Guillotines

Guillotines is a heavy advanced right-hand reef break where waves barrel through exposed rock slabs running up to 100 metres over essentially dry stone at mid-tide. The wave's tight barrelling section demands precise positioning and immediate commitment, drawing bodyboarders and shortboarders who accept that margin for error is minimal. Best conditions arrive in winter with southeast swell, particularly June, combined with southwest offshore wind.

The break was discovered around 1961 by Dave Williams, Terry 'Horse' Williams, and Kevin 'Legs' Merifield, who named it for the cut-throat character of the wave. Working with local farmer and pilot Boodge Guthrie, they established a rough vehicle track through coastal scrub to reach the spot. The 1974 New South Wales State Surfing Titles were held here, and Kevin Merifield and Brian Cole documented their early sessions in published surf history.

Guillotines sits at Bawley Point on the South Coast, roughly 30 minutes south of Ulladulla. Vehicle access comes via a dirt track from Gallows car park. Bawley Point Reserve nearby offers a picnic area, children's playground, and toilets. The break's formal address is Tingira Drive, Bawley Point NSW 2539.