Every Easter since the early 1960s, the world’s best surfers have gathered at Bells Beach on the Great Ocean Road for the Rip Curl Pro, the longest-running contest on the professional tour, and the winner rings a bronze bell. It is a fair summary of Australia’s relationship with the sea: surf clubs in every coastal town, volunteer lifesavers on the sand, and kids learning to stand on a board before they can ride a bike.
The country has more than 10,000 beaches and a coastline that runs from temperate to tropical. The southern states get cold, powerful swell from the Southern Ocean; Queensland has warm water and long point breaks at the Gold Coast and Noosa; and Margaret River in Western Australia has heavy reef waves for experts. Away from the surf, the Whitsunday Islands are one of the few places in the world where you can charter a yacht without a sailing licence, and Western Australia’s strong afternoon sea breeze makes its coast a magnet for kitesurfers and windsurfers.
For swimming and lazing see our Australia beaches guide; this page is about getting on the water.
At a Glance#
- Surfing: Bells Beach and Torquay on the Great Ocean Road, the point breaks of the Gold Coast and Noosa, Byron Bay for learners, and Margaret River for big reef waves.
- Sailing: bareboat charters and overnight trips in the Whitsundays from Airlie Beach, plus harbour sailing in Sydney and Hobart.
- Kitesurfing and windsurfing: the sea breeze coast north and south of Perth, Geraldton and Lancelin.
- Sea kayaking: dolphins off Cape Byron, reef paddles on the Ningaloo Coast, and the granite coves of Freycinet National Park.
- Stand-up paddleboarding: the calm Noosa River, Sydney Harbour and the beaches of Rottnest Island.
- Costs: about A$89 (US$58) for a two-hour group surf lesson with board and wetsuit.
Victoria and the south#
Torquay, 90 minutes from Melbourne, is the birthplace of the Australian surf industry: Rip Curl and Quiksilver both started here, and the town still has a strip of surf shops and a surf museum. Bells Beach, just south, is a right-hand reef break for experienced surfers, best in autumn and winter when Southern Ocean swells arrive. Beginners learn at Torquay’s sheltered front beach, Jan Juc or Anglesea, all along the start of the Great Ocean Road.
The water is cold, about 13 to 19°C through the year, so you need a 4/3 mm wetsuit for most of it and boots in winter. Phillip Island is the other surf area near Melbourne, with Woolamai beach catching swell when the bays are flat. In Tasmania, the water is colder again, but the sheltered bays of Freycinet and Bruny Island are fine for guided sea kayaking on calm days.
Sydney and New South Wales#
Sydney has more than 30 ocean beaches inside the city. Bondi has surf schools on the sand and a southern corner that suits beginners, and Manly, a ferry ride across the harbour, is gentler and less crowded, with board hire on the promenade. Inside the harbour you can rent kayaks and paddleboards in sheltered coves such as Rose Bay, or take a sailing lesson in the shadow of the Opera House.
North of Sydney, the coast is a road trip of surf towns: Port Macquarie, Crescent Head’s long right-hand point, Coffs Harbour and, near the Queensland border, Byron Bay. Byron’s main beaches face north, which keeps the waves small and clean for learners, and The Pass under Cape Byron peels for hundreds of metres on a good day. Byron is also the place for sea kayaking with bottlenose dolphins in the Cape Byron Marine Park, and humpback whales pass from about June to November.
Queensland#
The Gold Coast has some of the most famous waves in the world at its southern end. Snapper Rocks, Greenmount and Kirra form the Superbank, a sand-bottomed point break fed by a pipeline that pumps sand across the Tweed River mouth, and on a good swell a single ride can run for over a kilometre. It is crowded and competitive, so learners go to the beach breaks at Surfers Paradise or Currumbin.
Noosa on the Sunshine Coast is Australia’s longboard capital: a series of small, gentle point breaks inside Noosa National Park that work best in summer cyclone swell. The Noosa River behind town is flat and warm, with paddleboard and kayak hire, and canoe trips run into the quiet upper river known as the Noosa Everglades.
North of about Hervey Bay, the Great Barrier Reef blocks the swell, and the water sports turn to sailing, snorkelling and kayaking. The Whitsunday Islands are the sailing hub: 74 islands in sheltered water, with Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island as bases. You can charter a bareboat yacht or catamaran without a licence after a briefing, as long as someone in the group has basic boating experience, or join a two- or three-night crewed trip to anchor off Whitehaven Beach.
Western Australia#
Margaret River, three hours south of Perth, has the country’s most powerful waves. Surfers Point at Prevelly hosts a World Surf League event, and the reefs along Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park suit experienced surfers only; learners go to the gentler beaches around Yallingup and Gracetown with a local school.
Western Australia’s other speciality is wind. Through summer, a strong southwesterly sea breeze locals call the Fremantle Doctor blows most afternoons, and the coast from Perth north to Lancelin and Geraldton fills with kitesurfers and windsurfers. Lancelin is home to the Lancelin Ocean Classic windsurfing race, first run in 1986, and Perth’s own beaches and the Swan River have plenty of schools for first lessons.
Further north, the Ningaloo Coast has a fringing reef close enough to the beach that you can kayak or paddleboard over coral from the shore in Cape Range National Park, and Rottnest Island, a ferry ride from Perth, has calm bays for snorkelling and paddleboarding.
When to go#
- Surfing: autumn and winter (March to August) bring the biggest swells to Victoria, New South Wales and Margaret River; summer cyclone swells (January to March) light up the Queensland points.
- Sailing: the Whitsundays are best from about August to October, with steady trade winds and dry weather.
- Kitesurfing and windsurfing: November to March in Western Australia, when the afternoon sea breeze is strongest.
- Kayaking and paddleboarding: all year in Queensland, and October to April in the south.
Our best time to visit Australia page has the weather month by month.
Costs and booking#
| What | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Group surf lesson, about 2 hours, board and wetsuit included | about A$89 (US$58) |
| Private surf lesson, 2 hours | from about A$290 (US$190) |
Book surf lessons a day or two ahead in school holidays, and Whitsunday charters and overnight sailing trips weeks ahead for the dry season. Choose surf schools accredited by Surfing Australia, which require qualified instructors and lifesaving skills. For more on budgeting, see our Australia costs guide.
On the Gold Coast and in Byron Bay the wind usually turns onshore by late morning. Surf at dawn, then spend the afternoon on a paddleboard on a river or lagoon.
Safety and rules#
Swim and surf only at patrolled beaches, between the red and yellow flags; surfboards are kept outside the flagged zone. Rip currents cause most drownings, so learn to spot the calm, dark channels that run out to sea. Sharks are present all around the coast, though attacks are rare; avoid surfing at dawn or dusk near river mouths. In tropical Queensland and the north, saltwater crocodiles live in estuaries and coastal rivers north of about Rockhampton.
Stinger season
From about November to May, box jellyfish and Irukandji jellyfish make the sea in tropical Queensland and the north dangerous. Wear a full-length stinger suit, swim inside stinger nets where provided, and pour vinegar on a sting while you call 000. Read our Australia safety guide before you go.
Our Oceania surfing guide compares Australia’s breaks with New Zealand and the Pacific islands, and the world surfing guide ranks the best surf destinations worldwide.
Best places for water sports in Australia#
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More Things to Do#
Australia water sports FAQs#
Where is the best surfing in Australia?
For experts, Bells Beach in Victoria, Snapper Rocks and Kirra on the Gold Coast, and Margaret River in Western Australia. For beginners, Byron Bay, Noosa and Torquay’s front beach have small, friendly waves and plenty of surf schools.
How much is a surf lesson in Australia?
A two-hour group lesson with board and wetsuit costs about A$89 (US$58) in Byron Bay, and similar elsewhere. A private two-hour lesson starts at about A$290.
Do I need a licence to sail in the Whitsundays?
No. Charter companies let you take a bareboat yacht or catamaran without a licence after a briefing, provided at least one person in your group has some boating experience.
Is it safe to swim and surf in Australia?
Yes, at patrolled beaches between the flags. The main dangers are rip currents, box jellyfish in the tropical north from November to May, and crocodiles in northern estuaries.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Australia?
In Victoria, Tasmania and southern Western Australia, yes, all year. In Queensland and northern New South Wales, a springsuit or rash vest is enough from about November to April.
Where can I kitesurf in Australia?
The coast around Perth, Lancelin and Geraldton in Western Australia is the best known, with a reliable afternoon sea breeze from November to March.