Dream Trip around Australia in a van

[nomispro]

Hey guys, so my wife and I decided to tick off one of our bucket list items which is travel Australia in a van for the next 6 or so months. Last year during the covid lockdown we both lost our jobs but it actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we decided to go out buy a van and convert it into a campervan. So now that the borders are finally opened, the van is all ready to go we'll probably be leaving in a couple of weeks. We live in Sydney, the plan is to go south first, going along the coast of Victoria and then into South Australia. We've got all the peninsulas as well as Kangaroo Island pencilled in. We'll make our way back to Sydney around May (only coming back because of a wedding 😅) and then head to northern Queensland and Northern Territory in the winter.

I've decided to take with me 4 setups (anymore I think the wife will be pretty mad)

Setup 1 : Shimano Zodias 7ft 3-6kg, stradic 2500, spooled with PE1 braid
Setup 2: Majorcraft Crostage 9ft6 PE 1-2.5, Sustain 5000 spooled with PE2 braid
Setup 3: Daiwa Saltist BW 9ft6 7-15kg, Sustain 5000 spooled with PE2.5 braid
Setup 4: Daiwa Spartan 8ft PE 5-8, Saltiga 10000 spooled with PE5 braid (only recently bought this just for this trip)

I am by no means an expert fisherman but I have picked up a thing or 2 over the past 2 years of fishing. I have a few species of fish I wish to tick off my list which include 1. Tuna 2. Barramundi and 3. GT. I just wanted to ask you guys if you have any tips or recommendation of places to visit. I'm not asking for your secret spots or anything but just a general place to check out. I fish with both baits and lures. I generally fish off the rocks, estuaries, beaches and jetties. 

[mrsswordfisherman]

We did a lap in 2019 @nomispro

An absolutely wonderful experience. We did charters in WA, Exmouth, Broome, Kalbarri, Kakadu. 
Since then we acquired a tinny. In Feb 2020 we started from Sydney to go up to QLD and the gulf onwards to NT. We got to Lake Somerset Qld and Covid hit so we raced back home into NSW. 
We have done some shorter trips since to Lightning Ridge and dams along the way. We are currently on the South Coast fishing and prawning (hopefully).

The members will discuss your tackle needs. @swordfisherman takes everything he can fit!!

We normally look at the route, choose stops and research the fishing opportunities nearby. This will help you decide what to take. 
Happy to answer any queries on pm if you need.

Use WikiCamps to do your plan and it produces this map of stops

 
The tinny refurbished!

Whiting this last week South Coast on a good site right on the water. 
 

Enjoy the trip. There is a lot to see out there  

[noelm]

Best advice on big trips is, pick your spots, you can't see everything, it would take literally years, choose a location and spend some time there, look around, fish and explore, be versatile, when on the coast, have a couple of crab traps, a bait pump and Mullet trap, try snorkeling at suitable locations, it's all there waiting for you, be safe and see what is available in this fantastic country.

[Rebel]

Don't forget to go to Exmouth WA. You won't regret it. Have a safe fishing trip.

Cheers.

[masterfisho7]

sounds like the trip of a life time

[Billmack]

Lots of travel blogs out there for good tips. My rule of thumb was to stay where I needed to stay to see what I wanted to see, some will be exxy some not so , all the jet setters are now towing caravans, so supply and demand  will dictate  

I think your targeted specie will be in your second trip after your return to Sydney, more than likely charters, assuming your not taking a boat, and sounds like you’ve purchased your tackle already. 

My best tip would be for SA, for whiting, squid and blue swimmers, all available land based and from jetties, every bay seems to have a jetty,  the jetties are a great communal get together, Ardrossan one of the best. Check your regs for traps and types of permissible baits, etc  

ooroo  

 

 

[nomispro]

@mrsswordfisherman wow I love your set up, those are goals right there! Thank you so much will definitely check out some charters in those towns and will have a look at wikicamp as well. 

@noelmDefinitely, wish the trip could go on forever. Think the last thing I want to do is rush every spot and not get to enjoy it to its fullest. Safety always first, I always wear cleats and a PFD if I'm fishing on the rocks. 

@Rebel Exmouth is on the list! I've seen so many photos and videos of that place.

@Billmack Thank you for recommendations, yep I will be taking some charters to try tick off all the different species on my list. Will add Ardrossan to the list!

[Rummers]

If you make it up as far as Cairns, make sure you hit up palm cove jetty. 
 

I’ve caught everything on that jetty from Barra, GT, small Tuna, mangrove jacks to Spanish Mack.

Fish early morning/late afternoon, tide changes and use unweighted live bait. 
if there is lots of bait around then you will be laughing. 
 

also - I second Exmouth. I can give you a million good land based spots there. Feel free to PM me, I’ll even draw maps 😂