Top 5: The best surf beaches near Perth

Heading to WA? Some of the best surf spots are not that far from Perth. 

Given how obsessed West Australians are with their jaw-dropping coastline, it may come as a surprise to learn that the surfing around Perth’s sprawling metropolis isn’t all that great. 

The reason? Rottnest Island, the place historically called “the brick on the horizon”, not just for its ability to fell ships in days gone by, but also for the calming influence it has on swell.

The solution? Find the best breaks on Rottnest’s western side (30 minutes away by ferry), and further south down the map, around Margaret River (a three-hour drive).

The upside for Perth’s waves is that they’re gentle on beginners and youngsters. And hey, there are still a couple of breaks that even the pros argue are worth jumping on a short board for. For the more seasoned of surfers, here are the surf spots to target.

PERTH 

Trigg Point

This is the break Kelly Slater surfed when he was in town, enjoying its length and consistent curls. Small to medium, slow-peeling righthander waves break over a rocky, sand-covered reef that leads to a groyne, and are at their meanest from June to August. It’s arguably the best surf in Perth so is predictably crowded with locals.

Trigg Beach - worthy of Kelly Slater.

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Scarborough 

Several surf schools come here for novices to learn their craft, but more serious wave riders also enjoy Scarborough’s sharp peaks on wilder weather days. Bear in mind the beach break can be dumpy and the water soupy, but there’s a sandy bottom to bounce off. There are left and right handers to ride and as you’d expect, winter is the time for biggest conditions. Rips are sometimes present.

Calmer waters can be found at Scarborough, making it suitable for beginners too.

ROTTNEST ISLAND

Strickland Bay

Put your game face on and pack your reef-walking booties, Strickland Bay at Rottnest Island is not for newbies. Impressively consistent with swell up to 12ft (4m), you’ll find big, long lefts that often barrel and smaller right handers breaking over a sharp, rocky reef. If it’s too busy, there are plenty of other good breaks on ‘Rotto’. You’ll need to take a ferry from central Perth or Fremantle to get to the island, then either bike or bus to Strickland Bay.

Rottnest Island isn't for newbies.

MARGARET RIVER

North Point

The world’s best big wave surfers flock to Margaret River, eager to get towed in to monster waves of up to 60ft (18m) that have featured in plenty of ‘best of’ videos. Just north of the area’s main break, Surfers Point (where you’ll always find an audience watching from the hill) is North Point, an exposed point break with attitude. If you happen upon a south-west swell and easterly wind combo, expect hard core, right-hand waves with heaving barrels, complicated by boils and mutations, requiring total focus. The Margaret River Pro, on the World Surf League (WSL) World Championship Tour, holds heats here.

Slicing through a monster wave in the Margaret River Pro.

The Box

This is a heavy duty wave that frightens even the most seasoned of surfers. Go on an easterly wind and prepare for rugged, gurgling waves with ledges, intense speed and plenty of suck. Expect righthanders and a thick lip that’s well practiced at spitting surfers out. Other serious breaks in the Margaret River region include Rabbits, Boranup, Gas Bay and Injidup.

While stunning, The Box in the Margaret River is not for the faint-hearted.

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Originally published as Top 5: The best surf beaches near Perth