Territory Pictures

Quick Look

Fishing Permits.

Home
Darwin City
Berry Springs
Darwin River Dam
Litchfield National Park
Pine Creek area
Big Horse Creek
Kakadu National Park
Humpty Doo
Emerald Springs
Katherine Gorge
Mataranka
Devils Marbles
The Olgas
Ularu

Miscellaneous

NT Wildlife
Road Reports
Road Trains
Territory Distances
Top End Skies

Quick Look	Climate	Population	Developing	Multi cultural
Fishing Permits	Travel Tips	Economy	Transport	Seafood Industry
Things to know	Phone Numbers	Misc Info

Check if fishing permits are needed before tossing that line

The northern Territory has large tracts of Aboriginal and pastrol land that are chock full of great fishing spots. Many new areas are under claim by Aboriginal people, and visitors should be aware of the status of any area they wish to visit before they go.
Permission to enter some Aboriginal land is granted to fishermen, but to gain entry anglers usually must obtain a permit. Land councils administer Aboriginal land, and you must apply to the local land council that administers any given area.
The Northern Land Council ( NLC ) administers most of the Top End`s Aboriginal land, but there are several smaller land councils, as well as the Central Land Council ( CLC ) based in Alice Springs. Permits from the NLC usually must be applied for at least 10 days before your trip. In some places the supply of a permit may not be garanteed, so check first.
Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory that tourist and fishermen might want to visit includes areas near Gove ( Nhulunbuy ), Arnhem Land, Groote Eylandt, Bathurst and Meville Islands
( the Tiwi Islands) and Gurig National Park.

Nhulunbuy, on the Gove Peninsula about 700km east of Darwin, is a township based around the Nabalco bauxite mine. Permits can be obtained from the NLC office at Nhulunbuy if you fly in, but permits must be applied for in advance at the Darwin NLC office if you plan to drive to the township. Strict conditions apply as to where you can go. Click here to go to the Land councils phone number page

Groote Eylandt, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, is the perhaps best known as the site of Gemco`s manganese mine. You can apply for a permit to visit Groote Eylandt by contacting the Anindilyakwa Land Council office on Groote Eylandt.

The Tiwi Islands, have several designated camps for visiting boats. Permits to use these camps are available from the Amateur Fisherman`s Association NT. Click here to go to the Tiwi Island Land councils phone number page

Arnhem Land, which is 260km east of Darwin, is also an area that you must obtain a permit and can be arranged through the NLC. Several fishing safari camps are located in Arnhem Land and the operaters usually arrange the permits for their clients.Click here to go to the Land councils phone number page

Gurig National Park ( incorporating Cobourg Marine Park ) is managed by both authorities and local Aboriginal people to allow for a limited number of visitors every year.
The park is located north-east of Darwin, 200km by air, 570km by road and 120 nautical miles by sea. Gurig covers 2207 sq km and comprises the Cobourg Peninsula and some adjacent islands. Coboug Marine Park is the Northern Territory`s largest aquatic reserve of about 229,000ha. Gurig is jointly managed by the local traditional owners and the NT Parks and Wildlife Commission, and permits are arranged through the commission.
The park is still the home to traditional owners and visitors are expected to respect their privacy and only enter living areas if invited. Comfortable camp sites with basic amenities are provided.

Pastrol land fishing spot access, can often be gained simply by contacting the landowners before your trip and asking permission to enter their property. Some pastoralist are more accommodating than others in allowing visiting fishermen access. Anglers who are given access to private land should make sure they are fully equipped to look after themselves during their stay. They should also understand what they are allowed and to do.
Never take firearms onto private land unless you have been given permission to do so. Visitors who litter, make alot of noise and don`t close gates that were closed when they arrived damage the relations between fishermen Landowners obviously will take a dim view of further request to enter their land if they are upset by the behavior of visitors.

Defence land near Darwin has some good fishing spots. Shoal Bay defence land includes access to Micket and Kings Creeks. Permits are required to enter this land, and indeed to enter the creeks by sea from Shoal Bay. They must be applied for by writing to the commander at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin.

Crown land fishing can be usually entered without obtaining permission.

Check out the Northern Territory`s fishing limits laws

Top of Page

Quick Look	Climate	Population	Developing	Multi cultural
Fishing Permits	Travel Tips	Economy	Transport	Seafood Industry
Things to know	Phone Numbers	Misc Info