As perfect as a delicious vegemite scroll, kiteboarding in Perth, Australia hits perfection right on. A right of passage for many, it’s reported over 10,000 people kiteboard in this region, which isn’t to say the beaches are always busy – on the contrary. In fact, the remote 12,000 km coastline of Western Australia means it doesn’t take much to find that perfect wave, on that perfect beach, with that perfect number of buddies to ride alongside.
Depending on your desire for an adventure, take your pick from a quick escape from urban life, to a more committed approach overnight and beyond. This is a sure kiteboarding destination with beaches near and far that will satisfy the kiteboarder’s twitch within a matter of minutes – just don’t forget the sunscreen because those rays are not to be messed with!
Once you’re lathered up, you can embrace the idyllic azures and white sands. Then pop a playful dolphin or curious turtle into the scene and you might find yourself extremely close to utopia. Cap open a beer after a windy afternoon sesh and well.. there you have kiting life in Perth.
Wadjam’Up …
We love kiteboarding, for so many reasons. It’s fun, keeps our hearts pumping and adrenaline running through our veins. But it also holds a feel-good factor being a completely sustainable sport, environmentally friendly and connecting us to mother nature in a way that really does stick with you. This is why destinations like Rottnest Island (just 19 km west of Perth)- or Rotto as she’s fondly called by locals, offers the whole package.
Steeped in history, wildlife, and home to the Whadjuk Nyoongar people, Wadjemup really is a place of transition between the physical and spiritual world. Encouraged to harness nature – the wind and the sea – no cars are allowed on this tiny island. Eco-bikes with trailers packed with kites and boards fill the southern coastline with visitors enjoying enough distance from the city-scapes afar (which can still be seen on a clear day).
If you’re less interested in natural beauty (kinda unavoidable though, this whole coastline is stunning), or are too reliant on using your car, then you can zip north or south of the city for an equally solid session. We have some recommended spots for all abilities all up the WA coast, whether you’re after a calm and idyllic lagoon or an intense jump and bump session to work those legs.
When to go?
Officially, summer begins on the 1st December, but that’s not to assume the wind Gods aren’t working their magic before then. Spring and Summer are best for kiteboarding in Perth – between October and March you’ll find somewhere worth ridin’ the thermal Freemantle Doctor breeze, keeping temperatures cooler and more bearable over the water. Summer in Perth is HOT and it is always worth a reminder (in case you ever forget). A couple of hours playing in the waves can have you barbeque-sizzled and regretful soon after! Don’t be shy with your Factor-50, especially in the mornings hitting a regular 40 degrees C throughout the season. Your clothing choices are crucial too, feeling the warmth might be nice in boardshorts or a bikini at first, but you may as well get organised before you leave your car, and dress suitably for the occasion from the start – you’ll quickly want to cover up with long-sleeves and a hat.
Whether you’re a beginner in the kiting club or a session professional, beaches closer to the city tend to be busier than those further afield, and on the weekends you should expect to queue. Parking could also cause some delays so be sure to get organised and get going if you’re only heading out for a day-dip road trip.
Kiteboarding spots in Perth and around
1. Swan River, Applecross, Perth
Slap bang in the middle of the city, Swan River is Perth’s quintessential kiteboarding spot 🦢. Western Australia is widely known to have some of the country’s sauciest beaches, so you may be wondering why you’re being guided off piste a tad. However The Swan River gifts riders with easier and safer conditions, making it a top notch space for beginners and those seeking protected flats.
The preferred launch pad of choice is Lucky Bay in Applecross (by Melville Beach Road) where a couple of kite schools operate from, check them out if you’re in need of lessons or gear. The wind direction here is usually spot on, with cross onshore south westerlies or southerlies and shallow waist-deep water. Don’t use the spot if it’s easterly strong which will take you offshore, check out Point Walter in Bicton instead if you’re an experienced rider (not for newbies).
This is a popular area for windsurfers and those enjoying weekend recreation on the water, so be sure to follow best etiquette – launch and land between the 3 buoys, be mindful of the narrow launching zone keep your kite over the water to avoid accidents, other than that you’re good to go!
2. Woodman Point (Woodies), Perth South
Just 30 minutes drive from Perth and south of Fremantle sits Woodman Point, a regional park that spits out into the ocean with beaches on both the northern and southern sides. Split into 3 kite-friendly sections, it is worth ensuring you head to the right point for your abilities, or you might get yourself in trouble!
Woodman Point 1
Beach One is perfect for beginners. In fact, we would say to beginners, DON’T use Beach Two or Beach Three because you just don’t need to. Yes, the winds are mainly onshore (like the rest of this WA coastline), so newbies will find learning to launch harder – aim for an easterly/south easterly or south westerly breeze to help get away from the shore. Beach One offers buttery flats to smooth your ride within the protected bay, so once you’re up, you’re likely to stay up for some time! The launch site is on the smaller side (beginners need to land and launch east of the main zone), keep away from the limestone wall, and booties might be a wise plan to avoid the sharp reef and beach shells. To access, set your sat-nav to Woodmont Park. A car park is nearby, but keep your valuables hidden at all times!
Woodman Point 2
Beach Two is traditionally a windsurfer spot and the rules are clear, kiteboarders give way to windsurfers. Still on the southern side of the spit but further out to sea, you’ll have a bit more to do in this bumpy playground with the same 20-25 knots, and S and SW winds (onshore). Intermediate and advanced freestylers love Woodies 2, with some sea chop (yet still protected), wakestyle players. There are a few other things to avoid as well as the windsurfers – low tides expose the sharp reef so be careful here, there is a jetty to the east of the point (which is the launch site for windsurfers) and between 01 September and 31 January it is absolutely prohibited to swim between the buoys due to the nesting of protected Fairy Terns – you don’t want to be the last kiter that caused this spot to close!! Other than that, avoid humans, Northerly winds, and other kites … and enjoy!
Woodman Point 3
Woodies Beach Three is north of the spit and purely a playground for experienced riders – no beginners allowed. Freestylers fly high in the prevailing south westerly winds until it’s beer o’clock, or sometimes because they’ve been carried too far by the off-shore winds. There is a freestyle-etiquette here so a carousel queuing system is expected, but it is worth the wait with the mirror-flat surface, and sandy-toed, shallow base. Getting here will take some motivation, as it is accessible only by walking north along Beach Two – don’t cut through the dunes as this is a rehabilitation area.
Woodies Beach Three has similar red flags and restrictions as Woodies Beach Two; protect the birds, avoid the jetty, clear the sand dunes and be careful of the sharp reef below!
3. Safety Bay, Rockingham
Described as a playground for kiteboarders, Safety Bay in Rockingham is home to some of Perth’s all time favourite spots, with shallow waters, sandy beaches and its consistent breeze, which is why it’s nicknamed The Pond. Accessible through a sandy-dune pathway from the yacht-club car park (or street parking), a little walk is worth it when you reach the shoreline here. Huge sandbanks give space to wailing beginners, launching upwind and practising again and again until perfected, well away from the shoreline.
Further downwind (west), the depths deepen, perfect for more experienced kiteboarders who want to stay out of the newbies’ way, and fly in confidence. Onshore winds pick up in the afternoon (SW) so beginners need to keep upwind if they want to avoid upsetting the locals, but generally beginners have the right of way along with kite-school students. Everyone needs to keep their wits about them though, with a boat channel to the east, an anchorage to the west, and windsurfing races in the middle happening more and more frequently. Also, if you see a fin, it’s most likely a dol-phin.
4. Rottnest Island / Wadjemup
Rottnest Island feels like a dreamy escape from the hustle and bustle of the real world – a protected spot just 19 km in size, within sight of Perth’s Metro. Again, no cars are allowed, so the bus (which does hit most of the main kiting sites) or bike (for more flex) gets you to where you need to go from the Ferry Terminal – with 3 services operating daily (Rottnest Fast Ferries, Rottnest Express & Sealink Rottnest Island). Although encouraged to check the forecast before you travel, the consistent South Westerlies are pretty set and solid at 20-25 knots and suited for a 10m kite. You’ll likely be sharing the wave with surfers and other water enthusiasts, so prepare for weekends to get busy – removing any risk of traffic buildup which is kinda cool, but you’ll need to lock in a bed for the night.
Rottnest Island was put on the kiteboarding map following the annual Lighthouse to Leighton kiteboarding race hosted by Red Bull (last in 2019), as hundreds of world-champion kiters flew across the Indian Ocean from Bickley Bay (Rottnest Island) to Leighton Beach (Fremantle, WA mainland). There isn’t much else in Bickley Bay and there’s better spots to kite here too. The north of the island is too sheltered for kiteboarding most days and filled with yachty day-trippers, so the best kiteboarding spots are located on the south coast.
Our kiteboarding pick on this tiny island would be Little Salmon Bay. Just a short (and hot) 25 min cycle from the main area (or 5 mins on the Quokka Coaches Island Explorer bus – stop number 6), Little Salmon Bay is as beautiful as it gets. Calming, warm waters, with a reef break and a world of underwater wonders. With nothing in the area apart from the toilets at Parker Point 5 minutes walk away, this spot is isolated from everything but it offers nature’s finest scenes.
No wind? No worries!
Perth and its surrounding area has a shoreline filled with experiences. Here are our top recommendations for the down days:
1. Quokka spotting
If you’re bored on Rottnest Island then here is a challenge – find the quokka 🦫, a cute marsupial that can only be found here on this island. When the Dutch explored the island in 1696, they mistook quokkas for giant rats and named it ‘Rats Nest Island’, hence its name today!
2. Wadjam’Up …
Rottnest is only 19 km around, but it has 6 ecosystems! Another challenge is to cross them all off in one day – oceans, wetlands, woodlands, scrublands, coastal, and one pub for the settlements.
3. Sail the humpback highway
Hop on a boat and whale watch the largest humpback migration route in the world!
4. Skydiving over Rottnest
Sky high diving rides from Rottnest Island, over Rottnest Island.
5. Taste the Aussie wines
Wine tasting beckons just 25 mins away from Perth in Swan Valley.
6. Wave to a rock
A day trip to Wave Rock is something different for sure. Head through the Darling Mountain Range for epic rock formations and aboriginal culture.
If you’re hitting the road and venturing further afield, then check out some of the other epic kiteboarding spots in Western Australia. The white sandy beaches of Lancelin is a mere hour north of the city, and just a few hours south will take you to Margaret River for wind, waves and wine!
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