⚠ NOT FOR NAVIGATION. Use official charts and tide tables. This page is a planning aid only. Navigate with the current AHO chart, MSQ notices to mariners, official tide tables and local advice.

Cruising guides: sections of the coast

Official maps for the whole coastEach section and place page links straight to its own official maps. These are the indexes: MSQ's Beacon to Beacon guides for Queensland, the Reef Authority zoning maps inside the Marine Park, and the NSW boating maps south of the Tweed.MSQ Beacon to Beacon guides (index)Reef Authority zoning mapsNSW boating maps (Transport for NSW)

The guides split the east coast into seven sections, listed north to south from Cooktown down to Gabo Island. Each section gets its own map at a scale you can actually use, then regions and place guides under it. 3 sections are written so far; the rest are on the way. Pick one below.

Sections: 7, north to southSources: Natural Earth, MSQ, Transport for NSW, the Reef AuthorityLast checked: 19 October 2026

Map of the east coast of Australia from Cooktown to Gabo Island with the seven cruising guide sections boxed in gold and numbered north to south.
Numbers run north to south and match the cards below. Solid boxes are written; faint boxes are planned. Coastline from Natural Earth (public domain). Not a chart. Not for navigation.

Sections, north to south

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Whitsundays to Cooktown section boxed in gold

Whitsundays to Cooktown

Planned, not written yet

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Bundaberg to the Whitsundays section boxed in gold

Bundaberg to the Whitsundays

Coming soon

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Mooloolaba to Bundaberg section boxed in gold

Mooloolaba to Bundaberg

3 regions · 12 place guides

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Tweed to Mooloolaba section boxed in gold

Tweed to Mooloolaba

6 regions · 25 place guides

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Tweed to Newcastle section boxed in gold

Tweed to Newcastle

Planned, not written yet

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Newcastle to Wollongong section boxed in gold

Newcastle to Wollongong

Planned, not written yet

Map of the east coast from Gabo Island to Cooktown with the Wollongong to Gabo Island section boxed in gold

Wollongong to Gabo Island

Planned, not written yet

How the sections work

Each section page has a map of just that stretch, the entrances and hazards to plan around, and links to every region and place guide in it. The place guides cover the bar or entrance, where to anchor or berth, who to call, and what's ashore. They're planning notes from a working delivery skipper, not a replacement for the current chart, the notices to mariners or the tide tables.

Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report a correction.

Sources and credits

Natural Earth. Locator and card maps drawn from Natural Earth (public domain).

Official maps. Maritime Safety Queensland, Transport for NSW and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority maps are linked, not reproduced; the official versions prevail.

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