Spearfishing the WA Mid-West: Geraldton and Kalbarri
Geraldton and Kalbarri sit at the top of the West Coast bioregion. Limestone and reef in clear water, dhufish and baldchin groper country, with the demersal closure in force.
Geraldton dives Point Moore off the lighthouse, Coronation Beach north of town, Drummond Cove and the Town Beach reef ends - 2-8 m of limestone reef with dhufish, pink snapper, crayfish and baldchin groper, and the Abrolhos further offshore. Kalbarri adds Jakes Point and Red Bluff, Wittecarra and Chinamans Beach at the river mouth and Goat Island, with the Blue Holes lagoon a signed sanctuary/fish-habitat area that is look-only.
Both towns read a bad sector of roughly 200-320 degrees with 260 the worst direction, so the day comes down to a light-swell window; the water is clear when it settles. Summer and early autumn are the warmest, but the trip planning here is a swell-forecast job. Baldchin groper peaks February to May in the phenology data, and pink snapper is a summer-into-autumn fish.
Rules: DPIRD Fisheries WA. Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence for powered-boat fishing, no licence for shore diving, all inland waters closed. This coast is inside the West Coast bioregion, so the demersal scalefish closure applies: boat-based demersal fishing is closed until Spring 2027 and demersal scalefish may not be taken by spearfishing during the closure, with land-based spearfishing excepted - but land-based spearfishing for West Australian dhufish is never permitted. See https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/individuals/recreational-fishing/. Safety, conditionally: moderate white-shark rating at both towns in our data, exposed rock entries at Red Bluff and Point Moore, and the Blue Holes sanctuary boundary is signed on the beach - read it.
Top spots
| Spot | Nearest city | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Pot Alley Beach | Kalbarri | Beach with rock and weed edges at Kalbarri |
| Arurine Bay (Surf Beach) | Port Denison | Also known as Surf Beach, Arurine Bay runs 1.1 km north from the… |
| Island Point (south) | Jurien Bay | From the reef at Island Point the beach runs 2.3 km north to the next… |
| Cambawarra Head | Green Head | A 250 m beach on the north side of Cambawarra Head, backed by a raised… |
| Leeman town beach reefs | Leeman | The town beach runs 600 m south from Drummond Rock. |
| Town Beach | Geraldton (Abrolhos) | Where the Geraldton sand runs out into rock and weed, 2–6 m |
Cities in this region
FAQ
Can you spear dhufish here?
Not from the shore - land-based spearfishing for West Australian dhufish is never permitted in WA. And during the West Coast demersal closure (to Spring 2027) demersal scalefish may not be taken by spearfishing at all, with land-based spearfishing excepted for other demersals.
Is Blue Holes at Kalbarri open?
No. Our card marks Blue Holes as a reef-protected snorkel lagoon inside a sanctuary/fish-habitat zone - look only. Check the signed boundary on the beach before you enter.
When is the best season?
Summer and early autumn are warmest, but both towns read a bad swell/wind sector of roughly 200-320 degrees with 260 the worst, so the trip turns on a light-swell window rather than a month.
Do you need a licence?
Only for powered-boat fishing (Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence). Shore-based spearfishing in WA needs no licence, but a rock lobster licence is separate and lobster rules are their own thing.
See also: WA South Coast (Great Southern) · WA North (Ningaloo–Kimberley)