Surfing locations in the Capes region of South West Western Australia explained

-34°N 115°WMost surf breaks in the Capes region  - from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin  - within the larger area known as the South West region of Western Australia tend to have the name Margaret River^[1] attached, despite the wide geographic range of locations where the breaks are located.

Context

Surfing in this region was well established in the 1970s,^[2] with a 1970 government mapping guide to the region identifying surfing locations.

By the 1990s the names of the individual breaks were so well established that online and published guides were able to locate and identify the behaviours of the breaks.

The surfing culture of the region is well embedded in the communities along the coast.

The roads named below run off Caves Road, the main western route between Dunsborough and Augusta. The identification of nearby roads does not guarantee that there is access to any of these locations.

Some systems in describing locations, have Margaret River North^[3] - this list divides as below, using Yalingup, and Gracetown, as boundaries of smaller surfing regions.

The Ngari Capes Marine Park has some many of the breaks listed below in the Special Purpose Zone (Surfing) locations in the park.^{[4] [5]}

East of Cape Naturaliste

These breaks are in the south-west corner of Geographe Bay, sheltered by Cape Naturaliste, and are not directly exposed to westerly winds or surges.

• Castle Rock – north of Dunsborough, and south of Eagle Bay
• Rocky Point – north of Eagle Bay, and east of Bunker Bay
• The Farm and Bone Yards^[6] – east of Bunker Bay
• The Quarries – north-west corner of Bunker Bay

South of Cape Naturaliste and north of Yallingup

These breaks are in an isolated difficult access area of the coast north of Yallingup.

• Windmills – north of Sugarloaf Rock
• Three Bears – midway between Sugarloaf and Yallingup
• Yallingup and Rabbit Hill – just north of Yallingup

South of Yallingup and north of Gracetown

The beaches Three Bears, Yallingup, Smiths Beach and Injidup are all considered "beaches of Yallingup" with related surf breaks of the same names.These breaks are mostly more accessible, but not all.

• Smiths and Supertubes – at Smiths Beach
• Injidup Point/Carparks and Pea Break – south end of Indijup Beach and just north of Cape Clairault
• Cape Clairault – just south of location with same name
• Wildcat and The Window – west of Quinninup Road
• Moses Rock – at west end of road with same name
• Honeycombs – isolated and south of Moses Rock Road
• Gallows – at end of Cullen Road
• Guillotine – west of Juniper Road
• North Point – at northern side of Cowaramup Bay
• Mousetraps – south of Supertubes

Gracetown and south to the Margaret River mouth

Gracetown is a locality on the coastline on Cowaramup Bay, Margaret River Mouth (south side) is the location of Prevelly

• Cowaramup Bombora ("Cow Bombie")
• South Point and Huzzawouie (Huzzas) – southern side of Cowaramup Bay
• Left Handers – south of Cowaramup Bay
• The Womb
• Ellensbrook -
• The Box – at Cape Mentelle
• The Rivermouth

Prevelly and south to Redgate

Just south of the Margaret river mouth, Surfers Point is the location of the Margaret River Pro surfing events^[7] and the central point by which tourism promotion, and simplified explanations of the surfing region focus upon.^[8]

• Surfers Point and Southside
• Bombies and Boatramp
• Grunters
• Gas Bay
• Boodjidup
• Redgate^[9]

Redgate and south to Cape Hamelin

Breaks and locations between Redgate and Cape Hamelin are more spread out, and not as easily accessed as some northern breaks.

• Conto's Beach – just north of Cape Freycinet
• Boranup – north of Hamelin Bay
• Deepdene – just south of Cape Hamelin^[10]

Further reading

Note: these items occur in multiple editions, the editions here might not reflect either the most recent or most accurate guides to locations or names.

Notes and References

1. http://www.margaretriver.com/surf-spots Margaret River.com's surf spots list of those close to the Margaret River mouth area.
2. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20090731000300/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/102549/20090731-1003/www.mrdhs.com/index9228.html Margaret River & Districts Historical Society
3. Web site: Rabits - Surfing in Margaret River North, Australia - WannaSurf, surf spots atlas, surfing photos, maps, GPS location.
4. Web site: Ngari Capes Marine Park . Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia . 5 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131214185420/http://www.oceans.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/2187719/fisheries-oceans.pdf . 14 December 2013 . dead.
5. http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/marine_parks/ngari_capes_marine_park_faq.pdf
6. http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Bunker-Bay-Boneyards Boneyards located at Bunker Bay
7. Web site: Surfing. 28 November 2013. 3 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203084858/http://www.margaretriver.com/surf-spots. dead.
8. Web site: Top 10 Surfing Spots - Tourism Western Australia . 28 November 2013 . 3 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203051621/http://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Things_to_See_and_Do/Must_See_and_Do/Pages/Top_10_Surfing_Spots.aspx . dead .
9. http://beachsafe.org.au/beach/wa0652 Redgate Beach information from Beachsafe
10. Web site: Cape Hamelin Swell Forecast, WA - WillyWeather.