L P Michaels

The good residents of Margaret River sure ain't lacking for entertainment at the moment.

Nary a month goes by without another influx of tourists coming to an increasingly busy town as attraction after attraction gets added to the growing list, be it food, mountain bike or surf related.

Now the World Surf League is looking to expand its cache of waves on hand to include Boatramp for the 2018 Margaret River Pro.

If successful, this will bring it's tally up to four: Mainbreak, The Box, North Point and Boatramp - the region's premier big-wave paddle venue situated directly off the golden sands of Gnarabup.

Earlier this year, WA's tourism minister Paul Papalia made the surprise announcement. The event, said to generate "$5.4million in economic impact for the region", would remain on the WSL calendar for at least the next two years (now extended to five, according to the Shire of Augusta Margaret River).

It was a surprise because the announcement came from the WA government and not the WSL - typically not how it does business.

The move to North Point last year, repeatedly hailed as "historic" by Turpel, Pottz etc, resulted in access to the town being restricted for one day and the entire rock shelf at North Point closed off to all but a few cheeky grommets who'd snuck past the bouncers posted to prevent such things.

And the result? A couple windy drainers and Sebastian Zietz's 10-point ride.

Worth it? Maybe, maybe not.

Turning attention to Boatramp though, it's an often overlooked fact the WSL already had it in its pocket a couple years back but now it wants it back again.

The reef is a big wave aficionado's dream, capable of throwing up huge throaty barrels, long roping walls and even longer hold-downs.

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River has opened the application for comment and wants answers by January 12.

// LP MICHAELS