Queensland Surf Travel Guide
Queensland, Australia, has long been the destination of many a surfer’s search for the perfect wave. There’s the Gold Coast located at the extreme southern end of the state at the Queensland/New South Wales border; there’s the Sunshine Coast, stretching north of Brisbane to Double Island Point, just past Noosa; finally, there are the islands. These include the near shore islands off the Gold and Sunshine Coasts (namely Straddie, Fraser and others) up to and including the many small islands and cays offshore from Gladstone and up to Cape Yorke.
What we love
Warm waters and warm weather all year round.
The second longest coastline in Australia, stretching over 13,000 kms.
Home to the famous point breaks Snapper Rocks and Kirra, as well as World Champions Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning.
Over 1,700 beaches for you to explore.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast has it all, world class pointbreaks and myriad of punchy, often hollow beach breaks. For surfers it is the complete package. The sand bottom point breaks are world class, clear, clean, warm water, flower scented air, and an abundance of nightlife, restaraunts, nightclubs and cafes to suit all tastes and budgets. The “Goldy” has rideable waves year round, however the spring season can often be small and wind affected as the dreaded northerlies kick in. Late summer, through autumn (Cyclone Season) and winter is the most consistent surf period as SE trades blow side/offshore much of the time at the protected points and continually produce trade swell.
Duranbah
D’bah is arguably one of the most consistent high-quality beach breaks in Australia. If it’s flat at D’bah then you can bet there isn’t a rideable wave within a few hundred kilometre radius.
Snapper Rocks aka the Superbank
With the Superbank offering endless tubes and playful walls, Coolangatta really is the real paradise for surfers! Picks up the Easterly Trade Swells and offshore with prevailing South Easterlies. Consistent from December through to May.
The Other Side (South Straddie)
Just north of The Spit at the far northern end of Surfers Paradise lies another world class beach break, T.O.S aka The Other Side of the Broadwater sea entrance is a special place.
Breakwalls on both sides of The Broadwater provide protection from the wind and relatively peaky, stable sandbars. T.O.S works best in clean Sth or SE swells combined with offshore WNW to SW winds.
Currumbin Alley
Currumbin Alley is another sometimes epic right sand bottom barrel that has many moods pending the nature of the sand build up.
Anything from big, dredging stand up barrels to slow, cruisy longboard waves can be on the menu pending sand, swell direction and wind combinations.
Best in a SE or ESE swell from 3-8ft and sometimes bigger with SW to Sth winds outgoing tide tends to be best.
Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Heads is a breathtaking set up – a boulder lined pointbreak with highrise apartments lining the inside section of the point and the tree lined national park wrapping around The Outside Cove section southward towards Tullebudgera Creek.
At it’s best when there’s a hint of Sth in the swell Burleigh can be epic from 3 to 10 feet solid.
Super hollow and often very fast, Burleigh offers up deep cylinders and smashable lips, sometimes even offering up a very rare cutback opportunity.
Beach Breaks
There’s many lesser-known beachies from Tugun just north of Kirra all the way up to to Surfers Paradise, that all have their day. Go up there and explore!
Sunshine Coast
The iconic First Point at Noosa is a perfect example of what a point break should be. With the stunning backdrop of the bush and boulders, swells from the South east to North East will wrap on to the sand and rock contours at the perfect peel angle.
Noosa
Depending on the size of swell waves vary from perfect peelers for long boards on east trade swells up to draining barrels on the more powerful cyclone swells. Best season in December to April for regular trade swells and occasional cyclone swells.
The Islands
The Islands
These include the near shore islands off the Gold and Sunshine Coasts (namely Straddie, Fraser and others) up to and including the many small islands and cays offshore from Gladstone and up to Cape Yorke.
When to go
From December to February is Australia’s summer, so if you’re looking to wear your bikini or board shorts, make sure it’s within these months. March to May is Australian autumn, so you might want to consider layering up. For winter, which is June to August, you definitely want to put a steamer on, as waters can drop below 16 degrees Celsius. In the spring (September to November), you can rely on your spring suit or short armed steamer.
Attractions
There is so much to do in Queensland that you will hardly have enough time to spend here. Dive or snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, go 4WD on the Fraser Island, island hop at the Whitsundays, bask on the beaches of Noosa Heads and the Sunshine Coast or visit Australia's third largest city Brisbane and shop & party on the Gold Coast. Queensland is massive, and you'll need to allow plenty of time to tick all the boxes in "the Sunshine State".
Getting There
When visiting Queensland, you will probably arrive in Brisbane or at the Gold Coast.
From there, you can travel either further south or head north up to the coast along the endless coastline to discover and surf countless quality surf spots.
Travel Information
Time Zone
Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10)
Currency
Australian Dollar AU$
Calling code
+61
Electric
230 Plug type V, 50 Hz
Queensland Surf Experiences