the sand whiting inhabits a range along the east coast of australia from cape york, queensland, southward along the coast and the great barrier reef to eastern victoria and the east coast of tasmania down to southport. the species also inhabits a number of islands; lord howe island, new caledonia, and woodlark island, papua new guinea. the species is most abundant in lower queensland and new south wales, where studies show it inhabits every estuary sampled throughout the course of a study, while in north queensland, the species is very patchily distributed along the coast.