Surfing in Margaret River is one to do before you die. A whole headland of breaks for all levels culminates with the WSL pro pedigree of Main Break. It’s WA’s zenith.
An introduction to surfing in Margaret River

Margaret River is the stuff of legends. Ancient stone headlands poke out like the head of a kangaroo from the bottom of Western Australia as if to say “hello Indian Ocean swell, come at me bro!”. It certainly works, because this axehead of a region is one of the most consistent in all of Oz. And it’s got the quality to back that up…
Mainbreak is the piece de resistance, closely followed by the rare barreller of The Box. Those two combine to create one of the most popular WSL event playgrounds out there, enough to rival J-Bay and others. But to stick to those two headliners would be to miss the point of surfing in Margaret River. This land has myriad spots to suit all levels, swell angles, and winds. Mhmm…there are over 75 named breaks in a 75-mile stretch. So, grab a car rental and get exploring.
Oh, and did we mention that this part of Australia is jaw-droppingly beautiful. One moment you’ll be rumbling around wave-lashed headlands, the next purring through primeval eucalyptus forest, the next sipping wine at a hillside cellar door. Sharks are a problem though, sadly.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Australia and surfing in WA
Surfing in Margaret River at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to surfing in Margaret River?
Where is Margaret River?
Margaret River is the name of a town that sits in the center of the region of the same name. It’s about three hours’ drive south of Perth in normal traffic. Just head straight down the 10 highway from the city and try not to be tempted to stop by the rainforest reserves and other white-sand surf beaches along the way!
A guide to the Margaret River surf spots

Margaret River surf is the crème-de-la-crème of Western Australia. Honestly, it’s as if the person drawing the outline for the state got to the point where the fiercest S-SW swells cruise up from the roaring 40s and went, hang on, let’s do this, proceeding to pull out the coast into a 50-mile run of exposed headland that gets all the action, all the time. Throw in just about the perfect topography, mixing sandbars and rock headlands, and you get what’s now considered one of the top three surfing destinations in Oz and one of the best in the world besides.
Most folks will know this as the home of the World Surfing League’s flagship Margaret River Pro. It’s arguably the most prestigious event in the WSL calendar, taking place at Main Break on Surfers Point, a beefy A-frame that will challenge the best on the planet. Thing is, that’s just scratching the surface. This region has waves for groms, for loggers, for hotdogging show offs, and their grans. Let’s take a look at it all, starting in the north and going south…
Rocky Point
There can be swells that swing around to this eastern side of Cape Naturaliste at the far north end of Margaret River, they just need to be big – like 2.5 meters+ big. When that happens, a fat, squidgy left runs off the rocks at this lovely white-sand beach just around the headland from Eagle Bay. It’s good for loggers but you need some experience on the reef.
The Farm
The first break of note in Bunker Bay – still on the eastern side of Cape Naturaliste – is The Farm. It’s an all-level wave that goes left and right. The bigger the swell the punchier it is but we’re talking a decent improvers spot that has the crowds to show for it.
Boneyards
Named for the fact that it can close out like nobody’s business if the sandbanks move even an iota to the left or right, Boneyards is the heavier of the two in Bunkers Bay. It’s on the north point of the beach where the reefs converge on the sand. Gives lefts and rights but the rights almost always hold better on the wrap-around N swells that get this region kicking. Not often busy and can be a touch of localism about.
Windmills
Windmills can give a barrel run of a left on one of the most rugged parts of the whole Margaret River stretch, though that’s rare. Generally, it needs an easterly or a southeasterly wind to hold up and hollow out and can’t do anything over 5-7 foot because it’ll just turn to mush. We’d put it down as a summer break because it suffers so much on turning winds. The fact that it needs small swells means it lends itself to beginners, who usually chase head-high peelers on larger boards in these parts. It’s a hefty drive to the north of Cape Naturaliste.
The Three Bears
Yep, there are three separate breaks at the Three Bears just north of Kabbijgup Beach. Papa Bear is the alpha here. It’s a strong outer section that can tame the largest winter systems into something rideable, though it’s often guns and pros only. Mama Bear is a better quality wave that can give backdoor pits on its left and steeper, faster performance drops on its right. Then there’s Baby Bear, a great place to learn on smaller days. Don’t underestimate the child of the trio, though – it can get gnarly here when it’s heavy so it’s not an out-and-out starter spot.
Yallingup
All hail the geography gods who placed Yallingup Reef just in front of this buzzy surf town in northern Margaret River. Angled beautifully northwest into the Indian Ocean, it’s a tailored point that catches SW swells and easterly offshores to provide long, shouldery lefts that cruise across the rocks into the main beach. It’s one of the more manageable reef lefts in Oz, so middle-skill surfers eat your heart out (just be sure you know when to lip out because there’s rocks at the end, too).
The rights are harder and faster. They tend to tube faster and then open into rip-worthy banks of water. There’s one section here called Super Tubes which is the hardest of the bunch, giving empty pits over waters that run no deeper than a puddle.
Interestingly, Yallingup is the place where surfing is said to have started in WA way back in the 50s. You’re in hallowed ground here.
Check out our complete guide to Yallingup surf
Pea Break
Usually named among the spots of Indjidup because it’s right on the beach there, Pea Break deserves a mention on its own. The reason? It’s one of the highest-quality waves in the whole of surfing in Margaret River if you ask us. When its on – and fickleness is an issue – it will shift right from a steep take off into a rifle barrel that fizzes fast and then opens into a neat wedge you can ride up and air if you wanna’. Needs a southeasterly to hold well and will be overprescribed when working its best.
Indjidup
If Yallingup is working then Indjidup is working and that means most of the local crews track south to this headland break (and its neighbor of Pea – see above). The reason? It’s generally better quality and shows more potential for barrel hunting. However, it’s busy and the folks aren’t always the nicest. There are two main take-offs but the best is called The Point, which gives quick performance rights on big SW swells and a mellower left that you’ll need to work to ride to the end.
Gallows
Don’t be too put off by the name. Most locals don’t really know why this one has such a gruesome moniker. It’s actually not all that bad, but it is a quick and can get hollow. The best swells are when there’s a lot of W in the compass and the lip can wedge up to give lefts and rights. Usually, though, it’s only the superior left that works hot. Depending on the shape of the set, you’ll get a crumbly wall to work or a tube to nestle into. It’s all reef bottom.
North Point
The more welcoming surf enclave of Gracetown is a top spot for beginners and families, but also improvers – it’s basically got all the breaks you could hope for in a single, short drive. North Point happens to be the most gnarly of the lot. Winter SW pushes here can bring double, triple overheads that hold like a monster will ram through the opening of Cowaramup Bay and offer tubular rights that close pits three or four board lengths in front of the rider if there’s enough skill. It’s not for nothing the Margaret River Pro will move here when it’s sketchy at Main Point.
South Point
The mellow bro of North Point, South Point sits just across the opening of Cowaramup Bay on the other side of Gracetown. It’s a good stomping ground for intermediate surfers and longboarders who want to cruise, since it rarely – AKA never – gets the same attitude as its compadre over the water. Again, this one’s good on wrap-through SW swells and morning winds from the east.
Cobblestones
The best of a group of breaks that lies down a track south of Gracetown, Cobblestones is a lippy little wedge that only really gives a right hander. The trick here is knowing when to stop riding because the reef shelf approaches fast. There’s often a crowd out and it’s okay on direct W swells as well as SW pushes. Can’t hold that well in big storms.
Ellensbrook Mainbreak
The Ellensbrook Mainbreak does consistency better than just about anywhere else up and down the Margaret River shoreline. It’s similar to many of the other little wedges that peel into the region (and there are like 20 breaks to pick from here) in that it goes left and right, though the left is a touch longer as it curves into a bowl along the beachfront.
The Box
Sucking out of a strange canyon below the surface and rising into a shock right-hand barrel before fizzling out into boils and whitewash, The Box is a strange little customer. And it’s brutal to boot. You gotta’ be super-fast at the take off and commit for the whole ride. Getting caught in the machine here means being churned up and then spat out onto shallow rocks. Notice the pros will paddle out over this side of Surfers Point to warm up before the pro sometimes.
Mainbreak
The one everybody’s talking about – Mainbreak is the home of surfing in Margaret River these days. That’s mainly because it’s the home of the eponymous Margaret River Pro. A true swell sucker, it can handle 20-foot-plus from west and southwest channels and really is quite impervious to the wind direction.
The take-off to the right is steeper but quickly leads to a fatter line that then fizzles out as it meets the point reefs. The left is the money wave, giving the best riders the chance to run past the boils into a rippable section that feels like it goes on and on as you draw squiggles in the water. Often busy, it’s the premier spot of the whole area. Watch up on Surfers Point before paddling out to make sure it’s a-okay and get a feel for the angles.
Where to stay when surfing in Margaret River?
We think it’s a good idea to stay in the vicinity of Mainbreak in Margaret River. You’re probably going to need your own car to explore most of the spots listed above anyhow, so why not bed down close to somewhere that’s hallowed ground in the world of surfing? Book early – like REALLY early – if you want to be in town for the Margaret River Pro.
Simala Retreat
Look, the Simala Retreat isn’t right on the white-sand beaches of Margaret River, but you’re going to need a car to surf the length and breadth of this region anyhow. That means you can plan a stay at this lovely inland lodge. You’ll be surrounded by eucalyptus forests where the sounds of the birds and the insects echo through the night. The units are industrial-chic but also cozy, coming with log burners and deep-set lounge chairs.
Margarets Beach Resort
A four-star holiday hotel with an on-site pool, the Margarets Beach Resort is very near the main spots of Surfers Point. It’s great if you want to watch the pro when its on. But it’s also a great base for getting to spots further south and north. Units are clean and convenient, with kitchenettes and dining spaces.
Saudade Margaret River
Saudade Margaret River is a super-stylish WA beach lodge that’s within walking distance of the world-famous Surfers Point and the Mainbreak. You cannot go wrong staying here if you’re in town to surf the spots that put surfing in Margaret River on the map. Interiors are a welcoming blend of Scandi styles and Aussie country design. You get a flat-screen TV and a balcony overlooking the eucalyptus woods.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Margaret River?

Saudade Margaret River is a super-stylish WA beach lodge that’s within walking distance of the world-famous Surfers Point and the Mainbreak. You cannot go wrong staying here if you’re in town to surf the spots that put surfing in Margaret River on the map. Interiors are a welcoming blend of Scandi styles and Aussie country design. You get a flat-screen TV and a balcony overlooking the eucalyptus woods.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!