Etty Bay Beach near Innisfail, QLD: Cassowaries, crocodiles & camping

Etty Bay Beach near Innisfail, Queensland, is something of a hidden secret – and a brilliant place to spot cassowaries. There is a stinger net for swimming, but be aware that Etty Bay is in crocodile country. Camping is available at the Etty Bay Caravan Park.

Where is Etty Bay Beach?

Etty Bay Beach is a beach in the little hamlet of Etty Bay on Queensland’s Cassowary Coast. Etty Bay is about 15km south-east of Innisfail and a 35 minute drive north of Mission Beach. It is a fairly well-protected, east-facing beach just to the south of Moresby Range National Park.

Cassowaries at Etty Bay

Etty Bay is a notorious hangout for the often elusive cassowary. This giant bird is the third largest bird in the world after the ostrich and the emu, and can be quite dangerous if it corners you. Swot up on cassowary safety before going, but you can usually admire the Etty Bay cassowaries from a safe distance in the early morning and late afternoon.

Is it safe to swim at Etty Beach?

Etty Bay Beach doesn’t tend to get dramatic surf, but waves can get up if the wind is coming from the south-east.

The surf may not be substantial, but Etty Bay Beach is prone to marine stingers. You can never guarantee that a box jellyfish or Irukandji isn’t in the water with you, and stinger suits are advised. This is particularly the case during the wet season between November and May, when marine stingers are more prevalent.

The Etty Bay Surf Lifesaving Club patrols outside the Etty Bay stinger net in the centre of the beach, and this is by far the safest place to swim at Etty Bay Beach.

Are there crocodiles at Etty Bay Beach?

The other potential killers in the water are saltwater crocodiles, which kill one to two people a year in Australia.

Crocodiles have been sighted at Etty Bay Beach in the past, and you can never 100% guarantee there isn’t one there. Swimming is conducted at your own risk.

However, crocodiles around Innisfail don’t hang out on beaches, or in the coastal waters off beaches, all that often. They prefer the murkier, slower-moving waters of creeks and billabongs.

Etty Bay Beach is also in Zone D of the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan. This is the transitory zone, where crocodiles aren’t often spotted. Any crocodile more than two metres long or seen behaving dangerously is targeted for capture and removal.

Can I go camping at Etty Bay?

Etty Bay accommodation is available at the Etty Bay Caravan Park. This fairly simple caravan park is right on the beachfront and offers cabins for from $140 per night.

It is possible to go camping at Etty Bay, with the Etty Bay Caravan Park offering unpowered sites for from $35 per night and powered sites from $45.

All prices are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change in future.