Hat Head
Headland·New South Wales·Australia·
Field notes
Headland village south of South West Rocks with rock platforms either side and a sandy creek mouth in between. Tailor and salmon off the rocks at dawn, jewfish in the gutters either side of the creek on the run-in.
Current conditions
Wind
2.2 kt W
Gusts 6.8 kt
Waves
1.7 m
Period 9.5 s
Swell
1.5 m
Period 7.3 s
Sea temp
19.3°C
Air 18°C
Next 12 hours
12:00
2.2 W
1.7m
13:00
1.9 W
1.7m
14:00
0.8 SW
1.6m
15:00
1.5 E
1.6m
16:00
3.1 E
1.6m
17:00
3.6 ENE
1.6m
18:00
4 ENE
1.5m
19:00
4.4 ENE
1.5m
20:00
4.2 NNE
1.5m
21:00
4 NNW
1.4m
22:00
4 NW
1.4m
23:00
4 WNW
1.4m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: South West Rocks ↗ (18.4 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Macquarie CoastIssued at 10:00 pm EST on Tuesday 21 July 2026
Situation. Northerly winds are becoming west to northwesterly as a ridge extending from a high over the Tasman Sea recedes ahead of a cold front approaching the state from the southwest. The cold front will then cross the coastal waters on Thursday into early Friday, with a fresh to strong southwesterly wind change in its wake.
Tuesday 21 July until midnight. Winds: Northeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. 1st Swell: Easterly 1 to 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southerly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.
Wednesday 22 July. Winds: North to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending north to northwesterly in the early morning then becoming variable about 10 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre. 1st Swell: Easterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore north of Port Macquarie. 2nd Swell: Southerly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Thursday 23 July. Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots turning southwesterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.
Friday 24 July. Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing below 1 metre during the evening. Swell: Southerly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres during the afternoon. Weather: Partly cloudy.
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.
Sun & moon
Today
Sun↑ 06:43↓ 17:07
Moon↑ 10:42↓ 00:15
PhaseFirst quarter 50%
Best windows
- Dawn06:17 – 07:43
- Dusk16:07 – 17:33
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 06:42↓ 17:07
Moon↑ 11:11↓ 01:14
PhaseFirst quarter 60%
Best windows
- Dawn06:16 – 07:42
- Dusk16:07 – 17:33
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.
What's biting
Recent reports from the community. Sign in to log your own catches.
Access & logistics
Spot type
Headland
Region
New South Wales, Australia
Fishing style
rock fishing and land-based fishing
Structure
Typically holds washes, points and drop-offs — work the structure for holding fish.
Licence
Recreational fishing licence may apply — check the New South Wales fisheries regulator before fishing.
Closures
Always confirm current marine park / closure status and seasonal bag limits.
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