STRADDIE’S AMITY POINT
Wayne Kampe, Brisbane. CAMPING DESTINATIONS.

IN last month’s issue I explained that to do justice to North Stradbroke Island's attractions a series of articles would be required. I take it that readers are aware that access to the island is generally via water, whether it be on a car ferry, passenger ferry or private craft. Given those couple of introductory facts the locality of Amity Point (or Amity as it's locally known) is the subject of this article. This place is unique, really, in that it has the tranquil atmosphere of a small, seaside, fishing village.

The town is around fifteen minute's drive from Dunwich, and the turn off is probably best described as being half way between Dunwich and Point Lookout to the east. The road into Amity is well constructed bitumen in a pretty good state of repair. As the road travels almost entirely through the surrounding forest and heath it follows that wild life is abundant and a minor road hazard.

Accordingly, great care should be taken at night to avoid skittling a wallaby. These trusting fellows feed on the green pick right on the edge of the road and are easily confused by headlights. The result? A screech of brakes; a thump. Then there's a deceased wallaby plus a damaged vehicle. Not good. Koalas abound on this part of the island and also wander across the roads at night. A weather eye open for these blokes is also warranted.

The little town (or village) of Amity is right at the end of the access road. It's pretty small but has a lot to offer; of which we will see more later. Driving about the little township will reveal there is a take away food outlet with arguably the best hot chips I've ever eaten, a general store where fuel and RACQ service is available, and an excellent caravan park run by the Redland Shire Council. Ah, yes, and there is the Amity Point Community Centre where the ever popular poker machines plus tucker and a coldie combine to provide some very good nights out.

The Amity caravan park and camping ground is well sited. Truly, it enjoys one of the best locations imaginable. It's RIGHT on the water and having a westerly aspect is sheltered from all except winds from that one quarter. That said, westerlies are usually confined to winter, anyway. A quite beautiful little sandy beach fronts the camping grounds and an added attraction is the pair of rock groynes that jut out from the beach. These groynes offer further protection for the beach user and are popular fishing areas due to their proximity to the deep water just out front.

The beach and its safe anchorage is a big feature of the Amity camping grounds: what it means is that a boat may be launched at the concrete ramp (all tides) only a couple of hundred metres away, brought down and tied up straight out front and then used to access the great fishing in the vicinity.

And now for the fishing. While we might think that boaties usually have the cream of the fishing at any given locality at Amity shore based anglers are not disadvantaged. The fishing is just so good from the rock groynes or the near by jetty that non boaties will still get their share. Main species taken from the beach and rock walls are whiting bream and flathead with others thrown in depending on the season. For instance the deep water at the end of each groyne virtually guarantees black fish and tailor throughout winter as well as bream. Then, during summer, the same area offers a good chance for a passing mack tuna or even a northern blue tuna. Kids regularly hook mack tuna on light spin tackle and the whoops of joy and excitement are easily heard.

Of real interest are the whiting in this area. Bait is easy to come by as yabbies may be pumped by walking due south onto the spit area adjoining the caravan park and working the large sand flats. There are plenty of yabbies - but beware of sand flies during summer. Some Bushman repellent is good insurance against the little blighters.

Whiting are readily taken during the day, sure, but it's at night that the really big blokes are about. I believe that the great clarity of the water puts them off somewhat during daylight hours and fishing at night will see a lot more fish, of much greater size, taken when compared to daylight fishing. The groynes are the place to fish at night and it's wise to just leave the rod sit until a fish is felt fairly heaving on it. Big whiting are touchy blighters and messing about retrieving or trying to strike at them is taboo. They will just leave the bait well alone once that business starts.

Actually, at Amity there far bigger fish to be had than quality whiting. Those groynes plus the jetty can offer serious game fishing for the dedicated. Liveys in the form of hardiheads and pike abound around the jetty and the clue is to get the live bait out under a float when there isn't too much run in the tide. Because of the proximity of the bar just a kilometre or less away there is always quite a bit of run present so that short period of slack water is much appreciated for the live bait and overhead reel fans.

Amity is a real surprise packet, fishing-wise. Besides the magnificent fishing in the near vicinity there is always the chance for boat operators to launch at the ramp and slip around the corner to head out through the South Passage bar between North Stradbroke and Moreton Islands (when conditions are right) and tackle some bottom fish or mackerel that can be taken around the offshore reefs east of the island. Because Amity is so close to the bar it's a quick and easy business to head outside at short notice.

If conditions decree that crossing the bar is not an option then the Rainbow Passage extending to the south offers the chance to tangle with pelagics like longtail tuna, mack tuna, mackerel and tailor while these fish are moving in out of Moreton Bay with the tides. Patches of rough ground, not quite reef, also offer the likes of squire, sweetlip, morwong and big flatties for the boatie as well. Another nearby and much favoured fishing area for both mackerel and whiting is the Rous Channel over towards Moreton Island. The exact spot to fish isn't hard to find when the fish are on. Just look for the boats.

The fishing I've outlined so far isn't the whole story either. Truly peaceful beach fishing is available at nearby Flinders Beach where four wheel drive access is allowed. This lovely beach is reached via Dunbar Street and Sovereign Road. A good sized sign points to the beach access for four wheelers just as one turns left into Amity. Whiting and dart are virtual certainties at this location where one can just relax and enjoy the view across to Moreton Island while waiting for a bite. The sand is clean, the water the bluest blue and the over all atmosphere is very pleasant.

Amity Point, then, offers a quite varied situation for the holidaying angler. Beach, rock groynes, jetty or boat. It's all there and to my way of thinking there is something for everyone.

Note that pets are not allowed at the caravan park and there are no on-site vans available. There are, however, plenty of sites available. Right next to that lovely clean water.