Night fishing pick-up points, The Spit to Surfers Paradise

1. Muriel Henchman Park, The Spit, Main Beach

Muriel Henchman Drive, Main Beach QLD 4217

A boat ramp with a 30 m pontoon and floating walkway. 144 car parks and 160 trailer parks on site, free. Public toilets and a shade shelter at the park. About 5 to 8 minutes to the Seaway, Wave Break Island and Crab Island.

2. Broadwater Parklands, Southport

136 Marine Parade, Southport QLD 4215

A dual-lane boat ramp with three floating walkways and a pontoon. About 90 car and trailer bays on site, free. Toilets and cafes in Broadwater Parklands itself.

3. Waterways Drive ramp, Proud Park, Main Beach

Waterways Drive, Main Beach QLD 4217

A two-lane ramp with a pontoon and floating walkway, just north-east of the Sundale Bridge. Street parking on Rankin Parade. No toilets in Proud Park itself, the nearest are across the road at Pelican Beach Park.

The run out passes through a 6-knot zone near the bridge, so allow extra time from this pontoon.

4. Appel Park pontoon, Surfers Paradise

10 Ferny Avenue, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217

A public pontoon with wide gangways and a sheltered waiting area, at the river end of Cavill Avenue. There is no parking at the park itself. The nearest paid parking is the Bruce Bishop Carpark, 10 Beach Road, a short walk away. On-street parking on nearby streets is metered during the day and free once the meters switch off in the evening.

Appel Park has public toilets. This pontoon is also used by the Hopo ferry and by dinner cruise operators until around 6 pm, so it can be busy earlier in the evening.

5. Howard Street ramp, Runaway Bay

1 Howard Street, Runaway Bay QLD 4216

A single-lane ramp with a beach-style pick-up, you board from a front access ladder rather than a formal pontoon. About 12 car and trailer bays on site plus street parking, free. A community park with no toilets on site, the nearest cafes are on Bayview Street. About 5 to 10 minutes to Crab Island.

6. HOTA Evandale pontoon, Bundall

135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217

A ferry pontoon with ramps and handrails, beside the HOTA Green Bridge. The HOTA Precinct Carpark has about 900 spaces, with the first four hours free between 9 am and 7 pm, and free and unrestricted parking before 9 am and after 7 pm.

Park toilets close at night; accessible toilets are inside the HOTA complex during venue hours. Furthest pontoon from the fishing grounds, the trip up the river runs through several 6-knot zones, so allow extra time.