Beaches of the Western Australian Coast

Book excerpt: Beaches of the Western Australian Coast covers the Western Australian coast between Eucla and Roebuck Bay, and includes Rottnest Island. It begins with three chapters that provide a background to the physical nature and evolution of the Western Australian coast and its 2,051 mainland beach systems. Chapter one covers the geological evolution of the coast and the role climate, wave, tides and wind in shaping the present coast and beaches. Chapter two presents in more detail the 16 types of beach systems that occur along the Western Australian coast, and chapter three discusses the types of beach hazards along the coast and the role of Surf Lifesaving Western Australia in mitigating these hazards. Chapter four presents a description of each of the 2,051 mainland beaches, as well as 63 beaches on Rottnest Island. The description of each beach includes its name, location, physical characteristics, access and facilities, with specific comments on its surf zone character and physical hazards, and its suitability for swimming, surfing and fishing. Based on the physical hazards, all beaches are rated in terms of public safety and scaled from 1 (least hazardous) to 10 (most hazardous).