Beach Number:

nsw125

Includes Beaches:

Main

State/Region:

NSW - Nambucca Heads

Post Code:

2448

General Beach Hazard Rating:

5/10 (Moderately hazardous)

Beach

Nambucca Heads Main Beach (NSW 125) continuous south of the rocks for 600 m to a more prominent bluff, at the base of which is the Nambucca Heads SLSC (Fig. 4.64). Car parking is provided both above and below the bluffs, with shops and amenities ontop of the bluffs. The bluffs form headlands, rocks and reefs where they protrude into the surf, resulting in an irregular beach alternating with rocks (Fig. 4.65) and waves averaging 1 m in height. The beach usually has a continuous attached bar under normal waves, with rips forming during higher wave conditions, particularly amongst the rocks. The surf club, which was formed in 1933, averages 14 rescues each year.

Swimming

These are five moderately sheltered, but rock and reef-dominated beaches, so use care when swimming. The most popular are the Main patrolled and the more sheltered Shelly.

Surfing

These beaches are not renown for their surf, though you will usually find a few locals surfing the northern and Main Beach breaks. During larger east and southeast waves there are breaks on some of the outer reefs.

Fishing

Best gutters are around the many rocks which are fished for mulloway, tailor, bream and flathead. Shelly Beach, the Jewie Hole on the heads and Wellington Rock to the east are all popular spots and are fished for bream, flathead, tailor and mulloway, with boat launching also at Shelly's.

General

Nambucca Heads is a popular coastal town of 7000 located on the northern side of the Nambucca River mouth. The 40 m high head extends north of the river for 3 km as a mixture of cliffs, bluffs, rocks and reefs, and divides the adjacent shoreline into five rock-bound beaches (NSW 124-128).