Dicky Beach is a surf beach in Caloundra named after an iron steamboat that ran aground in 1893, the SS Dicky. It was refloated before heavy seas sent it back onto the sand permanently.
From the parking area, the beach is accessed via a short walking track through the coastal vegetation, which hides much of the beach until to reach the sand. The exception is a grass area next to the parking area that sits above a small lagoon looking over the beach.
Reaching the sand opens up to an 800-metre long beach, exposed to the ocean. The 800 metres is limited by the name, it extends much further. From the lagoon you can follow the sand for over 11 kilometres to Point Cartwright Lighthouse. It does require crossing Currimundi Creek around 2kms if it is flowing out of Currimundi Lake but I had little trouble crossing it other than dodging people riding the rushing water for fun.
You can also walk south 750 metres along the sand to reach Moffat Beach 
, just passed the rocky outcrop.
Dicky Beach is patrolled by the Dicky Beach Surf Club which sits a little further north. The club is another access point if you first drive around the back (down Cooroy St then into Coochin St to the end).
We visited in that wonderful summer period between Christmas Day and New Years Day, with hot sun and the water cooling and refreshing. As it is for most beaches, there is not a lot of shade available so bringing some with you is useful if you are staying all day
It wasn’t as crowded as Kings Beach but it was a popular day and plenty of people around. Other than some crowding around the flags, the beach has plenty of space to spread out and still have room to play some beach cricket. We had a few extras join in that helped bring up the numbers and make it even more fun for our small group.
Dicky Beach is to be upgraded at some point and there will be a stronger representation of the SS Dicky and an improved skate park. The skate park already there does look a bit dated and drab, the rusty cyclone wire fencing surrounding it doesn’t help. It didn’t seem to worry too many though as there were quite a few using the skate park in spite of the hot weather.
Beside the skate park is the toilet block with showers to rinse off and change. Beside the toilet block is a picnic area with simple facilities. There is a single free BBQ available for use and a sheltered picnic table near it. There are some shady grassy spots to sit at as well if you prefer to throw out a picnic rug.
It doesn’t have the same vista as sitting above the lagoon and looking over the beach but it does have the BBQ and a small playground. It is closer to the take away shops across the road too. There is a good selection of shops to get some take away, we opted for fish and chips to accompany the beach vibe.
So, what happened to SS Dicky? It was used as a dancing venue until it was burnt out from an overturned kerosene lamp. it slowly rusted away until it became hazardous with exposed rusted parts of the SS Dicky emerging from the sand.
In 2014, the council started relocating parts of the wreck away from the beach. The propeller had already been removed in 1963 to use on a memorial cairn.
