Darby/Cotters Beach is the longest on Wilsons Promontory; it is also the most exposed and energetic. The beach is accessible at the southern end, where there is a car park and short track to the beach, along the side of the shallow Darby Creek. The beach runs for 15 km, from the steep granite headland that forms the southern boundary of Darby Beach, to the mouth of Shallow Inlet. It faces the west-south-west, receives waves averaging 1.5 m, and is exposed to the full force of the westerly winds. The waves interact with the fine, calcareous sand, to break over a 250 m wide, low gradient surf zone. More than 30 large rips, spaced about every 300 m, dominate the inner surf zone; with waves breaking further offshore on the outer bar. The beach is backed by extensive Pleistocene calcarenite, best seen at the creek mouth. These cliffs are capped by active sand dunes that extend up to several kilometres inland. Some of the calcarenite also outcrops on the beach as rocks, and in the surf as reefs, as at Buckleys Reef. Beyond Buckleys Reef the beach is known as Cotters Beach. At the northern end, the extensive ebb tidal shoals and channel of Shallow Inlet dominate the last kilometre of beach. read more

Beach Length: 15km