Mitchell Park Boat Ramp on the Gold Coast broad water is one of the go-to locations for Gold Coast locals whether it be kite, wingding or windsurfing.
This spot works best in a SE breeze but it can also work in a NE and N breeze.
This spot is ideal for flat water blasting and riding the small chop. There is a channel protected by a sandbar which runs perpendicular to the SE breeze making it ideal for glassy speed runs (albeit only a couple of hundred metres long).
This is also a great place for beginners as the water is quite protected and there are plenty of places to stop to take a rest on a sandbar or in waste to chest deep water. The only setback is there are a few objects to navigate like anchored boats.
The water is blue & warm and the bottom is pretty much all sand so booties are not really necessary.
Access, Rigging & Launching
There is a large car parking area at the boat ramp & most of the locals park on the left-hand-side of the park in some designated trailer areas. According to locals they have never had any problems with the authorities in doing this.
You can rig your windsurfer or wingding right in front of your vehicle on the grass and then it is about 30 – 80m to the water depending on where you park.
For foilers the water depth increases very quickly from the shore making launching super easy.
There is enough room on the beach to launch kites however it is a little tight but doable for those with experience.
Hazards
There are a few yachts anchored not too far off shore making it a bit of an obstacle course to get out to the clear water. It is also a pretty busy area for jetskis and other power craft so you need to be aware of your surroundings.
As the tide goes out there are some shallow areas in the channel which can be a trap if you come off the foil and get stuck having to do a short walk back to the deeper water.
Evidently this area is known to be a bit sharky and there can be stingrays & nasty jelly fish. But according to locals there is too much boat traffic for sharks to want to hang around.
Where To Stay
Well if you don’t have a dog (which I do), there is a non-pet-friendly caravan park right there on the water (The Broadwater Tourist Park), you could literally walk from your camp to launch each day.
1 Review on “Gold Coast - Mitchell Park Boat Ramp (QLD, Australia)”
As I am a beginner Wingfoiler I am always looking for safe places to learn. Well this spot was a real gem for me as it was so easy to get to the water and launch right from the beach with no shore break. There were a couple of yachts anchored near the shore creating some obstacles but this forced me to learn to point higher! The water was warm, clear and very flat and the wind was a little gusty but very manageable. I got foiling quite a few times but did manage to get a bit stuck in a shallowish area at low ttde and had to walk to deeper water to get going again. I would highly recommend this spot for wingfoilers of any level and for windsurfers wanting to blast on flat water.