Mourilyan Harbour & Innisfail

Mourilyan Harbour is a small, deep sugar port just inside the mouth of the Moresby River, reached through a narrow entrance between two headlands (NGA). Ports North runs it, and Cairns VTS controls shipping as "Mourilyan Harbour Port Control". Five miles north, the Johnstone River leads up to Innisfail through a shallow, shifting entrance. MSQ's latest notice says only enter with local knowledge and near high tide.

At a glance

Getting in

Radio at Mourilyan. In the Mourilyan pilotage area, all vessels keep a listening watch on VHF 16, and on VHF 13 if fitted. Cairns VTS, as Mourilyan Harbour Port Control, announces movements on VHF 16 with details on VHF 13 (MSQ Mourilyan port procedures). Ships report at point Q1, about 2 miles east of the entrance, on VHF 18 (NGA).

The entrance. NGA says the stream can reach 3 kn at springs. The flood sets south between Hall Point and Camp Point, then west-north-west across the harbour towards the berth. The ebb out of the Moresby River sets onto the berth, then east through the channel and north along Hall Point. The channel bottom is rock and the swinging basin is soft mud. Large ships enter only in daylight.

Approach hazards. Meaburn Rock, 3 m and steep-to except on its west side, lies about 2.5 miles NE of the entrance and has a lit buoy on its south side. Two wrecks, in 16.2 and 8.5 m, lie 0.5 mile NNE of it. A dangerous wreck at 17°35.9'S 146°12.9'E lies close to the west edge of the two-way route (NGA).

Johnstone River and Innisfail. NGA says the entrance, less than 0.2 mile wide and 0.7 mile west of Flying Fish Point, and the river are full of sandbanks. They're navigable only by small craft with recent local knowledge, drawing no more than 2.4 m at springs and 1.2 m at neaps. The range lights on Flying Fish Point are moved to show the deepest water. The latest notice (11 August 2026) reports significant shoaling and moving sandbars at the entrance. Buoys No 1 and No 2 have been moved and may not show safe water, so don't rely on them alone. Enter or leave only with adequate local knowledge of current conditions, and near high tide (MSQ NtM 438(T)-2026).

Anchorages

• Mourilyan. Anchor south of the entrance lead in the swinging basin, in 7 m (NGA).
• Off Croquette Point. Small vessels with local knowledge can anchor in 4 to 5 m (NGA).
• North of Flying Fish Point. A rock with 1.8 m over it lies close north-west of Cooper Point. NGA says not to approach this coast within 2.5 miles, because the shore bank is steep-to.

Ramps

• Mourilyan Harbour. Ramp, floating walkway and breakwater, run by Ports North (TMR JS44 to JS47).
• Flying Fish Point. Ramp on the north bank at the river entrance (TMR JS51).
• Innisfail, Edith Street. Ramp beside the Jubilee Bridge, with public jetties nearby (TMR JS71 to JS81).

Tropical North Queensland in brief

• Marine park. Almost all of this water is in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the matching Queensland marine park. Check the zone on the Reef Authority zoning map before you fish or anchor.
• No-anchoring areas. These are mostly marked by white pyramid buoys with a blue label. Don't anchor inside them; use the public moorings (blue buoys), which have time limits and vessel-size classes (Reef Authority).
• Crocodiles. The Queensland Government says crocodile habitat starts near Gladstone and runs north, and no waterway in their range is crocodile-free. Keep arms and legs inside the boat, use the boat or trailer as a barrier at ramps, avoid small craft like kayaks, never clean fish at ramps, and stay more than 10 m from any crocodile. They're more active at night and in the September to April breeding season (Be Crocwise).
• Stingers. Marine stingers are present all year, with higher risk from November to May. Swim at patrolled beaches and in stinger nets and wear a full-body lycra suit. If someone is stung, call Triple Zero (000) and pour vinegar on the sting; Irukandji symptoms can take 20 to 40 minutes to show (Queensland Government, page updated 2 October 2019).
• Cyclones. The official season runs from 1 November to 30 April, though cyclones can form outside it (Bureau of Meteorology). On 30 October 2026 the Bureau had not yet published its 2026–27 tropical cyclone outlook. Have a cyclone plan before you leave a boat here in summer.

Ashore

What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. Listings as fetched from OpenStreetMap on 30 October 2026; check opening hours before you walk.

From Innisfail ramp, Edith Street (boat ramp / dinghy landing)

From Flying Fish Point ramp (boat ramp / dinghy landing)

No marine stores or chandlers are mapped in OpenStreetMap within the walk.

Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 30 October 2026.

About this page

These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the official chart, current MSQ notices to mariners, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.

Official links

Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.

• MSQ notices to mariners: Mourilyan
• MSQ notices to mariners: Far North Queensland outside pilotage areas
• MSQ Mourilyan port procedures (September 2026)
• Reef Authority zoning Map 6: Innisfail
• Queensland notices to mariners, all areas (subscribe)
• Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland coastal waters forecasts
• Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland warnings (incl. marine wind warnings)
• Bureau of Meteorology: tide predictions
• Bureau of Meteorology: tropical cyclones in Australia
• Reef Authority (GBRMPA): zoning maps, all areas
• Queensland Government: boating in crocodile habitat
• Queensland Government: dangerous marine life (stingers)
• Marine Rescue Queensland: rescue units

Sources & credits

Need a delivery skipper for this coast? Get a quote from Garry Hartshorne, AMSA Master <45.