Port Hughes beach (WA 423) is a south-facing, curving 2 km long beach that commences in lee of Shelter Island (also Mutton Bird Island), the only potential anchorage in the ‘port’, and curves around to the mouth of Torbay Inlet in the west (Fig. 4.100). It receives waves averaging about 1.5 m, which maintain a 70 m wide rip-dominated surf zone, with usually 5-6 beach rips occurring. It is backed by bluffs, then vegetated transgressive dunes, that have extended up to 2 km inland up onto the rear of Hanging Rock, where they reach elevations of 60 m. There is access along Mutton Bird Road to the northern tip of the beach. The local surfers drive along the beach, which can offer a range of beach breaks. read more

Beach Length: 2km