Waitpinga Beach (170) is one of the more popular surfing beaches on the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is located 15 km west of Victor Harbour, with a 3 km long sealed road leading from the main road right to the beach. There is a car park behind the dune and an elevated walkway across the dune to the centre of the 3.1 km long beach. The beach is backed by largely vegetated dunes back, with Waitpinga creek and elongated lagoon behind the centre of the beach. A second parking area is located on the western headland, reached via the gravel Parsons Beach road. The beach faces almost due south exposing it to persistent high swell which averages about 2 m. Ninety metre high Newland Head forms the eastern boundary, with a 40 m high Waitpinga Hill head separating it from adjoining Parsons Beach. The combination of high swell and medium sand produces a steep beach and surf zone dominated by 8 to 10 large rips, separated by bars which are usually detached from the beach (Fig. 4.39). The alternating bars and rips produce megacusps, large scallops in the beach in lee of the rips, and protrusions in lee of the bars (Fig. 4.40). Strong permanent rips run out against each headland, in addition to rocks in the surf for 300 m south of Newland Head. read more

Beach Length: 3.1km