South Australia – False Bay, Upper Spencer Gulf

Welcome to False Bay — where the desert exhales into the sea and the wind comes roaring through the salt flats like it owns the place. Set between Whyalla and Point Lowly, this is the kingdom of wide-open everything: shallow lagoons, endless tidal flats, and a sky that feels too big to hold.

This place fires on SE to SW winds, which whip across the bay and hit the glassy shallows just right. Sea breezes here don’t mess around — they get funneled hard thanks to the inland heat and the Gulf’s shape. The result? Steady, punchy sessions perfect for downwinders, speed runs, or just ripping around on a mirror.

When the tide’s in, it’s butter. When it’s out? It’s a walk, but one worth taking. Some parts stretch up to 7km wide, all flat, all rideable. But bring your boots — razor fish lurk in the mud like tiny spike traps, and stepping on one barefoot will ruin your day real quick.

Access is straightforward via Port Bonython Road, though some of the central flats need a little commitment on foot. There’s no cafés, no flags, and no rescue boat — just pure, wind-blasted freedom and the kind of silence that only big country can give you.