January 29, 2025
Rock fishing along Victoria’s stunning coastlines offers breathtaking views and exciting fishing opportunities, but it can come with significant risks.
Every year, tragically, fishers lose their lives while rock fishing. In Australia, rock fishing accounts for 4% of all drowning deaths.
To ensure everyone returns home safely and to address the dangers of rock fishing, the Victorian Government have implemented rules that require rock fishers to wear a lifejacket at ten high-risk locations along the Victorian coast.
Where are the ten high-risk zones?
The ten high-risk zones are located along Victoria’s coast from the south-west to south Gippsland. Anyone fishing at these sites is required to wear a lifejacket:
- Rock platform near blowholes carpark at Cape Bridgewater
- Artillery Rocks, west of Lorne
- Jump Rock, near Lorne
- The rock platform opposite Sheoak Falls, south of Lorne
- All rock platforms between Point Nepean and West Head, near Cape Schanck
- Pyramid Rocks, Phillip Island
- Kitty Miller Bay, Phillip Island
- Cowries Rock, Phillip Island
- Sunderland Bay, Phillip Island
- All rock platforms between Bore Beach (San Remo) and Kilcunda
To view in-language maps of the high-risk fishing locations in Chinese, Dari, Farsi, Pashto and Vietnamese, visit the Victorian Fisheries Authority website here.
ROCK FISHING SAFETY GUIDELINES
Victorians are incredibly lucky to have such extensive and widespread coastlines that offer some of the most rewarding fishing experiences one can have. Life Saving Victoria along with stakeholders, VRFish and the Victorian Fisheries Authority, worked on the following guidelines through the rock safety project to reduce the amount of drownings as a result of rock fishing.
For recfishers who enjoy rock fishing, follow these safety guidelines to ensure that you enjoy all the benefits of rock fishing without any of the unnecessary risk.
- Always wear a life jacket and never fish alone. Inform others of your fishing plans so that search and rescue know where to look if things turn bad.
- Wear light clothing; appropriate footwear and carry safety gear, a rope and a float are a couple of the essentials.
- Never fish in exposed areas during rough or large seas.
- Observe first, fish later. This will ensure that you are aware of the conditions you will be fishing in and can properly prepare.
- Plan an escape route in case you are washed in.
- Stay alert at all times. Victoria is known for its unpredictability with weather conditions, changing from good to bad in a heartbeat.
- Ask advice from locals who know the area.
If you are swept into the water:
- If you are swept into the water. Keep calm. Swim away from the rocks as much as possible.
- Do not jump in if someone is washed into the water. Call Emergency Services on 000.
- If someone is washed in, throw a rope or something that floats.
VITAL WEATHER SAFETY CHECKS BEFORE ROCK FISHING
Before you go rock fishing, it’s important to check the weather via the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). The BOM is a great resource where you can check the five vital weather safety checks before you head out rock fishing.
The BOM’s five vital weather safety checks are:
- Wave conditions
- Tide times
- Wind conditions
- Marine warnings
- Changing weather
Visit the BOM’s website for information on using MetEye for rock fishing. Rock fishers can use MetEye to find information on forecast waves, winds and weather for an area or specific locations.
