Surfing
Surfing
The best states in Australia to be a surfer... ranked!
How does your home state rate?
We all surf different. We all have different tastes in our waves and what makes the essential surfing experience. So how can I sit here, throwing keystrokes at you, and say which state is best? And, worse, rank these states in order?
Because, deep down, there are four things every surfer needs, whether they like it or not: they need to be barrelled, they need a little sun on their back and they want to throw the fins, if possible. And they want to do all this with minimum interference from crowds.
So where's the best place in Australia to be a surfer? Let's rank!
01
New South Wales
Blue, barrelling, Byron Bay bliss
© Andrew Shield
From Eden on the South Coast to Byron Bay in the north, with points, ledges, wedges, beach breaks, and whatever else, in between, New South Wales delivers on every front. You can surf in boardshorts; you can surf in the thickest rubber you want. You can throw fins in crowds or without another soul within 10 clicks. The roads are good, mostly, follow the coast, mostly, and, with Australia's biggest city anchoring the state, you can even find a job to fund your wave-seeking lifestyle.
What about the waves? The region benefits from a reliable and varied swell pattern, ensuring that there are waves to be caught throughout the year. From the energetic winter swells that pump up the coastline to the more mellow waves during the summer months, surfers can find suitable conditions no matter the season. This consistency and variety make NSW an attractive destination for surfers from around the world.
Related
Top Surf Spots in NSW
- The South Coast
- Cronulla
- North Narrabeen
- Manly
- Newcastle / Merewether
- Coffs Harbour
- Crescent Head
- Lennox Head
- Angourie
- Yamba
- Byron Bay
- Duranbah Beach (DBah)
02
Western Australia
7 min
Made In Australia: Boardriders Clubs
They are an institution like no other. Welcome to an Australian surf boardriders club.
Okay, sharks. Let's get that out of the way right now. Great Whites patrol the waters of Western Australia and if you can't put that out of your head, you might as well throw WA to the bottom of the list.
The Right detonates as Russell Ord dives
© Gordon Becker
But if the thought of a spectacular and bloody, if unlikely, death doesn't frighten, WA comes in just behind NSW. Why? Size. It's the second-best subdivision of a country in the world (just behind the Sakha Republic in Russia).
You can surf on the South Australia border, in the Southern Ocean, and you can surf north, way north, closer to Indonesia than Sydney in the Indian Ocean. Think Margaret River, think Kalbarri, think Gnaraloo, think the Bluff, think of every single configuration of wave, often with little in the way of gadfly crowds. But you'll drive, you'll drive until you think the road is never going to end and you'll be maddened by those damn onshore winds. But rewards, those jewels, are everywhere.
Top Surf Spots in Western Australia
- The Coral Coast (if you're up for an adventure)
- The Northwest (see above)
- Cottesloe
- Trigg Beach
- Scarborough
- Yallingup
- Margaret River
- Albany
- Denmark
03
Queensland
What everyone dreams of when they dream of Kirra
© Juan Medina
For such a large state, it's remarkable how abbreviated its surf coastline is. Drive north from the Gold Coast and within a few hours you'll have traversed its entire surfable coastline.
Sure, the Great Barrier Reef gets some; so does 1770. But, mostly, it's the Sunshine and Gold Coast where you'll get your kicks. On a good day, on a cyclone-generated east swell with a light wind, you'll ride, without exaggeration, waves you never before thought existed on this planet.
But the crowds are insane, literally. It's madness! Combine perfection with the lunacy of overcrowding and you have a state that's definitely mid-rung.
Top Surf Spots in Queensland
7 min
Snapper
Listen as generations of surfers talk about the waves of Australia's Gold Coast.
- Kirra
- Currumbin Alley
- Burleigh Heads
- Surfers Paradise beachies
- Stradbroke Island
- North Stradbroke Island
- Noosa
- Double Island
- Moreton Island
- The Great Barrier Reef (again, if you're up for an adventure)
04
Victoria
Beautiful Bells Beach
© Trevor Moran
The mark of the Victorian surfer, whom I adore and admire, is he'll read his ranking here, at lowly number four, and smile a little to himself. It ain't easy surfing in Victoria. It's likely you'll live in Melbourne for work and, therefore by necessity, your surfing will be limited to weekends.
And, yet, when you bundle yourself into a car with your pals and hit 13th Beach or Phillip Island or Winki or Bird Rock or the beachbreaks of Gunnamatta, you'll discover why you live, and love, Victoria.
What about the waves? Victoria benefits from a consistent swell and a range of surf conditions. With exposure to both the Southern Ocean and the Bass Strait, surfers in Victoria can experience a variety of wave types, from powerful reef breaks to fun beach breaks. The region also offers surf options for all seasons, with different breaks working best under certain wind and swell conditions.
Top Surf Spots in Victoria
- Johanna Beach
- Bells Beach
- Jan Juc
- 13th Beach
- The Mornington Peninsula
- Phillip Island
- Port Melbourne (when it's big and stormy)
- Wilsons Promontory
05
South Australia
South Australia
© Renato Martins
No waves here, no desert lefts with barrels so round like you could drive the fabled Kombiwagen through 'em, no starring roles in Kai Neville's Dear Suburbia, no top pro's sniffing around trying to buy land there because the waves are so good, no 20-foot bombies, no empty perfect beachbreaks. What you do get is no crowds, so that's a plus?
Top Surf Spots in South Australia
- Kangaroo Island
- Yorke Peninsula
- Eyre Peninsula
- Port Lincoln
- The entire coastline, if you're up for a drive and have a 4x4
The look that says it all... meet Shipstern Bluff
© Andrew Chrisholm / Red Bull Content Pool
06
Tasmania
Surfing in Tasmania offers a unique experience for surfers seeking adventure in a rugged and pristine environment. Known for its wild and untouched landscapes, Tasmania's coastline provides surfers with a remarkable setting to ride the waves. With its exposed southern location, the island captures powerful swells from the Southern Ocean, creating challenging and exciting surf conditions.
Tassy is home to a variety of surf breaks, catering to surfers of different skill levels. The coastline boasts an abundance of reef breaks, beach breaks, and point breaks, each offering a different kind of wave and surfing experience no matter where you're at. Whether you're exploring the renowned spots of Shipstern Bluff and Clifton Beach, or discovering lesser-known gems along the east and west coasts, Tassy presents an array of options for surfers to explore and conquer.
Top Surf Spots in Tasmania
- South Arm Beach
- The Three Capes (South Cape in particular)
- Bruny Island
- Freycinet National Park
- Lighthouse Beach
- Anywhere you're willing to trek in and trek out
