Surfing
Surfing
Get to know one of Australia's most unique island: North Stradbroke Island
Why North Stradbroke Island is your next surf trip, as told by CT rookie Ethan Ewing.
Welcome to My Hometown, where you’ll be taken through a series of unique surf towns all over Australia. Every few weeks we’ll pick up and document a new surfer and the place they call home – from the local pub to the best break, you’ll find everything you need to know for a first-time visit. Today you get to CT rookie Ethan Ewing, hailing from North Stradbroke Island, Queensland.
Perfection on North Stradbroke
© Andrew Shield
“There are three town on North Straddie – Dunwich, Amity Point and Point Lookout,” he tells us. “I live in Point Lookout, which is where the surf is. It’s a really cruisy place, everyone is super happy and we all know each other. It’s a pretty cool place to grow up and a lot of good surfers have come out of my town.”
In fact, Ethan’s family makes up a good percentage of those good surfers. “My older brothers are both great surfers – one of them is still sponsored by Billabong, even though he isn’t into doing comps. And mum won a couple of Australian Titles – she even won at Bells once.
“Because where I’m from is such a laid back place, it’s not great for motivation...
"If my family didn’t surf as well as they do, I don’t think I’d be where I am now.”
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Tell us about the surf…
One of the best days of 2016
© Andrew Shield
The breaks around Point Lookout can have amazing days, but even when it’s not perfect swell direction there will always be fun waves. Main Beach is usually the go – it’s where the main headland is, so it’s protected from any super strong northerlies that we get in the summer. You can surf that spot when it’s onshore, too.
What sort of swell do you look for?
An easterly swell is usually really good. If you want good Main Beach then you want a northerly or westerly wind. And then if you want Cylinders you need a southerly or a big cyclone swell, but that break almost never gets good. You’d have to be pretty lucky to get it.
Ethan, locked in to island life
© Andrew Shield
What’s the best time of the year to go?
Well, summer and winter are both pretty good. Summer gets way busier – lots of people come over in summer to go camping. And then in winter there’s almost nobody – it’s just locals.
I’ve had a lot of good days in winter going down to Main Beach. I think that beach goes for about 30 kilometres – it’s the whole of the east side of the island, and like I said, you’ll always be able to find a good bank.
I remember my brothers and my dad and I going down and finding a bank to ourselves and surfing it all morning, offshore and empty.
Ethan Ewing, at home
© Andrew Shield
Are sharks an issue?
Winter is pretty sharky because all the whales are going past. They usually catch heaps of Great Whites on the drumlines around then. It’s pretty scary to surf by yourself – I try not to go out super early or super late in the evening. The worst place, by far, is Amity. There have been a few bad attacks. You wouldn’t surf there. It’s just way too scary.
Australia, or Indonesia?
© Andrew Shield
What about outside of the surf? What do people get up to?
A lot of tourists come over to look at the whales. You always see dolphins and turtles and heaps of people go and watch that around the points. There’s good fishing as well. All my friends go out in the boat in summer to catch mackerel and stuff.
What’s good to eat?
There aren’t really that many places to go out to eat on the island. There’s a place called Fishes, which is up on the point, and we go there for steak night – but honestly, most people end up catching their own food.
Everyone just stays home and cooks up their freshly caught fish.
A ferry ride away from paradise
© Andrew Shield
Is there a good pub?
There’s only one on the whole island, but it’s pretty good. It looks right over Cylinders and has an amazing view. You can’t miss it.
What about accommodation for visitors?
There are a few hotels – there’s the Stradbroke Island Hotel and a few resorts as well.
Most people who come over in the summer go down to the beach and go camping. You're allowed to have fires and it's pretty awesome.
And, what’s the best way to get there?
You fly in and out of Brisbane. It’s about a 30-minute drive to the ferry from the airport, then the ferry is 20 minutes. I always take Stradbroke Ferries – they've really helped me out over the years with my travel, and they're super reliable. Then it’s another 20-minute drive to Point Lookout from the landing. It’s pretty easy – I used to have to take the ferry to school every day, because the only nearby high school is on the mainland.
