South Mackay tides today
- Tide now 8.3 ft ↑ rising · high 12:53 pm (18.1 ft)
- Best time to fish 11:50 am–1:50 pm average day · 5/10
- Beach day 6:00–10:00 am Good beach day · 8/10
- Waves · water 0.3 ft · 81 °F calm (rippled) · 2.1 s from the east-northeast
- Wind · air 1 mph · 81 °F calm · light drizzle
- Sun 5:22 am–6:12 pm 12 h 50 min of daylight
- Moon 88% · 9:40 pm waning gibbous · rises at 9:40 pm
- Best time to dive 12:00–1:50 pm great day · 10/10
Today in South Mackay there are high tides at 12:16 am (14.5 ft) and 12:53 pm (18.1 ft) and low tides at 6:27 am and 7:28 pm. Tide coefficient 77. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 12:53 pm. The sun rises at 5:22 am and sets at 6:12 pm: 12 h 50 min of daylight. The moon is 88% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 9:40 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:02 am to 3:02 am and from 1:34 pm to 3:34 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is calm (rippled), with 0.3 ft waves. There is no wind. Light drizzle, 81 °F.
Fishing in South Mackay today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Low tide at 6:27 am
- Minor period 6:59–7:59 am (moonset)
- Sunrise at 5:22 am
- Steady pressure (30.09 inHg), almost no wind and calm sea (0.3 ft waves)
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 77 (average tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 5:30 am to 7:30 am, combines the 6:27 am low tide, moonset and sunrise. Also good from 11:50 am to 1:50 pm, with the 12:53 pm high tide, a major period and a light onshore breeze. Also good from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, with the 7:28 pm low tide, a light onshore breeze and some swell.
Species with the most records nearby: leopard coral grouper, bull shark, orange-spotted grouper and barramundi. What you can catch
Beach day in South Mackay
Is it a beach day?
4 good hours- Sun and clouds
- Feels like 91 °F: beach weather
- Almost no wind
- Calm for swimming: 0.3 ft waves
- UV 4 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen
- Water at 81 °F (warm)
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Calm · 0.3 ft
0.3 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 81 °F
Warm: very pleasant.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 10 · SPF 50
Max UV 10 (very high): SPF 50 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours. Seek shade 12:00–1:00 pm (very high UV).
- Wind 7 mph
Onshore breeze (7 mph).
- Tide & sand 7:28 pm
Low tide at 6:27 am and 7:28 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 12:16 am and 12:53 pm.
The best window, 6:00 am to 10:00 am, brings beach weather, little wind, a calm sea, water at 81 °F and low tide at 6:27 am, though with rain.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near South Mackay
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Far Beach 1.4 mi · E
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Illawong Beach 1.4 mi · SE
- Parking
- Harbour Beach 3.6 mi · NE
- Restrooms
- Parking
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near South Mackay
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in South Mackay
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 12:16 am 14.5 ft · coef. 77
- ▼ Low tide 6:27 am 3.1 ft
- ▲ Next high tide 12:53 pm 18.1 ft · coef. 72
- ▼ Low tide 7:28 pm 4.4 ft
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 3 h 58 min to high tide at 12:53 pm.
Tide coefficient 77 for the 12:16 am high tide and 72 for the 12:53 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 15.0 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on December 25 (20.8 ft) and the lowest, on October 9 (1.0 ft).
Mixed: two high and two low tides a day, but of quite different heights.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 8 to 9 (coefficient 100, 17.9 ft range). The smallest, from October 17 to 18 (coefficient 30, 6.0 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 5:22 am · 6:12 pm | High tide 12:16 am · 14.5 ft | Low tide 6:27 am · 3.1 ft | High tide 12:53 pm · 18.1 ft | Low tide 7:28 pm · 4.4 ft | Coef. 77 | 88% | Major periods 1:02 am · 1:34 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 5:22 am · 6:13 pm | High tide 1:08 am · 13.4 ft | Low tide 7:16 am · 4.1 ft | High tide 1:51 pm · 17.3 ft | Low tide 8:35 pm · 5.1 ft | Coef. 67 | 80% | Major periods 2:06 am · 2:39 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 5:21 am · 6:13 pm | High tide 2:14 am · 12.4 ft | Low tide 8:19 am · 5.2 ft | High tide 3:03 pm · 16.6 ft | Low tide 10:02 pm · 5.3 ft | Coef. 57 | 70% | Major periods 3:10 am · 3:41 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 5:21 am · 6:14 pm | High tide 3:47 am · 12.1 ft | Low tide 9:48 am · 5.9 ft | High tide 4:31 pm · 16.4 ft | Low tide 11:29 pm · 4.7 ft | Coef. 56 | 59% | Major periods 4:11 am · 4:40 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 5:20 am · 6:14 pm | High tide 5:35 am · 12.9 ft | Low tide 11:28 am · 5.5 ft | High tide 5:50 pm · 17.0 ft | — | Coef. 66 | Last quarter | Major periods 5:07 am · 5:33 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 5:19 am · 6:15 pm | Low tide 12:32 am · 3.6 ft | High tide 6:43 am · 14.4 ft | Low tide 12:40 pm · 4.5 ft | High tide 6:50 pm · 17.7 ft | Coef. 78 | 37% | Major periods 5:58 am · 6:23 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 5:19 am · 6:15 pm | Low tide 1:22 am · 2.5 ft | High tide 7:34 am · 16.0 ft | Low tide 1:36 pm · 3.6 ft | High tide 7:39 pm · 18.0 ft | Coef. 87 | 27% | Major periods 6:46 am · 7:09 pm | Low |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Mackay Outer Harbour station (TICON-4), 4.8 mi from South Mackay. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database). Source: Hart-Davis, M., Dettmering, D., Seitz, F. (2025), TICON-4: TIdal CONstants based on GESLA-4 sea-level records, SEANOE, https://doi.org/10.17882/109129. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: see https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database#modifications-to-source-data
The sea at South Mackay
Sea stateSea state: calm (rippled)
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common0.2 ft
- Significant0.3 ft
- Highest expectedHighest0.7 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 0.7 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 0.7 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Onshore wind. The coast faces east and the wind blows straight in from the sea: more surf and backwash at the shore, and bait and boats drift toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Friday 30: 2.8 ft with a period of 4 s, from the east-southeast (slight).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+1.5 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 8:55 am (local time).
Surf in South Mackay today
Surf today
Flat- Barely any waves (0.3 ft sets): flat
- Almost no wind (3 mph): glassy water
- Falling tide (high tide at 12:53 pm)
It’s flat today: almost no waves reach this coast.
- Light: First light 4:59 am · sunrise 5:22 am · sunset 6:12 pm · last light 6:35 pm
- Tide: high 12:16 am (14.5 ft), low 6:27 am (3.1 ft), high 12:53 pm (18.1 ft) and low 7:28 pm (4.4 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 80.4 °F–81.5 °F: boardshorts or a swimsuit and a rash guard.
- Energy: 0 kJ · Low power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 5:00 am to 9:00 am, has glassy water, though with barely any waves.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in South Mackay today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- Slack water around high tide (12:53 pm): little current from 12:30 pm to 1:10 pm
- 0.2 ft swell at 2 s from the south: barely any surge
- Light onshore wind (7 mph)
- 0.2 mph current toward the northwest, weak (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: high tide 12:16 am (11:50 pm–12:40 am), low tide 6:27 am (6:00–6:50 am), high tide 12:53 pm (12:30–1:10 pm) and low tide 7:28 pm (7:00–8:00 pm)
- Likely visibility: good. Rain (0.46 in) over the last few days has stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 80.4–81.5 °F: a shorty or a rash guard.
- Snorkeling: good, calm sea and light wind.
- Night dive: dark from 6:35 pm. Waning gibbous (88%), rising at 9:40 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 12:00 pm to 1:50 pm, combines slack water at high tide, little swell, light wind, weak current and the sun high. Also good from 5:40 am to 6:30 am, with slack water at low tide, little swell, light wind and weak current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in South Mackay
Now in South Mackay
- Low / high
- 72 / 84 °F
- Rain
- 0.63 in · 94%
- Clouds
- 48%
- Humidity
- 76%
- Dew pointDew point
- 73 °F
- Visibility
- 15 mi
- UV indexUV
- 4 · moderate
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 22
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising · now Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Rising now (+0.03 inHg in 3 hours). It barely changes over the next 48 hours. Rising pressure: anglers say fish bite less for a while. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Light rain | Drizzle | Partly cloudy | Light drizzle | Drizzle | Light showers | Drizzle | Overcast |
| Temperature | 74° | 72° | 74° | 81° | 83° | 79° | 75° | 74° |
| Wind (mph) | 2 ESE | 1 SE | 3 S | 1 E | 6 ENE | 6 E | 5 ESE | 6 SE |
| Gusts | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 11 |
| Waves | 0.5 ft | 0.4 ft | 0.3 ft | 0.3 ft | 1.0 ft | 1.5 ft | 1.7 ft | 1.7 ft |
| Rain | 0.08 in | 0.03 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.03 in | 0.06 in | 0.03 in | 0.00 in |
- 9:00 am 81° 1 E 0.3 ft
- 12:00 pm 83° 6 ENE 1.0 ft
- 3:00 pm 79° 6 E 1.5 ft
- 6:00 pm 75° 5 ESE 1.7 ft
- 9:00 pm 74° 6 SE 1.7 ft
- 12:00 am 73° 6 SE 1.6 ft
- 3:00 am 72° 5 SE 1.8 ft
- 6:00 am 73° 5 SE 2.2 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 72 / 84 °F | 7 mph ESE | 1.8 ft | 12:16 am · 12:53 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 70 / 80 °F | 13 mph ESE | 2.8 ft | 1:08 am · 1:51 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 70 / 77 °F | 10 mph E | 2.3 ft | 2:14 am · 3:03 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 72 / 82 °F | 9 mph ENE | 1.1 ft | 3:47 am · 4:31 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 68 / 86 °F | 9 mph NE | 0.7 ft | 5:35 am · 5:50 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 69 / 87 °F | 8 mph N | 0.8 ft | 6:43 am · 6:50 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 69 / 87 °F | 10 mph N | 1.1 ft | 7:34 am · 7:39 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 71 / 87 °F | 10 mph N | 0.8 ft | 8:17 am · 8:22 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 72 / 87 °F | 7 mph N | 0.9 ft | 8:55 am · 9:01 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 72 / 87 °F | 7 mph N | 1.2 ft | 9:32 am · 9:37 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 72 / 86 °F | 4 mph NE | 1.0 ft | 10:06 am · 10:12 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 70 / 86 °F | 12 mph ESE | 2.6 ft | 10:39 am · 10:45 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 71 / 82 °F | 12 mph ESE | 3.2 ft | 11:11 am · 11:18 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 67 / 82 °F | 11 mph ESE | 3.1 ft | 11:43 am · 11:52 pm |
- Fri 30 Drizzle 70° / 80° 2.8 ft
- Sat 31 Drizzle 70° / 77° 2.3 ft
- Sun 1 Light drizzle 72° / 82° 1.1 ft
- Mon 2 Partly cloudy 68° / 86° 0.7 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 69° / 87° 0.8 ft
- Wed 4 Light drizzle 69° / 87° 1.1 ft
- Thu 5 Overcast 71° / 87° 0.8 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models They don't agree · low confidence: unsure about rain on Saturday 31. See the models →
- Normal Today, normal highs for late October (84 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 8:55 am (local time).
The sun in South Mackay
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 4:32 am
- Full dark 7:02 pm
- Civil dawn 4:59 am
- Civil dusk 6:35 pm
- Solar noon 11:47 am (82° high)
- Daylight 12 h 50 min (+1 min)
- Evening golden hour 5:42 pm
- Full dark 7:02 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,345,589 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in South Mackay
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,469 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 1:02–3:02 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 1:34–3:34 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 6:59–7:59 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 9:10–10:10 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 6:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 5:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 9:48 pmNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 12:54 amNov 25 in 27 days
Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in South Mackay
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Hospital Bridge Fishing Pier 2.0 mi
- Fishing Deck 4.0 mi
- Mackay Boat Ramp 2.0 mi
- Boat ramp 2.6 mi
- Boat ramp 4.8 mi
- Boat ramp 6.3 mi
- Bucasia Boat Ramp 8.7 mi
- Mackay Marina 4.7 mi
- Tackle World Mackay 1.1 mi
- Compleat Angler Mackay 2.8 mi
- Oh-Fish-ial Tackle 4.7 mi
- River to Reef Fishing Supplies 9.0 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Very shallowVery shallow and flat: 2.8 mi from shore the water is still only about 5.6 ft deep.
From the shoreline (1.4 mi from South Mackay) out to sea, heading east.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep2.3 mi
- 33 ft deepnot within 2.8 mi
- 66 ft deepnot within 2.8 mi
- 164 ft deepnot within 2.8 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 2.3 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shallow: the water doesn't reach 33 ft within 2.8 mi. For deeper dives, take a boat farther out.
Rough estimate: here the data comes in cells of about 0.3 mi and misses details near shore (rocks, sandbars, small coves). There is land ahead (an island, a headland or the far shore) 2.8 mi out.
Source: NOAA ETOPO 2022 (CC0), cells of about 0.3 mi; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Nearest lighthouse
Flat Top Island Light 4.5 mi east
- Light
- 4 flashes every 20 s; white or red depending on where you see it from · Fl(4) WR 20s
- Built
- 1878
Data from Wikidata. For reference only: not for navigation. Wikipedia · Wikidata · Sources and licenses
Tides near South MackayTides nearby
- Mackay1.0 mi
- Mackay City1.4 mi
- East Mackay1.5 mi
- Andergrove5.5 mi
- Slade Point6.8 mi
- Rural View6.9 mi
- Chelona7.0 mi
- Blacks Beach7.5 mi
- Eimeo8.7 mi
- Bucasia8.9 mi
South Mackay at a glance
- Town or city of about 6,494 people. Coordinates: 21.163° S, 149.178° E.
- It is 498 mi northwest of Brisbane, the main place in Queensland. The sun rises 23 min later and sets 8 min later than in Brisbane.
- The nearest tide station, Mackay Outer Harbour, is 4.8 mi to the northeast.
- Its coast faces east.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Town Beach (1.7 mi), Far Beach (2.0 mi), Mackay Outer Harbour (4.8 mi).
Questions about South MackayQuestions
What time is high tide today in South Mackay?
Today in South Mackay there are high tides at 12:16 am (14.5 ft) and 12:53 pm (18.1 ft) and low tides at 6:27 am and 7:28 pm. Tide coefficient 77.
What time is sunset today in South Mackay?
At 6:12 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 6:35 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in South Mackay?
At 5:22 am. First light comes at 4:32 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 88% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 5:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:02–3:02 am, Minor 6:59–7:59 am, Major 1:34–3:34 pm, Minor 9:10–10:10 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in South Mackay?
Light showers, from 72 °F to 84 °F, with calm and a 94% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in South Mackay?
Calm (rippled) (Douglas 1): 0.3 ft waves with a period of 2.1 s from the east-northeast. The water is 81.0 °F.
When is the best time to visit South Mackay?
The best time to visit South Mackay is from July to October: highs of 73 °F to 83 °F, about 3 rainy days a month and 9 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Mackay Outer Harbour station, with constants from TICON-4 (Hart-Davis, Dettmering and Seitz, 2025, SEANOE), licensed CC BY 4.0, via Slackwater database (changes). Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).