Australia is synonymous with “Surf”, especially on the East Coast where surfers take part to numerous events in small spots, which are constantly encouraged by media. This doesn’t happen in Western Australia where there are few competitions in such big places, and the mass media rarely show up. Margaret River represents a spot with the most big steady and challenging wave in Australia, where presumptions are swept away by waves. The southern area of Cape Naturaliste is covered with rocky bottoms and pointbreaks constantly hit by the giant swells of the Roaring Forties. Not a common experience!
The wonderful Cave Road in the coastline, with its forests, hills and vineyards overlooking the sea, offers dozens of world-class quality spots, where professional surfers can ride exciting waves. Travelling to Perth, to the South and to the small area of Geographe Bay, you arrive at the protected Cape Naturaliste Barrier. If a big swell is coming, and the southwestern winds are blowing, here you will find offshore wind and perfect waves to ride.
The most popular waves are the Rocky Point lefts. Beginners will find better beachbreaks and reefs right before arriving in Cape Naturaliste. Windmills peaks are created by small swells and they have tube sessions with offshore winds.
Tree Bears , the favorite set of Yallingup waveriders, is made up of 3 lefts that vary in difficulty from Baby Bear , Mama Bear, and Papa Bear. With its population of about 500 people, Yallingup is the largest surfing community and its waves are offered by all kind of tides and swells. From here to the South, towards Injidub there are reefs like Supertuber and Pea Breack, both crowded and dangerous even in small swells. Gracetown and Cowaramup Bay are the nearby and easily accessible areas where the long, tubing North Point wave faces the similar South Point wave within the bay. Big Rock is another very fast right-hand wave (which is scary already above 5ft) that attracts surfers to its crowded coastal area.
Between here and Margaret River there are many small waves but in The Point, which is 10 km from Margaret, we find peaks up to 6.5ft. The crowds, windsurfers, big drops and locals are all part of this experience. The Box, which is opposed to Margaret, is in its own world, while in the South, Redgate’s breaks (mostly caused by sand) create peaks with smaller swells. In this area there are at least a dozen high quality spots with enough power to break your board!
Tariff per person, starting from:
| Departure | Quality Inn Margaret River | Margaret River Tourist Park | Dunsborough Rail Carriages & Farm Cottage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double | Double | Double | |
| From 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020 | € 368 | € 378 | € 473 |
Notes
The area from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Freycinet is fully exposed to the furious southwestern waves produced by the Roaring Forties. Western Australia offers the same waves as Indonesia but these can be bigger, although not as clean and tidy. In winter there could be onshore conditions that can grow up to 19ft in height: but in these conditions only the most protected spots are safe. As a rule, this area is hit by 3/9 ft swells in the most exposed spots. Flat sea days even in summer are rare. The main factor is wind, in fact Western Australia is dominated by strong south and southwestern winds. When the high pressure comes, in the morning there are offshore conditions and from the early afternoon onwards the wind blows from the sea, often ruining the conditions. The tides have a minimal range.
How to get there : Perth has a less crowded airport than Sydney. Margaret is 270km from Perth and you can also get there by bus (Grayhound bus).
Getting around: The best way to reach these spots is to rent a car. The coast is rugged, with high and long cliffs, so you better rent a 4WD to reach these places, especially after heavy rainy days. Traffic is low but be careful to kangaroos.
Accommodation and food: Western Australia is full of camping sites and caravan parks and the various towns have many low-cost hostels. Recommended to Gnarabup (Surf Point Lodge, $ 25 per double) Prevelly Point (Town Backpackers, $ 20) Gracetown Chalet ($ 200 per week) and Yallingup (Smith’s Villa, $ 3330 per week). A meal costs around $6.
Climate : The seasons are divided into summer (from December to February) which enjoys warm temperatures and few rainy days, autumn (from May to August) which is quite cold and wet and it’s characterized by thunderstorms accompanied by gusts of wind from Southwest and West. September marks the beginning of spring and the first days of rain. Bring a thin wetsuit.
Nature and Culture: The Margaret River area produces great wines, so you need to take a vineyard tour. The Mammoth Cave, the Lake Cave and the Jewel Cave are must-see places. Take a boat to see the dolphins at Flinders Island.
Dangers and hassles: Waves can be big and powerful, only suitable for experienced surfers. On the surface there are many reefs. Steppes are full of snakes and spiders. The locals are hardened and they don’t like bad visitor behavior. On the other hand, there are lots of waves here, so there are rarely problems.
Tips: It is possible to find cheap and quality boards in the Performance Surfboard (Injidup) or in Maurice Cole. There are surf shops in both Dunsborough and Yallingup and Margaret River.
Exchange rate 1 EUR = 1.38 AUD
Exchange rate variations (more than 3%) will lead to an adjustment of costs. They will be communicated within 20 days of departure.
The tariff does not include
Duration: 8 days / 6 nights
from € 242 - Excluding flights
Are you looking for a dog trainer to educate your four-legged friend, but you want an alternative method? Then all you have to do is buy a ticket to Australia, where you will meet Chris de Aboitiz , dog trainer from the land of kangaroos who teaches pretty vivacious dogs and their owners to go […]
Bells Beach is an Australian coastal site in Victoria, located 100km southwest of Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road, close to the towns of Torquay and Jan Juc. Bells Beach is particularly renowned for welcoming of one of the oldest and most ongoing surfing competitions in the world, known as Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. […]
Premio Turismo responsabile Italiano 2011
