North Shore beach (T 974) forms the northern side of 1,000 ha Perkins Island. The island beach is backed by a 1-2 km wide well developed foredune ridge plain containing up to 40 ridges, the innermost ridge grading into a series of western trending recurved spits. The island is separated from the mainland by a shallow 200 m wide tidal channel called The Jam, which can be crossed by vehicle at spring low tide. Perkins Channel and Big Bay border the western end of the island, with tidal shoals extending up to 2 km into the bay. At the eastern end, the 400 m wide Duck Bay tidal channel forms the boundary with its 200 m wide deep tidal channel and tidal shoals extending 1 km north into the bay. The beach commences at the western Shipwreck Point and trends to the southeast for 7.2 km to Kingston Point and the inlet. Waves are refracted into the bay and average about 1 m and they combine with the 2-3 m tides and fine sand to maintain a 300-400 m wide ultradissipative intertidal zone containing four to five sand ridges. A low foredune and the well vegetated foredune ridges back the beach, with several 4WD tracks providing access to and along the beach. read more

Beach Length: 7.2km