Hey Bryn,

Wades mrs here...he'll kill me for writing under his name!

Used to work at Whim Creek 2 years back and for 4-5 months at a time people would camp out at the Balla Balla rivermouth, all set up with showers and sat tv! Not sure if they asked the pastoralist but it is common courtesy to do so.  Imagine if someone parked on your front yard without asking!!! Turnoff to Balla Balla is directly opposite the turnoff to the Whim Creek Pub.

There was never really a designated camping area, but make sure you're away from the mangroves (and sandflies) and the high tide line. And on that note, be careful where you park your 4wd after you launch your boat as the amount of times the miners had to go pull out tourists cars (and miners cars) that had been underwater was amazing (good for a few cartons though!).  If you need help, its a 4-6 hour walk back to the Whim Creek Pub!!!  Anyway, the pastoralist might be able to give you a few ideas on where to camp.

Balla Balla's good for the usual....threadfin salmon, mullaway, millions of catfish, the odd jack and mudcrabs galore.  The oysterbed is a good spot for an evening fish.  You can head out to the island (can't remember its name) but you shouldn't go onto it without local indigneous permission.  There are apparently painted crays behind the island and the ocean has GTs, mackarel etc.  Make sure you take note of where the rivermouth is as I've known a few people who have missed it and had to camp the night on the island before the SES found them! Hence to say our mine put in an extra safety precaution - you had to fill in a slip saying when you were returning and get your boss to sign off on it (he'd probably come with you too!)

Used to get tourists coming into the pub and paying about 15 bucks for the camp food...pretty good deal for all you can eat and no dishes!

 Have fun and make sure you post lots of pics on your return!

Thanks for that! Just the kind of info I was after!

hey bryn

yeh mate as wades mrs said balla is pretty good spot but is very popular and becareful leaving your car if camping... lots of problems with breakins especially doing overnighters on the islands.. good fishing out around the islands and diving aswell on the neaps. as far as i know the only island in the chain u need permission is depuch. thats the really big one straight out from the mouth. to the sth u have east moore island and west moore and west moore is now the base to a fishing charter. used to have pearl farmers there years ago.. to the north is sable first then ronsard (spelling maybe off there haha) and finally reef. all good fishing if u know wat your doing and undertaking these journeys should be with someone who knows the areas as many ppl have come to grief on the sandbars and small pockets off reef abound there.... inshore the creeks have plenty of barra including ballaballa creek if u fish it at the rights time and tides plenty of jacks cod salmon all the usual goodies... balla is home to some monnnnster black jews if u can stop them. dropping a livie down off the oyster bar at night is usually a good thing.. be warned of crocs aswell never say never.. got pics of a 12ftrs just nrth of balla christmas 07 and good friends have seen them in the area aswell... best of luck mate! pm if u need anymore info

is good if you haven't had a recent cyclone - silts the place up and smothers the muddies. Pam Leeds who runs the camping area is very pleasant and helpful. Mainly threadfin but the cliffs to the north have provided us with doggy mackerel, a Cobia or two and some tackle smashing GT's. You have to cross the salt flats to get to some of the better areas - be careful as it can get very boggy. You can also walk out to the island nw of the homestead at low tide and fish over the high - some big biteys out there. Haven't been up for several years but always had a good time - you can also get to Tichelaar Creek and Port Condon in about an hour - some good fishing there.

My Mum is camped up at Pardoo currently for a few months.  Plenty of salmon being caught on the right tides...must be easy too, if my mother is catching them!

Cheers Pete

better get herself her own logon with excellent info like that!!