Cowaramup Bombora

Cowaramup Bombora (also known as Cowie Bombie or simply Cow Bombie) is a big wave open-ocean surf break found on the south-west coast of Western Australia. It is located 2 kilometres offshore west of Gracetown which is near the town of Margaret River, world-renowned for its surf, and is 265 km south of the capital city Perth.[2][3]

Mick Corbett surfing Cow Bombie in 2014. (Photo: Jamie Scott[1])

The break first came to the world’s attention in 2007, when local Damon Eastaugh won the Big Wave Award after riding a wave estimated to be more than 50 feet.[4]

It doesn't break often, requiring huge swells from the Southern Ocean,[5] but these can produce very large waves often in excess of 40 ft[6] with some contending for the biggest wave in Australia at over 60 ft.[7][8][9]

Its name comes from Cowaramup, the name of the small local townsite, and bombora, an Indigenous Australian term for an area of large sea waves breaking over a shallow area.

The break was featured in the 2013 documentary series Storm Surfers 3D which described it as "on its day, the tallest wave in Australia",[10] where Tom Carroll survived a near-death wipeout while surfing with Ross Clarke-Jones.[11] It also featured in the 2011 documentary film Fighting Fear.[12][13]

In 2011, Western Australian surfer Damien Warr won the Oakley Biggest Wave award for his ride on Cow Bombie.[14] In February 2015 Jarryd Foster, 27, won the Oakley Biggest Wave award for his ride on Cow Bombie.[15][16] Mick Corbett was also a 2015 finalist for the same award with his Cow Bombie ride.[17][18]

On 26 June 2015, Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer, 22, became the first woman to surf Cow Bombie.[8][19][20]

On 2 March 2016, the Oakley Big Wave Awards 2015-2016 were announced, with two of the three major awards coming from Cow Bombie: Zac Haynes won Biggest Paddle-In, and Justin Holland won Biggest Wave in Australian Waters, finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively for Ride Of The Year. All three contenders for Biggest Wave were at Cow Bombie.[21]