At Cape Spencer the coastal orientation turns to face squarely towards the southwest exposing the coast the full force of the prevailing swell and winds. The result has been the accumulation of massive cliffs composed of past, now lithified, dune systems, with small remnants of once larger beach systems tucked in along their base. Cape Spencer at 84 m high typifies the massive calcarenite cliffs that dominate most of the exposed sections of the South Australian coast. The cape does however sit, like most similar headlands, on a foundation of ancient granite bedrock. A gravel road runs out to a small car park, with a walking track out to the lighthouse. Immediately north of the cape are five beaches, all linked by a common 1.7 km long surf zone, but separated by small, but high, protruding calcarenite bluffs (Fig. 4.91). Only the first beach (392) is accessible via a steep descent from the cape car park. The other four beaches (393 to 396) are essential inaccessible on foot. All receive wave averaging 1.5 m which maintain a rip dominated 100 m wide surf zone, together with strong topographic rips against the rocks and bluffs. read more

Beach Length: 0.45km