Coolum — Point PerrySunshine Coast (Mooloolaba)
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Reef under the Point Perry lookout; boulders 2–6 m, bream, snapper. Sheltered on SW wind.
Google MapsSunshine Coast (Mooloolaba) spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras
5.3
wave 1.1 m
visibility3m
Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and surge pounding.
Sources: IPMA · NDBC · Copernicus — high confidence · data 06:06
Sources & confidence
- Sources
- IPMA · NDBC buoys · Copernicus Marine
- Method
- Model consensus, read per window
- Freshness
- Re-read every hour, per coast
Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine
The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.
How we score the water
Our own model
Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.
- Swell & wave memory
- Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
- Wind & gusts
- Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
- Tide phase
- Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
- Water temperature
- Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
- Currents & outflow
- Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
- Rain runoff & air clarity
- Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
- Coast shape & exposure
- How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.
Safety gates
- Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
- An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
- Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
- Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
- Night hours — forced red; the window is closed after dark.
It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.
A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.
Where to get in, where to hunt
Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground
Surface
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
spearo.app
calmupdated 06:06
Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba) — solo, off the rocks
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · wave 1.1 m (occasionally up to ~2.2 m)
wave 1.1 mwind 7 km/hsurge pounding the rocksvisibility ~5 m
today, best window 09:00–12:00
fish · Visibility 5 m · Water 19.4°C
confidence high · verdict for the selected day
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day
Windows, hours
and the day's trends.
The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.
Thursday · today2026-07-23
06:32–17:15 · first quarter
▲ 02:00▼ 08:00▲ 16:00▼ 22:00 · 1.0 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.12 m
Wave0.96 m
Wind8 km/h
Water20 °C
fish activity: moonset 01:04 · moderate · moon underfoot 06:30 · high · moonrise 11:55 · moderate · moon overhead 19:00 · high
Conditions window06:00–09:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 1.12 mperiod 6.7 swind 9→18surge 8.3viz 4 m
1.12 mup to ~2.24 · 91° at an angle
6.7 sswell moderate
9→18gusts 18 km/h
8.3pounding the rocks
0.08m/s
4 mrecent swell
19.3°C5 mm + hood
▼08:00tide turn near
Atmosphere1 kmlandmarks visible
highmoon underfoot
- wave 1.1 m (occasionally up to ~2.2 m)
- noticeable surge on the rocks
- low water — slack
confidence hightwilight
The water column
Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.
What it is
A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.
spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.
Now live: 1152 spots across 189 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
See all spotsThe seabed
Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.
On the rock
The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.
The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.
Entry points
Where to get in
off the rocks.
Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.
Open the seafloor map
Noosa NP — Boiling Pot / Tea Tree BaySunshine Coast (Mooloolaba)
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Reef along the Noosa NP headland; clear water, 3–8 m, snapper, sweetlip. Walk-in from the coastal track.
Google MapsPoint CartwrightSunshine Coast (Mooloolaba)
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Rocky headland reef at the Mooloolah mouth; ledges 3–8 m, snapper, sweetlip, kingfish. Watch the river current.
Google MapsSOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.
Surfacing
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live
Look at the water
right now.
Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».
Reference
What's in season,
what the law says.
In season now
- yellowtail kingfish⚠️ Sizes/limits and licences vary BY STATE (NSW/VIC require a Recreational Fishing Licence; QLD/WA/SA/TAS/NT usually don't). Check your state's fisheries.
- snapper⚠️ Sizes/limits and licences vary BY STATE (NSW/VIC require a Recreational Fishing Licence; QLD/WA/SA/TAS/NT usually don't). Check your state's fisheries.
- dusky flathead
- luderick (blackfish)
- silver trevally
- samsonfish
- West Australian dhufish⚠️ WA: demersal closure (west-coast bioregion) until spring 2027 — check before you go; tight limits.
- morwong
Law
- ✓Rules and licences vary BY STATE. NSW and VIC require a (NSW ~AUD 35/yr); QLD/WA/SA/TAS/NT need no general (WA has the boat RFBL). Spearfishing is banned in ALL inland waters.
- ✓ / — full no-take (incl. GBR green/pink zones in QLD): no fishing, no spearfishing. No taking fish on scuba (QLD/NT expressly ban it); rock lobster may not be speared. Stay ≥150 m from people (NT), don't load the speargun out of the water.
- ⛔ 🚫 Eastern blue groper (NSW state fish) — protected from spearing since 1969. Potato cod, Queensland (giant) groper, humphead Maori wrasse, barramundi cod — no-take.
- ⛔ 🚫 Grey nurse shark, black cod (Epinephelus daemelii), great white shark, whale shark, seahorses/seadragons — fully protected.
- ⛔ 🚫 Rock lobster may NOT be taken by spear (statewide gear rule). Spearfishing is banned in all inland waters and in / (full no-take) — check the zone map.
Rules change and vary BY STATE. Before heading out, check with your state's fisheries (NSW DPI, Fisheries QLD, VFA, DPIRD WA, PIRSA, NRE Tas, NT Fisheries) and the marine-park zoning map.
Safety protocol
- Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
- Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
- Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
- Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
- Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
- Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
- UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
- Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Spearfishing in Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba): spots, seasons and rules
Spearfishing on the Sunshine Coast is best approached as a conditions check across several headlands rather than a single secret spot. Point Cartwright gives ledges near the Mooloolah River mouth, Coolum Point Perry has boulders that can shelter in SW wind, and Noosa National Park offers clear-water reef when the walk and swell are manageable. Queensland rules apply: no general recreational licence covers spearfishing, underwater breathing apparatus other than a snorkel cannot be used to catch fish, and fresh and closed waters are off limits.
TL;DR
- Sunshine Coast spearfishing is a headland-and-river-mouth plan, with Point Cartwright the most direct Mooloolaba option.
- Coolum Point Perry can work in SW wind; Noosa National Park needs a walk-in plan and very small swell.
- E to SE swell, shore break and Mooloolah River current are the main visibility and safety problems.
- Queensland has no general recreational fishing licence for spearfishing, bans it in fresh and closed waters, and does not allow scuba for taking fish.
Sunshine Coast spearfishing spots near Mooloolaba and Noosa
This coast changes fast with swell direction. A spot that is clean at dawn can be milky by late morning if sea breeze, river flow or beach surge builds. Check the Noosa river cameras where useful, watch the Mooloolah mouth, and keep a no-take mindset for any green zone or signed closure.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point Cartwright | Rocky headland reef at a river mouth | Ledges around 3-8 m | Intermediate, current-aware | Shore entry near the Mooloolah River mouth | The closest Mooloolaba option, with snapper, sweetlip and kingfish potential around ledges. The river mouth is the catch: current, boat movement and dirty runoff can turn a good-looking headland into a poor dive. |
| Coolum - Point Perry | Boulder reef below the lookout | About 2-6 m | Accessible in small swell | Walk-in from Coolum headland access | A compact reef for bream, snapper and small reef fish. It is often more comfortable in SW wind, but E to SE swell wraps into the stones and makes both visibility and exits worse. |
| Noosa NP - Boiling Pot / Tea Tree Bay | National park headland reef | About 3-8 m | Fit shore diver, walk-in access | Coastal track access inside Noosa National Park | Clear water and reef ledges make it tempting, but the walk, crowds and surf exposure raise the bar. Check signs, avoid swimmers and surfers, and do not enter if swell is wrapping through the bays. |
When does the Sunshine Coast clean up?
Small E swell or less, light offshore wind and a low-rain period are the useful ingredients. The open beaches and headlands cloud up quickly under E to SE swell, while Point Cartwright also has river influence from the Mooloolah. A SW breeze can help Coolum, but it does not cancel swell. If the Noosa river mouth looks brown or the beach gutters are foamy, expect the nearby reef to be ordinary.
What Queensland rules apply to spearfishing?
Queensland does not require a general recreational fishing licence for normal tidal-water fishing, but method rules are strict. Spearfishing is allowed in tidal waters. It is not allowed in fresh waters, and using underwater breathing apparatus other than a snorkel to catch fish is prohibited. Closed waters and species rules still override a good forecast.
Are green zones open to spearfishing?
No. In Queensland marine parks and on the Great Barrier Reef, green or Marine National Park zones are no-take. That means no fishing, no spearfishing and no collecting. The Sunshine Coast entries listed here have no hard zone closures, but the rule is still to check the official map before diving. If a sign, app or chart is unclear, stay out.
What fish are realistic from shore?
Expect snapper, sweetlip, bream and occasional yellowtail kingfish around headland reef, with better action when bait and blue water push close. Queensland size and possession limits decide keepers. Protected fish such as potato cod, Queensland groper, barramundi cod and humphead Maori wrasse must not be taken. Shark awareness matters, especially near river mouths.
FAQ
Do you need a licence to spearfish on the Sunshine Coast?
Queensland has no general recreational fishing licence for normal tidal-water fishing, but you must follow gear, area, size and possession rules.
Can you spearfish on scuba in Queensland?
No. Queensland prohibits using underwater breathing apparatus other than a snorkel to catch fish.
Is Point Cartwright a good spearfishing spot?
It can be, with small swell and clean water. River current, boats and runoff are the main reasons to skip it.
Can you spearfish in Queensland fresh water?
No. Spearfishing is not allowed in fresh waters.
Are Great Barrier Reef green zones open to spearfishing?
No. Green zones are no-take, so fishing and spearfishing are prohibited.
Sources
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