Cleveland - Raby Bay
by Ross W.
Cleveland Point provides good access to Raby Bay for bream fishing and access in good conditions to Peel Island or fishing around the point itself. Cleveland is about 30 minutes east of Brisbane. It provides a 3 car width boat ramp beside the Volunteer Rescue Base however this only has a rocky beach adjacent to it. South of the base or around the small bay are sandy beaches. Both locations have convenient access from a car-park with plenty of parking. There is also toilets and free push-button BBQ facilities
Getting there
Head out along Old Cleveland Road and continue through the various roundabouts onto Shore Street North.
Option 1 - Sandy Beach off Raby Bay Boulevard
Continue along shore road and turn left into Marram Court and then right into Raby Bay Boulevard. Park in the car park near the foreshore and then use the footpaths to move to the sandy beach to the west of the car park.
Option 2 - Boat Ramp beside Volunteer Rescue Base
Continue along shore road and turn left into Williams Road. Park and then either use the ramp or the small sandy beach to the south of the building.
Launching
The boat ramp (B) is corrugated and bounces your kayak around on it's cart. It has a small rocky beach beside it so you can park whilst you finish loading.
The sandy beaches (A and C) are accessible via paths from the car park and both are gently sloping into the water. Both offer good launching where you won't interfere with larger boats using the boat ramp.
The boat ramp on the day we used it was very busy and there were lots of trailers in the car park but it will hold lots. The Cleveland Boat Club has a boat ramp beside the public ramp as well.
Facilities
There are full facilities at the boat site, including car parking for over 60 vehicles and plenty of boat trailer parking. There are free push-button operated electric BBQ's provided by the Redlands Bay Council at the sites shown on the map. There are a few picnic tables, rubbish-bin, and toilets.
Comments
Fishing in Raby Bay provides very sheltered fishing from all winds but does have larger boats moored at the waterfront houses. The bay provides reasonably sheltered fishing depending on the winds and waves. On a calm day you can paddle over to Peel Island or around the Cleveland Point. The structure is very rocky around the point but does shelter many fish.
You need to be careful of tides and the depth of water outside the dredged channels especially if like me you have a Hobie Mirage Drive as this needs nearly 600mm of water to operate safely.
For fishing reports see Southern Moreton Bay.