

NT Fish n Trips

NT Fish n Trips offer a unique fully inclusive 9 nights / 8 day package for adventurous travellers wishing to take up the challenge of participating in the ultimate fishing and camping safari. Your hosts, Ken & Roz, will introduce you to areas of the Northern Territory that are relatively untouched and only accessible to the keenest of travellers. Experience the serenity and abundance of wildlife whilst taking up the challenge of navigating the extensive waterways of the Mc Arthur River system at King Ash Bay, chasing the famous Barramundi. Smaller groups of 8-10 are their specialty.

The Sir Edward Pellew Golf Links: Named after the Sir Edward Pellew Islands (just offshore from King Ash Bay in the Gulf of Carpentaria), the golf course is a valued addition to the club’s facilities. Built by an enthusiastic group of club volunteers, the course adds to the unique nature of King Ash Bay as much more than a fishing destination. During the dry season, golf is played each Wednesday and Sunday morning. There are no green fees and a limited range of clubs is available for loan if you don’t have your own.

More information: King Ash Bay Fishing Club website >>   Phone: (08) 8975 9800

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