Beach Number:

nsw625

Includes Beaches:

Horseshoe Bay

State/Region:

NSW - Bermagui

Post Code:

2546

General Beach Hazard Rating:

3/10 ( Least hazardous)

Beach

Horseshoe Bay is Bermagui's safe surf beach. It is located in the heart of this lovely town. The main street runs behind the beach, with a park, playing field and car parking between the beach and road and a caravan and camping area on the slopes of Bermagui Head immediately to the east. The 500 m long north facing beach is bounded by steeply dipping 450 million year old metamorphic rocks, which have been truncated to form rock platforms. Both headlands provide parking and good views.

The beach is moderately protected from most waves by its north orientation and Bermagui Head, resulting in waves averaging less than 1 m. They produce an attached bar at the higher energy western end and as the waves drop to the east the bar narrows as the beach steepens. However during higher waves rips are generated and tend to run out against the headlands, particularly the western rocks.

Swimming

A relatively safe beach patrolled in summer with few recorded rescues. However stay away from the rocks and in the patrol area. Over the headland on the ocean side is the beautiful Blue Pool set in a natural crevasse in the rocks and good for swimming and snorkelling.

Surfing

Only a low shore break most of the time, which closes out when waves are up.

Fishing

Most fishing is done off the rocks around the headlands either end of the beach, with several good spots on the more exposed and deeper ocean rocks. The beach and northern rocks are protected in a southerly.

General

Bermagui is one of the more attractive settlements on the South Coast and well worth the detour off the Highway.