The car’s suspension bounces as we roll over the hill and the panoramic view of the bay is revealed. The crushing blue lines the horizon. My feet rest up on the dash in the passenger seat and my younger eager brother Tex is in the back.
My dad Craig, a seasoned local, is driving us in his current “do up” car, a 1996 Subaru Liberty Wagon. It pushes up over the hilly gravel road beside the unruly brush, wind whistling in the ropes that tie the surfboards to the roof. He takes us down into the main carpark.
It almost feels like the first time he brought us here — a place that is hidden yet unforgettable. It is a place that a local shared when he and Craig met and surfed together for the first time, when Craig first moved to town. It is treasured by friends — passed down by Craig for us, his kids, to enjoy.
The familiar surfboard racks on four-wheel-drives and backpacker camper vans decked out with hippie tapestries and drying wetsuits line the carpark. The waves echo down the main beach but the side track leading to the dunes cuts a path to adventure. It’s the beginning of autumn and the larger winter swells are brewing; exactly what Craig wants.
The Injidup carpark, at the end of Cape Clairault Road, is well-known within the local surf culture in Dunsborough and surrounding areas. The surf community in Margaret River region is significant, with more than 100 surf breaks being shared around. It is a driving force for tourism in the area and is highlighted by major ev.