Nanarup Beach

Nanarup Beach is a beach in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Albany.[1]

View of Nanarup Beach from western end

Islet Point

The beach is white sand and has stairway access at the western end where Taylor Inlet discharges into the ocean. Toilets, a picnic area and a former caravan park are also situated near the western end of the beach. Four-wheel drive vehicles are permitted on the beach and can drive towards Two Peoples Bay.[2]

The beach is not patrolled by surf lifesavers and can be dangerous due to the presence of many rips along the beach.[3] A man drowned at Nanarup in 2013 after being swept off the rocks while fishing.[4] The area is especially popular for surfing and fishing.[2]

Approximately 4.2 kilometres (3 mi) in length, Nanarup has scattered beachrock reefs at the eastern end for a distance of about 1.0 kilometre (1 mi) then curves to the southwest; the remaining length is a wave dominated surf zone that extends as far as the inlet. The beach is mostly backed by scarped 12-metre (40 ft) calcarenite bluffs to the east and unstable dunes to the west.[3]

The far western end of the beach has the 20-metre (66 ft) granite boulders of Islet Point connected to the shore by a small tombolo, which forms a sheltered pool area that is suitable for safe swimming.[5]