Benaraby, situated on the Bruce Highway Central Queensland, where the Bruce Highway crosses the picturesque Boyne River, Benaraby is a nice little place on its own merits as well as being close to some really lovely attractions.

When driving along the approaches to Benaraby, take note of the hoop pines, for they have a special meaning to the town. The hoop pine trees were planted at the end of World War II as a memorial to the Benaraby area’s fallen soldiers.

Benaraby rural community is home to about 650 people and while it has everything you could need for a quick stopover, a rest area just off the Bruce highway, Benaraby is actually a good place to holiday in for a couple of days and unpack your fishing rods.

Staying in Benaraby, grab your tackle and head down to the Boyne River. The Boyne river has a history of providing spectacular barramundi and other species. In fact, locals speculate that this might become known as one of the truly great fishing spots.

Upstream from the Boyne River bridge is a great fishing area for many species including flathead, bream, grunter and mangrove jack. Access can be made from the road on the south-eastern side of the bridge.

If you’d like to do a bit of beach fishing, Turkey Beach is just down the road. Fishing is also rewarding at Boyne Island -Tannum Sands. The mouth of the Boyne River is a particular good spot to drop a line.

Or spend some time at Lake Awoonga, which is a 10-minute drive from Benaraby and offers the special treat of year-round barramundi fishing. Thousands of barramundi fingerlings are released into the lake each year, and as this program was started a decade ago, there’s always a good chance of success for a giant catch. Mullet and mangrove jack have also been released into the lake, and many other species can be caught, ranging from bony bream to spangled perch.

Even if you’re not a fishing enthusiast, Lake Awoonga is a great place to visit. Simply relax and enjoy the gorgeous scenery or do some serious wildlife spotting or birdwatching. The lake is considered a vital off-coast bird refuge. Wander along some of the walking paths, have a swim in summer or bring a few snags to throw on one of the barbecues.