Tropical cyclones and storms can generate north swells that ‘light up’ the usually placid bays and headlands in the Cape Naturaliste region Southwest WA. While these waves are typically short-lived, they can be memorable.
Local surfers thrive in the rare conditions. And in the past, some East Coast wave chasers have flown over for the natural events. This trend is likely to continue with introduction of direct flights from the East Coast to Busselton.
Tropical cyclones
January 2011 Tropical Cyclone Bianca. Photo the late Loz Smith.
February 2012 Tropical Cyclone Iggy. Photo Bruce King.
March 2018 Cyclone Marcus #7. Photo Jim King.
March 2018 Tropical Cyclone Marcus #8. Photo Courtesy Surfing WA.
Storm swells
June 2018 Winter storm Geographe Bay #1. Photo Jim King.
June 2018 Winter storm Geographe Bay #2. Photo Jim King.
Beach Erosion
While north swells generated by tropical cyclones and storms can create impressive waves for surfers, they can also have detrimental effects on beaches and man-made structures such as boat ramps, retaining walls, and jetties on north facing beaches.
Aug 2022 Storm damage to beach and beach access ramp Smiths Beach. Photo Jim King.
Proposed Smiths Beach Development
Smiths Beach come autumn sees the northern storms and swell arrive pulling and pushing at the beach sand, the dunes and the sand covering the famous reef breaks.
Sand banks start to form each April and are a constant as the winter swells hit the coast.
So, what happens when a 100m long, 22m wide seawall gets constructed on one of our favourite beaches? Well experts have said that the sand distribution changes, sand dunes immediately neighbouring the seawall erode at a faster rate and the structure of the beach changes.
Australia is littered with disaster stories about seawalls impacting the coastline and the surf breaks that rely on the annual movement of sand. Why would we risk such a famous beach as Smiths to a seawall.
The EPA is currently asking the public for comment on the seawall and the overall development, however there are no completed studies of the impacts of the proposed wall and how it will change sand movements and the formation of some of the south west’s favourite beach breaks. For more information you can go to www.savesmithsbeach.org/epa
DAVID MITCHELL
Smiths Beach Action Group
July 2011 Smiths Beach site of proposed development. Photo Jim King.
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