Cape Paterson Surf Beach
The 0.5km long Cape Paterson Surf Beach (also called First Surf) is the bathing and surfing beach for the holiday town of Cape Paterson, which lies immediately behind the beach.
In general, a relatively safe and popular patrolled, bathing beach.
The beach is in the lee of the dune covered Cape Paterson and its extensive sandstone rock reefs. It faces the south-east and extends for 500m to the rocky platforms and smaller beaches that front much of the town.
The beach is partially sheltered from high waves by the cape and reefs. It receives waves averaging 1.3 m, which decrease toward the cape. These waves combine with the fine sand to produce a beach containing a low beach face, fronted by a single attached, 50 m wide, bar. The bar is usually continuous and is more likely to be cut by one or two rips toward the surf club and the eastern rocks.
Life Saving Services
The Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1960, is located at the western end of the beach, and provides basic facilities, parking and access.
The beach is only patrolled when the red and yellow flags are displayed. This service is typically provided on weekends and public holidays between the last weekend of November and Easter Monday.
Swimming
A moderately safe beach fronted by a wide shallow bar. However, stay clear of the rocks and reefs at each end; watch for rips, especially toward the eastern rocks; and beware of the shore break at low tide. Best to bathe on the bar and between the flags, as 9 people are rescued on average each year.
Surfing
Usually a shore break on the bar, blown out by westerlies, best in northerlies. However, on the reef at the eastern end is a good quality right hander called Insides that works in a large outside swell.
Fishing
Best off the rocks as holes are rare on the beach.
General Hazard Rating: 5/10 (Moderately hazardous)
Heritage Barlow Rails
The rails can be seen beside the ramp at the bottom of the westernmost set of stairs.
The rusted rails you see jutting out of the sand are remnants of a tramway constructed by the The Victoria Coal Company between 1863-1864 to transport coal from their mines. east of Coal Creek (Harmers Haven) to the loading point at First Surf Beach Cape Paterson.
The Barlow rail is a unique type of rail that requires no separate wooden sleepers as a base for the rails. They came from the tramway in Geelong and were gifted by the Victorian Government. The rails are the oldest relic of coal mining in the Cape Paterson area. The sand embankment that carried the rails onto the beach has been washed away leaving the remaining rails protruding from the dunes.
Coal was mined, bagged and despatched by bullock wagon. It was then loaded on to whaleboats and transported to ships moored offshore. However, when the moorings shifted in storms and insurers refused to cover vessels visiting Cape Paterson, the mine became unviable.
History - Key dates
1826 - Black coal was discovered 1.5 kilometres west of Cape Paterson by William Hovel!.
1837 - Samuel Anderson and Robert Massie rediscover the coal seams originally discovered by William Hovell.
1841 - William Watson appointed to commence a mining operation in Cape Paterson but after experiencing problems in the area, the venture ceased without recovering any coal.
1852 - Richard Davis of Kilcunda carried a 25lb sample of coal to Melbourne to claim a 1,000 pound reward offered by the Victorian Government.
1859 -1864 - Nathaniel Levi established The Victoria Coal Company. The Company delivered around 2000 tons of coal to Melbourne during this time.
1863 -1864 - The Victoria Coal Company constructed the tramway to transport coal from their mines. However, no coal was ever conveyed on the rails. The Victorian Government did not support the construction of either a pier or a railway to Griffiths Point (San Remo) through Kilcunda.
1864 - The Company ceased mining in 1864 due to the cost of transport
Access for Dogs:
Dogs are not permitted 1 Dec- 14 Apr and Easter school holidays 9am-6pm. They can be on-leash at all other times.
There is a dog off-leash beach to the east of First Surf Beach.
Photos:
Location
15 Legge Way, Cape Paterson 3995 Map
Web Links
→ Cape Paterson Surf Beach (BeachSafe)
