Thunder Point lies on Victoria's Shipwreck Coast, just off MacDonald Street west of Warrnambool. This rugged, exposed headland faces the Southern Ocean and is the western edge of the protected Merri Marine Sanctuary. Snorkelers enter via a scramble down the cliff on the southwestern side into rock pools that give way to a gently sloping seafloor — 5 m near shore to 20 m around 150 m out. The terrain is the most rugged around Warrnambool, with isolated reefs, sandy patches, and abundant marine life in the no-take sanctuary zone. The name comes from the roar of the surf that thunders against the basalt cliffs.
Thunder Point
IntermediateGO
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Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.9 mSwell Period 12 sWind Speed 8.5 knPrecipitation 20 mmTidal Phase slack
Last evaluated
DANGER: Explicit Risks Present
Thunder Point has hazards marked as danger. Entering the water here means you may face serious risks to your personal safety.
- White Water Conditions danger
If you see lots of white water from the car park, conditions are too dangerous to enter. Strong surf can make entry and exit hazardous.
The spot
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
High risk: White Water Conditions
If you see lots of white water from the car park, conditions are too dangerous to enter. Strong surf can make entry and exit hazardous.
Moderate risk: Surge and Swell
Thunder Point faces south-west into the Southern Ocean and is prone to strong surge and large swells. Best dived in very good conditions with low swell and light offshore northerly winds.
Moderate risk: Cliff Entry/Exit
The main entry is via a scramble down the cliff on the southwestern side — can be treacherous with gear, especially in wet or windy conditions.
Low risk: Merri Marine Sanctuary Boundary
The sanctuary is a no-take zone immediately east of Thunder Point. Snorkelers must be aware of the boundary to avoid inadvertently fishing or collecting inside the protected area.
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Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
Thunder Point is located at the end of MacDonald Street, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280. From the Warrnambool CBD, drive south on Raglan Parade (A1), turn onto MacDonald Street and follow it to the coastal car park at the end.
Parking & facilities
There is a car parking area to the west (right) off MacDonald Street, Warrnambool, directly facing the ocean.
parkingtoilets
Free access. Merri Marine Sanctuary is a public reserve with no entry fee.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports