Garie and Little Garie occupy a 1.3 km long break in the cliff line where four small valleys reach the coast, with 80 m high Garie North and Thelma heads bordering each end (Fig. 4.270 & 4.271). Nine hundred metre long Garie Beach (NSW 344) blocks the entrance to three of the valleys, with the Garie Road running down a spur to the car park and Garie SLSC (formed 1938) located in the southernmost valley. The northernmost valley is more protected, with its slopes rising steeply to a 110 m high sea cliff. The second valley is occupied by sand dunes, with a youth hostel on the southern slopes, and a creek that runs across the beach after rain. The beach faces the southeast and is exposed to waves averaging 1.5 m, which produce 4-5 rips, including permanent rips against the rocks at each end. The bars between the rips alternate between being attached to the beach following low waves, and detached after high waves, producing a trough running the length of the beach. These conditions result in an average of 75 rescues each year. read more

Beach Length: 0.9km