Scarborough

Surf Guide

In winter, when the onshores blow for more than a couple of days, this beach can crank. Swells from the SW or NW aren't blocked by Rottnest Island, and when they hit Scarborough's relatively steep banks they can pack a punch. Most of the time, though, it's an average beachbreak, albeit one with banks spread along a couple of kilometres (the whole stretch goes from Brighton in the south, to Scabs, Contacio, and Trigg). This is Perth's equivalent of Manly, in Sydney. Decent waves, too crowded to have a local crew, a smattering of travellers and backpackers, and a bit of nightlife when the sun goes down. The only stars to emerge from here are Ian Cairns in the 1970s, and Dave Macaulay in the 1980s. Since then, the crowd has gone a bit quiet, and you get that feeling in the water. It's a pretty mellow place. It used to be a fairly hard-core surfer hangout, but since Alan Bond knocked over all the old pinball joints and hamburger bars so he could dump Observation City on the main drag, it's lost its vibe. That doesn't change the wave, though. Have a photo for this break? Send it over!