Gnaraloo is a working pastoral station on the coast of Western Australia, 150 km north of Carnarvon, at the southern entrance of the Ningaloo Marine Park and at the end of the road. The last 75 km are unsealed. Two places draw riders: Tombstones, a heavy left-hand barrel over the reef, and Gnaraloo Bay, where the station points to flat water by its boat ramp.
No source names a school, a hire shop or a rescue service here.
The Tombstones car park is a short 2 km drive south of the 3 Mile Camp.
Not yet checked against a weather station or an independent model, so treat these figures as a guide.
At a glance
Is it for you?
Skill levelChargers only
WaterMixed bag
Wind · JanUsually turns up
Crowds · JanRoom to ride
Local vibeFriendly enough
Water qualityUsually clean
NightlifeEarly nights
CostCheap
Geek analysis
January in the record
90% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
In January the wind most often sits at 12 to 15 kt (30% of daylight hours) and is over 12 kt from 12pm to 6pm on at least half the days. See both charts in the full report
No weather station near enough to check these figures against.
January on the record
The month's own figures, not the year's average.
Rideable days28 of 31Nine Januaries in the record
Wind, rideable hours17 ktMean over daylight hours at 12 kt+
Air28.5°CMaximum
Take it with you
The full Gnaraloo report
Seven sections over six pages, built from the same record as this page. A PDF you can read on the plane.
01Hour-by-hour & month-by-month wind02The month's own records03Stays at the station04Per-launch tide notes05The reef, the lagoon & the station’s rules06Getting there, packing & best months07Sources, and their limits
WindChaser spot reportGnaralooWestern Australia, Australia · January90% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
When it gets busy
Crowds
Jan · Low
The station says January to March is the time for relative solitude, and its 3 Mile shop opens daily in the April, July and September school holidays. WindChaser has no crowd count yet.
On the water
What January usually does
Wind directionS to SSEThe typical south wind, in the station’s words. Tombstones is best in a south-south-easterly at mid to high tide.
Wind strength15 to 16.5 ktThe mean over rideable daylight hours, September to March, in the record, a 9 km model with no station check yet.
When it blowsAfternoonIt builds through the day. In October the wind clears 12 kt at 8am on under half the days, and at 5pm on more than nine in ten.
Your playground
Launches & safety
Conditions change. Check local rules and conditions before you ride.
Launch
Hazard
Parking
School
Stay
Webcam
Local intel
Getting there & on the ground
Nearest airportCarnarvon (CVQ)About 149 km by road, 75 km of it unsealed. The routing engine gives over four hours.
On the groundSeptember to MarchThe windiest months in the record. October is the pick.
Getting aroundFour-wheel driveFour-wheel drive only, towing nothing, is advised for the station’s northern sector. Check the road status before you go.
