Fowlers Bay beach (1351)begins in lee of the prominent Point Fowler and extends east for 16 km to the western end of the Eyre Bluffs. The 40 m high, up to 1 km wide point extends southeast for 5 km, affording considerably protection to the east facing western end of the beach. So much so that Port Eyre was established here as a wheat jetty last century, with the small settlement and 350 m long jetty still the only development of this section of coast. The spiraling 25 km long beach consists of a western 5 km long energy section either side of the jetty. The beach here is reflective grading south into sandflats and north into a low tide terrace, with seagrass growing to the shore, and often piled high in the beach. One kilometre south of the jetty is a sandy protrusion in the shoreline build from dune sands blowing across the base of the point from Scott Bay. This form of sand transport, called ‘headland bypassing’, is continuing to supply sand to Fowlers Bay. As the beach swings round it becomes increasingly exposed to higher waves, as it faces southeast and finally south. North of the jetty the beach slowly increases in exposure and wave energy. After 5 km it becomes an energetic south facing 300 m wide transverse bar and rip system, with strong rips located every few hundred metres, and permanent rips amongst the beachrock reefs at the eastern end of the beach. The exposed section is backed by the generally active Nantiby sand dunes, which extend on average about 1 km inland and reach a maximum height of 50 m at Nantiby Hill. There is 4WD access to the rear of the dunes at Nantiby Well, with road access to the small Port Eyre settlement. The jetty was constructed in 1896 and the small settlement reached its peak in the 1890’s, following by a decline and final abandonment in the 1950’s, however since the 1980’s a few people have reoccupied the old houses and today it has a caravan park and kiosk. The Scotts Bay sand dune has also posed a problem prograding over and burying a few of the houses on the southern edge of the settlement (Fig. 4.189). read more

Beach Length: 0.0249km