About Cannon Rocks

Cannon Rocks, Sunshine Coast

Cannon Rocks is a little seaside village just south west of Kenton-on-Sea. To reach it you've got to make a detour off the N2, along Route 72, and then a road in amongst farmland.

Which brings one to its origins. Cannon Rocks is built on a little strip of land between the sea and the Woody Cape forest, given to the town by a farmer by the name of Potgieter - today it's in an area known as the 'golden mile' for its dairy farming, although the 'golden' no longer applies since recent drought and milk prices has seen dairy farmers packing it all in.

A road named after Potgieter runs the length of town along its northern perimeter, whilst his wife, Alice, also got a road named after her, in amongst all the other roads after women - Doreen, Patricia, Ann.

It's not a big town. There are no shops or petrol station. For those you go to Boknesstrand, not far from Cannon Rocks. Boknes beach, Boesmansrivier Mouth and Cannon Rocks all seem to run seamlessly into one another before you reach Kenton-on-Sea.

Cannon Rocks gets its name from the cannons at the end of Alice Road. Historians are not entirely sure which shipwreck these two cannons and accompanying anchor are from, there were so many on this part of the coast. But they are the reason for the town's name.

From the cannons one can do the 7 km Cannon Trail in amongst the forest. It's not a difficult walk and the paths are gentle, but it returns along the beach. Take along water during summer.

The reason Cannon Rocks is well worth bookmarking is its beach, rock pools and spacious shores. The sweep of beach with its sand dunes and swimming beach are beautiful. No less beautiful, it must be said, than Boknes or Kenton-on-Sea. But it is less busy, particularly over Easter or outside of the school holidays.

It's also one of the best kitesurfing places in the world and the annual Cannon Rocks Kiteboarding Classic has placed it on the map.