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Rainbow Beach Gutters
Beach·Queensland·Australia·
Field notes
Long stretch of beach south of the Wide Bay Bar with shifting gutters that hold tailor through the winter run and dart, whiting and bream year-round. 4WD permit required for beach access. Fish the change of light into a rising tide.
Current conditions
Wind
6 kt WNW
Gusts 15 kt
Waves
1.9 m
Period 9.3 s
Swell
1.8 m
Period 7.5 s
Sea temp
24.1°C
Air 22°C
Next 12 hours
13:00
6 WNW
1.9m
14:00
5.5 W
1.9m
15:00
5.6 W
1.9m
16:00
5.3 W
1.9m
17:00
5.3 W
1.9m
18:00
6 W
1.9m
19:00
4.9 W
1.8m
20:00
5.3 W
1.8m
21:00
5.3 W
1.8m
22:00
6.8 WSW
1.8m
23:00
6.8 WSW
1.7m
00:00
6.1 WSW
1.7m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Elbow Point ↗ (13.9 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Hervey BayIssued at 9:00 pm EST on Tuesday 19 May 2026
Situation. A trough and westerly change will push through the southern and central Queensland waters during the rest of today. A firm ridge will extend over the South Queensland wake of the trough. as a high [1027 hPa] moves east across southern Australia. A developing low off the New South Wales coast will move east over the Tasman Sea in the coming days, and enhance winds and swells over far southern Queensland waters later this week and over the weekend.
Tuesday 19 May until midnight. Winds: South to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore south of Cape Capricorn. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Cloudy.
Wednesday 20 May. Winds: Southerly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore south of Cape Capricorn early in the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore during the morning. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Sunny.
Thursday 21 May. Winds: Southerly 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the early afternoon then decreasing to 15 to 25 knots in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres offshore. 1st Swell: Southerly around 1 metre offshore southern waters, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning. 2nd Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Friday 22 May. Winds: Southerly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. 1st Swell: Southerly 1.5 to 2.5 metres offshore southern waters. 2nd Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Sunny. Hervey Bay
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.
Sun & moon
Today
Sun↑ 06:21↓ 17:09
Moon↑ 09:48↓ 19:16
PhaseWaxing crescent 10%
Best windows
- Dawn05:56 – 07:21
- Dusk16:09 – 17:34
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 06:21↓ 17:09
Moon↑ —↓ 20:24
PhaseWaxing crescent 18%
Best windows
- Dawn05:57 – 07:21
- Dusk16:09 – 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
Beach
Region
Queensland, Australia
Fishing style
beach fishing, surf fishing and land-based fishing
Structure
Typically holds gutters and holes — 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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