Spearfishing the WA South Coast
Albany and Esperance are granite, white sand and gin-clear Southern Ocean water - and a coast our data rates high for white sharks at both towns.
Albany dives inside King George Sound at Emu Point and Middleton Beach when the ocean side is closed, and on granite reef at Misery Beach, Frenchman Bay, Goode Beach and Two Peoples Bay when it is not. Esperance is the clearer of the two: Twilight Beach and Blue Haven, Fourth and Salmon Beach, Lucky Bay and Hellfire Bay in Cape Le Grand, Thistle Cove and Rossiter Bay - granite reef and white-sand gutters in 2-10 m holding dhufish, harlequin fish, King George whiting, crayfish and breaksea cod.
The coast faces 160-180 degrees with a bad sector around 110-250, so the Southern Ocean swell is the gate and it arrives all year. Summer and early autumn are the best of it, and Albany's sheltered Sound is the fallback the way Geographe Bay is further north. Esperance carries a prime spearfishing rating in our data; Albany's Salmon Holes stretch is explicitly flagged as a dangerous king-wave coast.
Rules: DPIRD Fisheries WA - a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence for powered-boat fishing, no licence for shore diving, all inland waters closed to spearfishing, spearfishing generally allowed in ocean waters except some marine protected areas and around dive wrecks, and compressed-air spearfishing prohibited in some marine parks. Note that the West Coast demersal closure covers Kalbarri to Augusta and therefore does NOT extend to this coast, but the South Coast bioregion has its own limits - read https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/individuals/recreational-fishing/ before you plan a bag. Safety, conditionally: high white-shark rating at both Albany and Esperance, king waves on the granite platforms, and long stretches with no phone coverage or easy exit.
Top spots
| Spot | Nearest city | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Bettys Beach | Albany | The reef end of a beach rather than the sand in the middle: rock and… |
| Rossiter Bay | Esperance | The inside of a bay at Esperance |
| Mary Ann Haven reefs | Hopetoun | Mary Ann Haven faces south, yet a shallow reef system 2 km wide cuts… |
| John Cove | Bremer Bay | A 500 m beach in front of the Wellstead Estuary that ends against the… |
| Ellen Cove | Albany | Sheltered bay at Albany: sand with weed and rock patches, 2–10 m. |
| Whale Bay | Hopetoun | Shallow reefs shelter Whale Bay, which has a sandy floor and rock… |
Cities in this region
FAQ
Does the West Coast demersal closure apply at Albany and Esperance?
No. The West Coast bioregion runs from Kalbarri/Zuytdorp Cliffs to Augusta/Black Point, so this coast sits in the South Coast bioregion with its own rules. Check the current DPIRD guide for limits before you plan a bag.
How clear is the water?
Esperance is famously clear - the Twilight Beach and Cape Le Grand cards call it gin-clear granite and white-sand ground. Albany's Sound side is calmer but greener; the ocean granite at Misery Beach and Frenchman Bay is the clear water there.
When is the best season?
Summer and early autumn. The coast faces 160-180 degrees with a bad sector around 110-250 and takes Southern Ocean swell year round, so plan around a lull. King George Sound at Albany is the reliable fallback.
What about sharks?
Our data rates both Albany and Esperance high for white sharks, and several site cards say so explicitly. Frenchman Bay and Salmon Holes are also flagged as a dangerous king-wave coast for experienced divers only.
See also: WA South-West (Perth–Capes) · WA Mid-West (Geraldton–Kalbarri)