The Wedge at Pyramids Beach, on the southern side of the Dawesville Cut, has become a much-loved and sometimes fiercely defended part of Mandurah’s coastal identity. On its day, local surfers and bodyboarders describe it as a “world-class” wedge, with some even calling it the best wedge in the world in their opinion. Recent works on the rock wall have sparked concern, conversation and a community push for clearer information.

A community-led protest has been organised on the Dawesville Cut rock wall, with concerns that the changes may alter the way the Wedge breaks. The event, created by Declan LeeSteere, George Humphreys and others, is set to take place at 8am on Saturday 17 January 2026 at the Pyramids Beach carpark. The protest is public and open to anyone, with organisers emphasising that the goal is not to stop essential maintenance, but to seek clarity after receiving conflicting information about what works are actually planned. Supporters argue that the Wedge is a significant part of Mandurah’s surf and bodyboarding culture, and they are calling for transparent plans and a solution that strengthens the rock wall without unnecessarily compromising the wave.

What is the Wedge and why does it break like that?

The Wedge is not a natural reef break. It’s a wave created by the interaction between incoming swell, the Dawesville Cut training wall and the nearshore sandbars at Pyramids Beach. When swell hits the wall at the right angle, part of the wave reflects off the rocks and collides with the incoming wave, creating a steep, peaky “wedge” that bodyboarders and surfers seek out.

Technically, the Wedge behaves like two waves working together: the main wave coming in from offshore, and the “side wash” reflecting off the wall. The angle, height and shape of the rock wall all influence how that side wash behaves. Small changes to the wall can therefore have outsized effects on how the wave breaks.

Why are works happening on the rock wall?

The Dawesville Cut and its training walls were built for navigation, estuary health and coastal management, not for surfing. Over time, rocks have moved and sections of the wall have “fallen away” or weakened. Some community members point out that the wall “has fallen away dramatically” and that the health of the estuary and safety of boat users are critical reasons for maintenance and reconstruction.

Annual sand bypassing already occurs at the Cut, moving large volumes of sand from the southern side to the northern beaches to maintain navigation and reduce erosion. Longshore drift will continue regardless of the wall design, and dredging and sand movement will remain part of the system. The current works appear to focus on strengthening the rock wall, but locals say they have not been given a clear, consistent explanation of exactly what is planned.

What are locals worried about?

The core concern from many surfers and bodyboarders is not that maintenance is happening, but how it is being done and what it will do to the wave. Several posters note that “they are changing the design and structure of the main breakwall which will be impacting the way the wave breaks. Potentially causing it to no longer exist the way we know it or change dramatically.”

Others emphasise that they “get the point that it needs to be maintained”, but believe there are ways to reinforce the “fallen away” and “weaker” spots without disrupting the way the wave works. They argue that Wedge holds local through to world-tour level bodyboard competitions, brings tourism and revenue, and is a significant part of the Mandurah surfing and bodyboarding community.

A key technical concern is that strengthening the wall “from the water side” and changing the rock angle will alter the side wash and therefore the entire breaking style of the wave. If the wall is extended seaward or its angle is changed, the reflection pattern could shift, making the wave less predictable, less rideable or, in the worst case, effectively destroying the wedge effect that makes it special.

Calls for clarity, not just conflict

While some commenters dismiss the protest as “drama” over “well overdue needed maintenance”, the organisers and many supporters are clear that the main point of the gathering at Pyramids Beach car park is not to stop the works entirely. Instead, they say: “We just want actual plans of what’s happening, not three different stories from different people working on the job.”

Posters report that “the DOT haven’t released any plans or anything about these works showing what it is exactly they are doing, and there was no public notification to the community about the works.” They also claim that local MP Lisa Munday was told one version of the plan, while construction workers on site described something different again.

In response to criticism that people are protesting “something we know nothing about”, the organisers argue that this is precisely the problem: “The protest isn’t about stopping the works, it’s about getting answers for what works are actually gonna be done and to try and find a way to both reinforce the groyne but not affect Wedge to the point we lose a world class wave in our backyard.”

Balancing estuary health, safety and surf culture

There is a clear tension between different priorities. Some community members stress that the wall was built for navigation and estuary health, not for “a few bodyboarders having a wave to play on”, and argue that leaving a “bad design” in place would be costly and irresponsible. Others point out that constant dredging alone would also have consequences: too much sand on the north side could smother reef systems and waves at Avey and Egg Farms, while removing too much sand from Pyramids could damage the breeding habitat of the vulnerable Fairy Tern.

Surfers and bodyboarders responding to criticism say they “understand how the ocean works” and that many of them have been surfing the wave since it first started breaking. They describe themselves as people who surf, fish, dive and “live off the ocean more or less”, and frame their concern as part of a broader resistance to government making changes “without consulting with the public”.

Some suggest that there are ways to reinforce the wall without building further out into the Wedge, and that design options should be explored that both protect the rock wall and preserve a wave that “brings people from all over the world to our small coastal town and community.”

Where to from here?

At the heart of the debate is a shared acknowledgement that the wall needs maintenance and that estuary health and safety are non-negotiable. The disagreement lies in how the works are designed, communicated and implemented, and whether the surfing and bodyboarding community is meaningfully consulted.

For now, locals are calling for transparent plans, clear communication from the responsible agencies, and a genuine attempt to find a solution that strengthens the rock wall while preserving, as far as possible, a wave that has become an important cultural and recreational asset for Mandurah.

Whether the works ultimately diminish, preserve or even improve the Wedge remains to be seen. What is clear is that the community cares deeply about both the health of the estuary and the future of this unique, man-made wave.