“ Will I be safe?”

Is the first question most first time visitors to the Northern Territory ask. The answer is YES, you will be completely safe. Providing, of course, that you take normal duty of care, follow your fishing guide's instructions when you're in his care, plus stay well inside the boat when you are fishing and travelling between locations. Our boats are large, high-sided and purpose-built to provide the safest and most comfortable platform possible in the waters you will be fishing. Our enclosed lodge area is positioned well above sea level and is not accessible to crocodiles.
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“Will I be eaten alive by insects?”

Is usually the second question first time visitors ask. The answer is NO. You will undoubtedly encounter some sandflies and occasionally mosquitoes in the more heavily mangroved creeks, their numbers depending on time of year and weather conditions. Generally though, the insect population in and around both our lodge and bush camp should be of little to no concern to you.
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“What will the weather be like?”

There are three major seasons on Melville Island ;

The ‘dry season': April to August

The ‘build up' : September to November

The ‘wet season': December to March

Average monthly temperatures range from 25° to 36°C in October and 19° to 29°C in July. Inland areas may experience overnight temperatures as low as 12°C during the cooler months of June and July. If the prospect of hot weather seriously concerns you, the ideal time to visit us is between June and September. During these cooler ‘dry season' months temperatures are reduced to the point where a lightweight sweater can sometimes be required during early mornings and late evenings.

But, even during the warmest of weather our lodge, with its shaded oceanfront position and cooling sea breezes, combined with our air-conditioned guest rooms, provide our clients with a comfortable retreat from the heat of even the hottest day.
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“What should I pack for my trip?”

For fishing, pack shorts or lightweight long pants, together with lightweight shirts, preferably long-sleeved if you sunburn easily. Bring boat shoes or something similar for your feet plus a wide-brimmed hat. Sunglasses are a necessity, Polaroids are best (for spotting fish), if you have them.

Our lodge is extremely relaxed and casual, so shorts, tee shirts etc. are perfect for non fishing times. If your trip is between June and September it may also be wise to pack a lightweight sweater or something similar, as early mornings and evenings can occasionally get a little chilly at this time of year.

Please also bring any other personal items you'll need for your time away. Such as sunblock, insect repellant, cosmetics, personal medications, cigarettes etc. Remember, you'll be in a remote environment, and although there's a general store at Snake Bay, it's opening hours and range of goods can be somewhat limited.
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“Is the lodge suitable for ladies?”

ABSOLUTELY! In fact, a great proportion of both our first-time and repeat clients are ladies, and not only fisherman's wives either! Our lodge and boat facilities are as comfortable as we can possibly make them in a remote environment and our experienced and licensed guides take a great many lady anglers fishing every year.

Ladies; if you'd like more information concerning our amenities, please feel free to give the lodge a call or drop us an email.
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“Is the lodge suitable for children?” 

Father and son trips are very popular at Melville Island Lodge. But, given the environment we operate in, we don't recommend the lodge to be suitable for children under 15 years of age.
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“ What is there to do other than fishing?” 

Given we are primarily a sport-fishing lodge, most guests prefer to maximise their time on the water fishing. BUT, this certainly doesn't have to be the case. Some of our regular clients, especially husband and wife guests, who come here to unwind for a few days, prefer to mix their fishing in with some of the other great activities on the Island . For some suggested non-fishing activities (click here).
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“What if I get sick or have an accident?” 

All of our professional and licensed fishing guides have current first aid certificates. In addition, the Milikapati Medical Centre is within walking distance from Melville Island Lodge. As an added safety precaution, all boats are fitted with first aid kits and satellite phones. And, in a worst case emergency situation, both our Snake Bay lodge and our Johnson River camp are a 30 minute helicopter flight to Darwin hospital.
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“What if our boat breaks down?” 

Our young fleet of boats and motors are maintained and routinely serviced by our own on-site and fully qualified outboard motor mechanic to ensure optimum service at all times. All boats are fitted with satellite phones, GPS and emergency equipment. The lodge has at least one fully equipped spare boat on standby at all times, so, in the unlikely event of a major breakdown, you will be transferred to another boat and be back fishing in no time.
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“Will I be guaranteed of catching lots of fish?”

The level of success of any fishing trip (anywhere in the world) can be influenced by many factors; such as weather, barometer, tides, water temperature, time of year, and, of course, an anglers skill levels. Consequently, and despite what some operators may advertise, no fishing business operator can truthfully guarantee that you will catch heaps of fish ALL the time, no matter how prolific and untouched the fish stocks in an area might be. Prior to owning the Melville Island Lodge business, my wife and I fished here regularly for several years as clients. Like our guides, we've got to know and appreciate the huge fishing potential of Melville Island first hand. We also know many other Northern Territory fishing destinations well, having fished at various other fishing lodges and camps in earlier times. Having this experience enables us to confidently lay claim that the fishing quality in our area is as consistently good as the very best locations in the Northern Territory, and is considerably better and more consistent than most. The rest is up to you, our fish-guiding skills and the fishing gods, who thankfully smile on us more often than not!
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“Why choose Melville Island Lodge?” 

Although rapidly growing in popularity, fully guided sport -fishing in remote destinations is relatively new to Australia , the first operators establishing rudimentary camps back in the late 1980's. As the industry matures the gap in service, professionalism and client satisfaction provided by the old style camp operator and the newer style of professionally managed and operated sport-fishing lodges, such as Melville Island Lodge, has widened substantially.

Consequently, not all remote sport-fishing destinations are the same. When contemplating your trip, please take some time to compare the many benefits of Melville Island Lodge;