The nine beaches that occupy the western shores of Edgecumbe Bay are essentially very low energy strips of narrow high tide sand, fronted by varying widths of intertidal sand flats, with many also fringed by mangroves. This is a low energy, generally north-east facing shore that is well protected by the large Gloucester Island, as well as the smaller Stone, Thomas and Poole Islands, and shallow rock reefs off Mount Bramston. There is little development other than a few fishing shacks, and limited access apart from the highway rest area at Mount Gordon beach. The rest area is the only point between Cardwell in the north and Clairview in the south where the coast can be viewed from the highway. Mount Gordon beach (962) is a crenulate, 3 km long, low energy high tide beach fronted by up to 1 km of ridged sand flats (Fig. 2.17). There is good access and parking at the Mount Gordon rest area right on the highway, but otherwise no development. Rocks and rock flats are scattered along the beach, with mangroves increasing to the east. read more

Beach Length: 3km