Earthblog

Our New Ferry

Sunferries have commissioned a powerful new catamaran “Fatome” for the Townsville to Maggie run, now taking just 20 minutes.

Weather Situation

We are now into a glorious May, with light breezes and day-long 30C sunshine. Nights are getting down to as low as 18C. Lessening winds have meant the seas are getting clearer, becoming the beautiful blues and greens we all love, with great visibility for diving and snorkelling.

The averages for the next 9 months are:

Fishing Report

Still good, with plenty of Barramundi, Queenfish, Trevally, Turrum and others being caught off the jetty. Beach fishers are getting Flathead and Grunter, while the rock wall of the harbour is providing Trout, Cod and reef fish. And there’s no shortage of local experts to advise you on which bait is best for each place and species. Mud crabs are also plentiful at the moment. Serious anglers can also go out with any one of about six skippered boats or hire a self-drive boat, if relatively experienced.

Beach Swimming

The stinger nets (at Horseshoe Bay and Picnic Bay) are about to be pulled out of the water, signalling the official end of the stinger season. So, snorkelling the local reefs (right off the beach at Nelly Bay and Florence Bay) scuba diving and plain old swimming are all back on the menu.

Markets

Our local markets are at the RSL in Arcadia (on the bus route) every Friday night, where many enjoy authentic Indonesian and Thai meals, pizzas or pasta at tables under the stars, or inside the hall.

The remaining dates for the markets on the lawn under the trees at Horseshoe Bay are:

• Sat 24th April
• Sat 8th May
• Sun 30th May
• Sat 12th June
• Sun 27th June
• Sun 30th May
• Sat 12th June
• Sun 27th June
• Sun 4th July
• Sat 10th July
• Sun 25th July
• Sat 14th Aug
• Sun 29th Aug
• Sat 11th Sep
• Sun 26th Sep
• Sat 9th Oct
• Sun 31st Oct
• Sat 13th Nov
• Sun 28th Nov
• Sat 11th Dec
• Sun 19th Dec
• Sun 26th Dec