by Ryan Limpus •
I’m a sucker for small riverside/beachside fishing villages. They remind me of years gone by, family holidays in the early 80’s when there was plenty to explore and options to try and catch a few fish. I have some great memories of staying at a similar sleepy fishing village with my parents. My days revolved around meeting up with other kids on holidays and going swimming and fishing all day and only heading back to the tent or van when it was time for dinner. Sadly, days like these are now rare. The holiday park at Stuarts Point however, provides an experience much like the one I have described. Here you can indulge in a carefree holiday in a relaxing environment with plenty of options for fishers and their families.
Located halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, the Macleay Valley region has become a popular destination for holiday-makers and grey nomads. Stuarts Point is a sleepy little fishing holiday village along the northern arm of the Macleay River, about 30 minutes from Kempsey and South West Rocks. The population of Stuarts Point is around 670 people, and I’m sure this figure doubles if not triples during peak holiday periods.
Fishing
Stuarts Point offers some great opportunity for fishing. The estuary has plenty of fish, from your bread and butter species such as bream, whiting and flathead, through to your larger specimens. The boat ramp is located right next to the park and there are plenty of locations that you can launch a kayak from. Land-based options along the river are plentiful as well as along the footbridge where you can see the fish before they see you! The river has a good population of fish as well as sand and mud crabs, so make sure you throw in a few pots when you pack up the car. If surf fishing is your thing, it’s only a few minutes walk across the footbridge to an uncrowded beach with plenty of gutters to throw your bait into. Offshore pelagic and reef species chasers will be happy with South West Rocks only 30 minutes down the road –we all know how good the offshore fishing can be there. Bait is easy to access as well. You will see the yabby (nipper) holes as you walk over the footbridge, so make sure you take the pump to collect some fresh and readily available yabbies on low tide. They are great bait!
Family
For those who like taking the family away from the hustle and bustle of busy holiday towns, Stuart Point is perfect for you. The saying goes – kids should have more tackle boxes and less Xboxes. So as you enter town make sure you turn off those iPhones and iPads and start making some memories to last a lifetime. If you are looking to stay at Stuarts Point then I recommend Stuarts Point Holiday Park. It’s the perfect location to take advantage of the attractions of this town. For the kids, there is a huge area to explore from the footbridge over the river to the quiet beach – there is so much to see and do. There were plenty of kids exploring the river on kayaks when I stayed and looked to be having a ball. With many shaded areas and picnic tables next to the park, as well as a kids’ playground for the littler ones, this park has it all. The local tennis courts located next door are also available for use by patrons and there is a great space for riding bikes or playing backyard cricket.
What I liked the most about the Stuarts Point Holiday Park was the obvious feel of community the park offers. Many of the people staying there had met other holidaymakers during their stay and would end up catching up for a fish or a couple of sunset drinks by the river.
In Town
There’s a few shops in town to help you stock up on supplies for your holiday. A small grocery/liquor store, newsagent, butcher, chemist and takeaway store will have you ready to settle in. The bowling club and tavern is also just up the road! If you need to stock up on fishing tackle for your trip to Stuarts Point make sure you drop into Compleat Angler Kempsey on the way. Brent and the team can put you in the right direction with what tackle you will need. Tell them Fishing Monthly sent you!
Stuarts Point Holiday Park
Stuarts Point Holiday Park is one of the most well kept parks I have stayed in. The gardens and lawn are well kept and the amenities are clean and maintained. I stayed in one of the cabins on this trip and was impressed with how clean it was. The location was perfect – only a stones throw to the water. Rodney and Kate Russell are the park caretakers and do a great job looking after the park and the patrons spending time there. They love where they work and it shows!
Powered and unpowered camping, caravan, or cabins, there’s plenty of accommodation options when staying at Stuarts Point Holiday Park. It’s located on Marine Parade, Stuarts Point (just follow the main road into town, when you hit the river you’re there!)
Give Rodney or Kate call on 1300 262 782 (option 4) or email stuartspoint@mvchp.com.au to book a great time away.
More information is available at: www.mvcholidayparks.com.au.
