Nine Mile Beach

Beach

Nine Mile Beach (WA 158) commences on the western side of Observatory Point and trends northwest for 1.3 km to a protruding calcarenite point. The beach is bounded by a low linear granite point and reefs in the east and has a shore-parallel beachrock reef dominating the surf along the... Read more

Nine Mile Beach (WA 158) commences on the western side of Observatory Point and trends northwest for 1.3 km to a protruding calcarenite point. The beach is bounded by a low linear granite point and reefs in the east and has a shore-parallel beachrock reef dominating the surf along the western half (Fig. 4.44). The high waves, rocks and reefs result in a high energy 150 m wide surf zone, with four permanent rips located adjacent to the points and gaps in the beachrock reef. While the western half has relatively calm conditions inside the reef, particularly at low tide, it is drained by a strong rip towards its eastern end. The entire system is backed by scarped Pleistocene dune calcarenite capped by Holocene clifftop dunes, reaching 90 m in height behind the beach. Generally well vegetated dunes then extend up to 12 km to the northeast, reaching as far as Esperance.