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Swansea Channel
Estuary·New South Wales·Australia·
Field notes
The channel linking Lake Macquarie to the ocean runs hard on the tide and stacks bait against the bridge pylons. Flathead, mulloway and tailor work the deeper edges; bream and whiting on the flats either side.
Current conditions
Wind
3.6 kt WSW
Gusts 9.9 kt
Waves
1.8 m
Period 9.7 s
Swell
1.8 m
Period 8.2 s
Sea temp
21.4°C
Air 20.9°C
Next 12 hours
13:00
3.6 WSW
1.8m
14:00
4.8 WSW
1.7m
15:00
4.7 WSW
1.7m
16:00
4.9 SW
1.6m
17:00
6.3 SW
1.6m
18:00
8.7 SW
1.6m
19:00
8.5 WSW
1.6m
20:00
7.7 WSW
1.6m
21:00
7.9 WSW
1.7m
22:00
7.1 WSW
1.7m
23:00
5.7 WSW
1.7m
00:00
5.9 W
1.8m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Swansea ↗ (0.5 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Hunter CoastIssued at 10:00 pm EST on Tuesday 19 May 2026
Situation. A trough is crossing the coastal waters, with a low pressure system forming within the trough off the south coast. The low will then head further offshore and remain over the Tasman Sea for the next several days, whipping fresh to strong southerly winds and large powerful waves to the coastline mid to late this week.
Tuesday 19 May until midnight. Strong Wind Warning for Tuesday for Hunter Coast Winds: Southwesterly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore north of Norah Head. Seas: 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres offshore south of Port Stephens. 1st Swell: East to northeasterly 2 to 2.5 metres. 2nd Swell: South to southwesterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres south of Port Stephens. Weather: Cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.
Wednesday 20 May. Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Hunter Coast Winds: Southwesterly 20 to 30 knots decreasing to 20 to 25 knots before dawn then increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the middle of the day. Seas: 2 to 2.5 metres. 1st Swell: Southerly 2 to 3 metres. 2nd Swell: Easterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres later in the evening. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.
Thursday 21 May. Winds: Southerly 20 to 30 knots decreasing to 20 to 25 knots before dawn then increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the early afternoon. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. 1st Swell: Southerly 2 to 3 metres. 2nd Swell: Easterly 1 to 1.5 metres. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm north of Norah Head in the early morning.
Friday 22 May. Winds: Southerly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 2 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southerly 2 to 3 metres, increasing to 3 to 4 metres during the afternoon or evening. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of showers. Caution: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.
Sun & moon
Today
Sun↑ 06:40↓ 17:01
Moon↑ —↓ 19:01
PhaseWaxing crescent 10%
Best windows
- Dawn06:14 – 07:40
- Dusk16:01 – 17:28
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 06:41↓ 17:01
Moon↑ 10:15↓ 20:10
PhaseWaxing crescent 18%
Best windows
- Dawn06:14 – 07:41
- Dusk16:01 – 17:27
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
Estuary
Region
New South Wales, Australia
Fishing style
estuary fishing and land-based fishing
Structure
Typically holds drop-offs, flats and holes — 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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