Murdochs Beach (T 1263) extends from the low diorite rocks of the central beaches for 4.7 km to the dynamic sandy mouth of the Boobyalla River, beyond which curves the high energy Boobyalla Beach. The beach and its backing dunes deflect the river mouth 2 km to the east. The beach is located in a transition zone from the low waves to the west to increasingly higher waves to the east. It begins as a narrow high tide beach fronted by 400 m wide sand flats for the first 1 km and as wave height increases grades into a 100 m wide low tide bar, which along the eastern 1-2 km becomes cut by low tide rips during periods of higher waves. The beach is backed by longwalled parabolic dunes that extend up to 1 km east to the river channel. These have been stabilised during the 1980-1990s and are now largely well vegetated. The final 1 km however remains a dynamic low 100-200 m wide sand spit, which is periodically breached by the flooding river with the river channel and river mouth shoals extending up to 400 m seaward of the mouth. The entire beach and dune system is part of a coastal reserve with the only access in the west along a track that follows the rear of the dunes. read more

Beach Length: 4.7km