Many surfing locations are found along the coast of the Capes Region in Western Australia. The Capes Region, also known as Cape to Cape, is situated between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, within a larger region known as the South West. Despite their wide geographic range, most surf breaks in the Capes Region tend to be associated with Margaret River, situated roughly central to the stretch of coast along which they are located.
Surfing in this region was well-established in the 1970s, with a 1970 government mapping guide to the region identifying surfing locations. By the 1990s, the names of the individual breaks were so well-established that online and print published guides were able to locate and identify the behaviours of the breaks. The surfing culture of the region is well-embedded in the communities along the coast.
The roads named below run off Caves Road, the main western route between Dunsborough and Augusta. The identification of nearby roads does not guarantee that there is access to any of these locations. Some systems of describing locations using Yallingup, and Gracetown, as boundaries of smaller surfing regions. The Ngari Capes Marine Park has some of the many breaks listed below in 'Special Purpose Zone (Surfing)' locations within the park.
These breaks are in the south-west corner of Geographe Bay, sheltered by Cape Naturaliste, and are not directly exposed to westerly winds and surges.
These breaks are in an isolated and difficult to access area of the coast north of Yallingup.
The beaches Three Bears, Yallingup, Smiths Beach and Injidup are all considered "beaches of Yallingup" with related surf breaks of the same names. These breaks are mostly more accessible, but not all.
Gracetown is a locality on the coastline at Cowaramup Bay, and Prevelly is situated on the southern shore at the mouth of the Margaret River.
Just south of the Margaret River mouth, Surfers Point is the location of Margaret River Pro surfing events, and the central point that tourism promotions and simplified explanations of the surfing region focus upon.
Breaks and locations between Redgate and Cape Hamelin are more spread out, and not as easily accessed as some northern breaks.
Note: these items occur in multiple editions, the editions here might not reflect either the most recent or most accurate guides to locations or names.