Fitzroy Island

Reef·Queensland·Australia

Field notes

Continental island off Cairns with fringing reef and steep drop-offs on the eastern side. Coral trout and sweetlip on the bommies, with mackerel trolling the points in winter. Most of the fringing reef is green zone — fish the open water marks outside.

Current conditions

Wind
14.3 kt SE
Gusts 18.7 kt
Waves
0.7 m
Period 5 s
Swell
0.4 m
Period 3.4 s
Sea temp
25.7°C
Air 24.1°C
Next 12 hours
01:00
14.3 SE
0.7m
02:00
14.2 ESE
0.7m
03:00
13.7 ESE
0.7m
04:00
15.1 ESE
0.7m
05:00
16 E
0.7m
06:00
16.7 E
0.7m
07:00
15.7 ESE
0.7m
08:00
15.2 E
0.7m
09:00
13.6 ESE
0.7m
10:00
12.3 ESE
0.7m
11:00
11.4 ESE
0.7m
12:00
11.1 ESE
0.7m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Fitzroy Island ↗ (1.8 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Cairns CoastIssued at 3:00 am EST on Wednesday 21 October 2026
Situation. A ridge of high pressure extends over the northern Queensland waters from a high [1035 hPa] centred over the southern Tasman Sea. This pattern will persist over coming days as the high slowly weakens.
Wednesday 21 October until midnight. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.
Thursday 22 October. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Friday 23 October. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville
Wednesday 21 October until midnight. Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.

Sun & moon

Today
Sun↑ 05:45↓ 18:18
Moon↑ 13:53↓ 02:46
PhaseWaxing gibbous 73%
Best windows
  • Dawn05:23 – 06:45
  • Dusk17:18 – 18:40
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 05:44↓ 18:18
Moon↑ 14:44↓ 03:20
PhaseWaxing gibbous 81%
Best windows
  • Dawn05:22 – 06:44
  • Dusk17:18 – 18:40
Best windows combine civil twilight with the hour either side of sun transit — the universal low-light feeding window most species respond to. Moon phase influence is folkloric; full and new moons coincide with the strongest tide swings.

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Access & logistics

Spot type
Reef
Region
Queensland, Australia
Fishing style
offshore and bluewater fishing
Structure
Typically holds bommies and drop-offs — work the structure for holding fish.
Licence
Recreational fishing licence may apply — check the Queensland fisheries regulator before fishing.
Closures
Always confirm current marine park / closure status and seasonal bag limits.

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