Your boat, your pots, your tide.
Eight 3.85m aluminium tinnies on the pontoon at Cabbage Tree Creek. Under Queensland's hire-and-drive rules you don't need a boat licence, just our briefing and a sensible head on your shoulders.
"If you can drive a ride-on mower, you can drive one of these." — Bec
What it costs.
Prices are per boat, not per person, so four mates split it four ways. Fuel, life jackets, anchor, bucket, creek map and the briefing are always included.
| Hire | Time on water | Weekday | Weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twilight RunLaunch after 2pm, back by sunset | 3 hrs | $110 | $120 |
| Half-Day TinnieOur bread and butter | 4 hrs | $145 | $160 |
| The LotHalf-day + pot kit + esky & ice + 2 rods + steam | 4 hrs | $195 | $210 |
| Full-Day TinnieTwo tides. Pine River and back. | 8 hrs | $225 | $245 |
Eight boats. Eight stories.
Every tinnie has the same hull and motor, so you can't pick a "bad" one. You can pick a favourite, though. Regulars request them by name.
Everything rigged before you arrive.
- 4 collapsible crab potsHeavy-gauge mesh, weighted, with 15m of rope each.
- 4 white floats, taggedQueensland law says pots carry the user's name and address. We write yours on at check-in.
- Bait, frozen in bagsMullet frames and chicken necks from the Sandgate fish shop. Bait clips already wired in.
- Crab gaugeA 15cm measure. If in doubt, it goes back.
- Gloves & tongsMuddies have a crush grip that can break a finger. Treat them with respect.
- A bucket with a lidKeep your keepers cool, damp and shaded. Wet hessian included.
Bec spent twelve years writing tickets for these. Please don't make her.
Before Muddies & Tinnies, Bec was a Queensland Boating & Fisheries Patrol officer. She knows every excuse in the book. The short version is below. The full rules are on the Queensland Government fisheries website.
- 15cmMinimum carapace widthMeasured across the widest part of the shell, tip to tip. Undersized crabs go back immediately and gently.
- ♂Males onlyFemale mud crabs are fully protected, whatever their size. Flip it over: a narrow, pointed abdominal flap is a buck. A broad, rounded one is a jenny.
- 7Possession limit per personOr 14 per boat with two or more people aboard. That includes what's already in your fridge at home.
- 4Pots per person, maxPots and dillies combined. Two adults on board means up to eight pots.
- ✎Pots must be taggedWith the user's surname and address, on a light-coloured float. We tag yours at check-in.
- ⊘No pots in green zonesParts of Moreton Bay Marine Park are no-take. They're shaded green on your creek map. If you're unsure, don't drop.
Tell us the day. We'll match it to the tide.
Pick a date and what you're after. We'll confirm your launch time against the tide within a couple of hours, and text you a reminder the night before with the weather.
A $50 deposit holds the boat. If the Bureau issues a strong wind warning for Moreton Bay, we'll move your booking or refund you in full.
Saturday mornings book out ~2 weeks ahead!Things people ask at the counter.
Do I really not need a boat licence?
Correct. We operate under Queensland's hire-and-drive arrangements, so the person driving doesn't need a marine licence. They do need to be 18+, sober, and to sit through our 15-minute briefing. We also keep you inside a defined operating area: Cabbage Tree Creek, the Shorncliffe and Sandgate foreshore, and the inner part of Bramble Bay.
What happens if the weather turns?
We watch the Bureau of Meteorology's coastal forecast for Moreton Bay from 5am. If there's a strong wind warning, or storms are tracking in, we'll call you and move or refund your booking. If you're already out and the wind picks up, we'll ring your mobile and call you back in. Bramble Bay gets choppy fast in a northerly.
Can we bring the kids?
Absolutely. Most of our weekend boats have kids in them. We have life jackets from 10kg up, and Pinchy has a googly-eyed bucket. Kids under 12 must wear their jacket the whole time.
What if we don't catch anything?
It happens. Crabs don't read the tide chart. If you come back empty-handed on The Lot, you can have a free pot kit next time. Most crews get at least one keeper, and the pot board on the shed wall keeps us honest.
Can we bring beer?
The skipper can't drink: Queensland's 0.05 limit applies on the water too, and we'll check at the dock. Passengers can have a couple of cold ones. Keep the cans in the boat, not in the creek.
Can you cook the crabs for us?
On The Lot, yes. We steam your keepers on the pontoon while you hose your hands off, and they go home in a cooler bag with lemon and butter. On other hires, it's $10 a boat.