Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, QLD © Tourism and Events Queensland
Australia's best surfing spots
From beautiful barrels to gentle breaks, Australia’s got a wave with your name on it.
"As surfers, we’re always trying to find the most amazing waves with no one else around. A lot of the time that means you just follow your own path, looking for waves that not necessarily everyone’s going to find."
With its picture-postcard sweep of golden sand and sparkling blue water, Bondi Beach attracts visitors from all over the world. Experienced surfers can jump into the water at South Bondi, where southerly swells spill over as powerful right and left-handers. During a lesson with Let’s Go Surfing, beginners can learn both technique and surfing etiquette amid North Bondi’s gentler swell.
Manly Beach, with its pretty shoreline shaded by Norfolk pines, is renowned for its consistent breaks. Manly Surf School offers lessons to beginners, while avid surfers can get their thrills on Queenscliff Beach. Nearby Freshwater Beach is prime surfing real estate; it’s the spot where surfing was popularised in Australia by Hawaiian 'Duke' Kahanamoku. Reliable sandbanks and consistent waves keep 'Freshie' at the top of the list for many locals.
The trendy coastal town of Byron Bay is a popular hangout for hippies, hipsters, and surfers. There’s no shortage of surf spots in Byron, from the right-handers at Broken Head to Tallow Beach’s more gnarly point break and the Pass’ peeling sets. Constantly pumping long gentle waves, the Pass is an epic surf spot for all wave riders. Grab a lesson with Mojosurf, who seek out the best waves daily.
Bells Beach attracts the world's best professional surfers and is the arena for a world-class surf competition, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, held each year in March or April. The beach is fringed by dramatic craggy cliffs that make the perfect vantage point to watch the action. Enrol in a surf lesson with Go Ride a Wave, which operates from four nearby locations along the Great Ocean Road – Torquay, Lorne, Ocean Grove and Anglesea.
Just a 90-minute drive south of Melbourne, Phillip Island has it all – nature, wildlife, and of course, great waves. Cape Woolamai is the island’s highest point and is known for offering some of the best surfing in Victoria. In fact, it’s one of Chris Hemsworth’s favourite beaches. You won’t find any lessons here, just the rolling waves, so this beach is best for experienced surfers and spectators (though beginners can take a class on nearby Smiths Beach).
Fringed by 130km (80mi) of coastline and over 75 breaks, the Margaret River region has become a hotbed for surfers. Powerful swells form gnarly barrels at Surfers Point, where the world’s best wave riders congregate annually for the World Surf League’s Margaret River Pro. At Redgate Beach, beginners and intermediates can relish the consistent waves and gentler sand breaks during a lesson with Margaret River Surf School.
The Gold Coast boasts some of Australia’s most exhilarating surfing. It’s home to the Superbank, a large, man-made sandbank that creates one of the longest wave rides in the world. The barrelling wave peels from Snapper to Greenmount Beach, making this break a must-do for serious surfers. Surfing here can be busy during peak times, so if you’re just starting out, take a lesson with Get Wet Surf School.
Noosa Heads is renowned for its expansive beaches, stylish shops, restaurants and accommodation. First-time surfers should stick to the gentle waves at Noosa Main Beach. You can hire surfboards from Noosa Longboards, or take advantage of the local knowledge with a surf lesson. Learn to Surf Noosa and Go Ride a Wave both offer private and group lessons. You can reach Noosa by plane, or better yet, with a road trip along the subtropical Great Sunshine Way.
