Between the southern Shelly Beach headland and Tacking Point is 2 km of east-facing, rock-dominated shoreline containing four beaches (NSW 167-170). There are two small pocket beaches on each headland, with the longer Miners Beach in the centre. All are backed by densely vegetated 40 m high bluffs. They all have rocky surf zones and are only accessible on foot, with a walking track leading from the Shelly Beach car park via the beaches to the Tacking Point car park. The first headland beach (NSW 167) is a 50 m pocket of sand-covered rocks and reef drained by a permanent rip. Miners Beach is located immediately to the south and consists of two exposed sections, which receive waves averaging 1.5 m. The northern section (NSW 168) commences at a small reef-tied tombolo and extends south for 350 m to a low protruding rock outcrop. It is a sandy beach fronted by a rip-sand-rock dominated surf zone, with usually three permanent rips. The southern section (NSW 169) continues south of the rocks for another 400 m, as a sandy beach fronted by a increasingly rock-dominated surf zone. A strong rip drains out between rocks at the northern end, with more rock than sand towards the south. During high waves the outer bar causes waves to break 200 m offshore. The southern beach (NSW 170) is tucked inside the north side of Tacking Point, with the point car park above the southern end of the beach. It is a curving 100 m long, steep, narrow east-facing sandy high tide beach, fronted by more continuous intertidal and subtidal rock, apart from a small northern opening. The rocks and reefs lower waves to less than 1 m at the shore. read more

Beach Length: 0.6km