Bate Bay houses Sydney's
longest beach at 4.8km in length. It offers good surf and four patrolled
areas in the south, with the wilderness of the Greenhills Beach and
dunes in the north. The beach sweeps in an arc beginning at Pimelwi
Rocks at Boat Harbour, first trending north east, then east, swinging
to the south east along the patrolled areas of Wanda, Elouera and
North Cronulla, followed by the smaller Cronulla Beach section.
The northern 3.5km is called Greenhills
after the once green sand dunes, and is accessible only by 4WD via
Kurnell, or on foot. In the south however its a different matter with
the suburban railway terminating at Cronulla Station, just 600m from
North Cronulla Beach.
In fact, Cronulla is the only beach you can reach by train in all
of Sydney, which no doubt adds to its popularity. Behind the 1.5km
of beach between North Cronulla and Wanda are several car parks, parks
and the usual beach front facilities, as well as the three Surf Clubs.
The beach terminates in the south at the low rocks that separate it
from the smaller Cronulla Beach.
Wanda, Elouera and North Cronulla: The car park north of the
Wanda Surf Club is about as far as the crowds go, it also marks the
location where the waves really start to pick up, meaning more waves
and more rips. Along this section of beach all the way down to North
Cronulla not only are there rips every 200m, but the bars that separate
them are usually detached from the shore, with an often deep trough
running between the bar and the shore. This combines with a relatively
steep beach face and at times heavy to surging shorebreak to produce
a potentially hazardous beach. During and following big seas a second
bar forms further offshore with more widely spaced rips, and a continuous
trough runs between the beach and the first bar.
Bathing:
There are usually 10 rips along the patrolled section of beach, with
10 more up into Greenhills.While the southern rips are stronger you
have the benefit of the surf clubs and the flags, which you should
definitely stay between. When the bars are attached stay on them and
away from the rips which usually lie to either side. When a trough
runs between the beach and the bar check the side current and depth
before attempting to swim out to the bar, as you can easily be swept
into a rip. At North Cronulla, the bars tend to be attached more often,
which is helpful, but then stay clear of the Alley. If at all unsure
then there is a rock pool on the southern rock platform.
Surf: The deep rips and bars can
combine to produce some excellent breaks right along the beach, however
it depends on the waves, winds and bars. Best following big seas,
east to south east swell and offshore winds. Elouera, The Wall and
The Alley are some of the more popular spots, when working.
Fishing:
While professional fishermen use nets off the northern section, the
best beach fishing is in the south where the rips produce good, deep
gutters, and off the swimming pool.
Summary: This long beach from Greenhills
to North Cronulla offers three Surf Clubs in the south, fronted by
strong rips, with wave height gradually decreasing to the north as
do the crowds. Most people prefer the more crowded south where the
surf and all amenities are provided, particularly if coming by car,
where they are joined by surfers arriving by train. For solitude,
head north.
Cronulla and North Cronulla Surf Club was formed at
the safer Cronulla beach in 1907. The more open and hazardous North
Cronulla was labelled as 'Unsafe for Bathing' in 1919 by a government
committee. None the less, club members used to enjoy going round the
rock to 'The Big Beach' as it was then called. As its popularity increased
a Surf Club was formed in 1924 with patrols beginning in 1925.
