FAQ

Melville Island Lodge is located on the Tiwi Islands and sits by the water’s edge in the small township of Milikaptiti (Snake Bay). The Tiwi Islands is north of Darwin and is only accessible by a 30-minute plane ride, or by sea.

Tiwi Islands Adventures will take care of all your travel between Darwin and Melville Island Lodge. This includes flights with privately chartered planes and bus transfers.

Yes. Tiwi Islands Adventures organises all permits for our visiting guests, as they are included as part of our fishing packages.

No. Our guides are on the boat for the entire duration of your trip and will assist anglers of all levels of experience.

There are 6 Custom Works boats that are 6.4 meters long and powered by 175hp Suzuki outboard motors.

Yes. Fishing tackle is provided on a ‘you replace, if lost or broken’ basis.

This does not include fly fishing gear.

Yes. Guests are more than welcome to bring their own rod and tackle.

We recommend, bait caster rod and reel combo’s up to 6ft long.

For lures, Barra classics 10-15 ft, Jackall Squirrels, as well as gold bombers or B52’s for shallow water, and Zman 3–4 inch soft plastics.

Boats depart the lodge between 7:00 - 7.30am, and are back by 4:30pm.

For safety reasons we do not conduct night fishing tours.

No. Being a ‘sport-fishing' destination, the Lodge along with the local Tiwi people, actively promote ‘Catch and Release' fishing. The lodge only keeps enough fish for evening meals, with surplus fish being released.

No. All linen is provided, including towels.

Due to light aircraft travel, luggage weight should not exceed 10kg per person, and the maximum length of a rod tube must not exceed 200cm or 6’6”.

For fishing:  shorts, lightweight long pants, and lightweight shirts, preferably long sleeved to avoid sunburn. Lightweight shoes to wear on the boat, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses (polarised lenses are best for spotting fish).

For evening/non-fishing times: relaxed and comfortable clothing such as shorts, t-shirts, sandals, shoes or thongs, etc.

If your trip is between June and August, we suggest bringing a jumper and warm long pants as the mornings can be cold at that time of year especially when travelling on the boats.

Other items to consider are toiletries, cosmetics, medications, etc.

A travel mug or thermos, as tea and coffee are not provided on the boat.

For smokers: tobacco/cigarettes, as the lodge does not sell these products.

Telstra is the only telecommunication provider on the island.

Only phones and mobile devices that are connected to the Telstra network will work for making and receiving phone calls. The lodge has a courtesy telephone that guests are welcome to use for making calls, as well as receiving calls on Phone Number: (08) 8978 3664         

The Lodge does not have Wi-Fi facilities. To gain access to the internet, guests will need to bring a small pocket-sized wireless modem/dongle that is connected to the Telstra network.

Yes. The Lodge has a fully licensed bar that is open from 4pm to 10pm, and offers a comprehensive range of beer, wine, and spirits.

No. Tiwi Islands Adventures holds a full liquor license, so it is illegal to bring alcohol onto the premises. The Lodge is also located on Indigenous land which prohibits visitors importing alcohol without a government permit.

Local police conduct random bag checks on all incoming arrivals. If found in possession of prohibited items, heavy penalties will apply.

No. There is a washing machine with complimentary laundry powder, and dryer which guests can use to do their own washing.

Yes. Milikapiti Health Clinic operates a 24hr service and is only a short 2-minute drive from the lodge. They are open from 9:00am – 4:00pm, Monday to Friday, and are available ‘on call’ after-hours.

There are more than 50 species of fish that inhabit the waters of the Tiwi Islands.
Find more information here.