Posted on January 26, 2012 by Fiona Hilliard

 

 

In honour of Australia Day we thought we’d bring you a round-up of the best surfing beaches in the Land Down Under.  Better organise your Sydney car rental now so that you can hit all those beaches free as the wind with your surfboard…oh, and we didn’t pick these beaches for their funny names, promise…!

 

Tamarama – Sydney, New South Wales

Tamarama or “Glamour-ama” as it has been dubbed, due to the disproportionate number of models who flock here, also has the less attractive distinction of being Australia’s most dangerous beach.  When huge waves gush in, an offshore rock shelf helps create impressive twelve to fifteen foot waves that draw in surfers, surf photographers and hundreds of onlookers. Get your elbows ready to find the best vantage point on the cliffs above.

 

•  North Narrabeen – Sydney, New South Wales

The beaches to the north of Sydney are adored by surfers the world over. North Narra is a special favourite with the local set however. The overflow from Narrabeen Lake helps to form a sandbank that moulds the waves perfectly, while the deep water offshore allows them to break more powerfully than anywhere else.

 

• Boomerang Beach – Pacific Palms, New South Wales

Apart from having one of the most memorable names ever, Boomerang is also home to the finest beaches along the unspoilt Forster-Tuncurry coast of mid-north NSW.

The ocean sits snugly around Boomerang’s northern shore, where both surfers and swimmers are treated to a look at the resident dolphins who seem to enjoy showing off while they’ve got a captive audience.

 

• Bells Beach – Torquay, Victoria

For reasons of both history and nostalgia, Bells Beach is still considered to be the original home of surfing in Australia.  Even to this day, it still plays host to the world’s oldest and most revered professional surfing event called the Rip Curl Pro.  Winners  receive the original ‘clanging bell’ award. The time-poor love this place too as the wave shapes are predictable because the sea bed is very sandy and not really prone to the variable conditions caused by moving sandbars.

 

•  Kirra Beach – Coolangatta, Queensland

Seven time world-champion Kelly Slater says his favourite place to surf is Kirra Beach.  No coincidence then that hundreds of would-be stars flock here to test the waters.  If you’re heading here, make sure you get there nice and early – the beach can fill up pretty quick.

 

• Byron Bay – Northern New South Wales

Byron Bay is everything you’d imagine a surf haven to be – campervans, dreadlocks, leather jewellery, drummers, and the general chilled out feeling that there’s nothing much else to do in the town but relax and breathe in the sea air.

 

•  Lennox Head – northern New South Wales

There are two major factors that contribute to Lennox Head’s reputation as one of Australia’s finest surfing destinations. The first is its right-hand point break which just about puts Kirra Beach in the shade.  The second is the growing number of surfers that have taken over the place saying they’ve migrated here because they have lost patience with the fire breathers and sideshows that go hand in hand with Byron Bay.

•       Prevelly Park – Margaret River, Western Australia

This forms the epicentre of the famous Margaret River surfing spot, where it’s possible to experience swells of over twenty feet. Gorgeous barrels are created by the shallow offshore reef. The aptly named Surfer’s Point attracts big-name wave enthusiasts from Hawaii.  It is also one of the few places in the world where you’ll see surfers wearing helmets and nobody batting an eyelid. A great place to watch the world’s finest showing off.

•       Yallingup – Margaret River, Western Australia

The quaint little village of Yallingup marks the beginning of the famous Margaret River region, home of both wine snobs and the surf set, Yallingup is famous for its clean strip of sand and a number of breaks ranging from gentle to threatening, according to the type of swell.  If you’re looking for a ‘catch-all’ place to begin your surfing holiday in Australia, you’ll find Yallingup to be the best “all round” surf destination on the west coast of Australia. The waves are known locally as “The Three Bears”, i.e. Papa, Mama and Baby Bear – see, who new surfers had a cuddly side too?

• Bondi Beach – Sydney, New South Wales:

We couldn’t write a list of surf beaches in Australia without including the famous and fabulous Bondi Beach. Bondi is best visited in the summer as it faces south and is protected by oncoming northerly breeze. If you’re a female wannabe surfer, this may just be the beach for you – the majority of the instructors in the local surf school are women too.