Traveljunkieindonesia.com – As one of the top destinations in Australia that’s frequented by surfers of all skill levels.
Gold Coast’s most popular surf beach with consistently favourable conditions for boardriders.
How can they not? Have you checked out the beaches and the waves in the Gold Coast? There are tons of surfing spots scattered all over the place (some may even be secret spots for pro surfers).
If you’re going down to the Gold Coast for the first time to catch a few waves, here are top 10 surf spots at Gold Coast Australia:
01. Snapper Rocks
Without a doubt, this is the Gold Coast’s most popular surf beach. It has consistently favourable conditions for boardriders, which is a big reason why the Quiksilver pro surfing tour takes place there each year. Snapper has good clean waves and probably the best barrels on the Gold Coast, and is generally best for surfers when there’s a south-easterly swell. Another big advantage for this beach is that it’s the starting point for the well-known Super bank, a man-made surf break, allowing surfers to catch a wave all the way through to Coolangatta – which isn’t a bad run!
02. Burleigh
Protected by Burleigh Headland from south-easterly winds, Burleigh is probably the second most popular surfing beach on the Gold Coast. When a south-easterly swell is on, boardriders can expect excellent surfing conditions and great opportunities to get a taste of those famous Burleigh barrels. The only thing to watch here is that it can get quite cramped off the headland on busy days when conditions are good, so it’s important boardriders are considerate and obey surfing rules whiletrying to carve out a bit of space for themselves.
03. Coolangatta/Kirra
This famous part of the Gold Coast is not as spectacular for surfers as it was in its heyday, largely due to the extensive sand deposits in the area. But with large south-easterly swells, it can still produce some of that old Kirra magic. These days, this beach is more likely to have tow-in surfing in large swells due to the nature of the sandbanks in the area, but it can still produce some excellent waves and is still very popular among surfers when the conditions are right.
04. Cabarita
Cabarita has excellent surfing conditions on a south-easterly swell, thanks to the large headland providing great point break waves. It’s well protected from south-easterly winds and, with easterly swells and north-easterly winds, surfers have the option to revert to the southern side of the headland, where there’s more protection. This beach is a real favourite among the locals and is easily one of the best spots among the Tweed’s back beaches, but if crowds are too busy here, surfers are still sure to find good beach breaks either just north or just south of Cabarita Headland.
05. The Spit
The Spit is one of the Gold Coast’s well-kept surfing secrets, providing surfers with good beach breaks regardless of swell direction. Instead, the conditions here tend to be more dependent on the strength and direction of the wind. For those who like their space, one big advantage is that there are plenty of access points for surfers to be able to find a beach break with very few other surfers in the water. The northern end of The Spit will also provide boardriders with good surfing opportunities off the southern seaway wall in the face of strong north-easterly winds.
06. Narrowneck
If it’s good beach breaks you’re after, Narrowneck might just be the place for you. With the right size swell, a recently created artificial reef can provide surfers with the option of either left or right-handers. The reef has been put in place over the past few years in an effort to curb beach erosion plus give boardriders more consistent surfing conditions and it seems to be doing its job. Narrowneck can be less crowded than other more popular point breaks along the coast, but surfers will have to keep in mind the area is also popular with kite surfers, depending on weather conditions.
07. Currumbin Alley
This is a great spot for beginner surfers, due to the protected nature of the Currumbin Creek mouth and its slow-breaking waves, and there’s plenty of space for beginners to learn without interfering with more experienced boardriders. The best conditions here are in south-easterly winds and swells, due to the nearby rocky outcrop, as it provides surfers with the opportunity to catch excellent right-hand point breaks all the way through to south Palm Beach. It’s also a favoured place for malibu boardriders, and is gaining a popular reputation among traditional stand-up paddle surfers, thanks to the surfing area being more spread out.
08. Palm Beach
Palm Beach has mainly beach breaks, with plenty of access points to allow surfers to find their own space. There are plenty of little rock groins through this area that can provide small point break-style waves, but the best picks are the more open spaces away from the rock groin, where surfers will have the choice of left and right-handers. Swell conditions matter less here, with a north-easterly wind the only variable likely to create unfavourable conditions. The beach has good, consistent beach breaks that will improve as the swells grow.
09. South Stradbroke
If “South Straddie” is a less popular surfing venue among those in the know on the Gold Coast, it’s only because of its location and accessibility. However, if you can get there, it can provide excellent surfing conditions because it cops the majority of swell regardless of what direction it’s moving. Its best conditions are probably in south-easterly winds because it’s protected by the walls of the Southport seaway. Surfers will need to be careful when paddling across the seaway to access the beach breaks on Straddie, due to the busy boat traffic and strong outgoing currents, and should be aware of the rise in marine life here due to the lack of shark nets and the runoff that comes out of the seaway.
10. Duranbah
Duranbah or D-bah as it’s affectionately known by the locals – is protected on the southern side by the mouth of the Tweed River, which gives surfers some good right-handers when there’s a south-easterly swell. On the northern side, it’s protected by the Point Danger Headland. With a strong rip running out from here, it provides good access for boardriders to get out to the left-handers off the headland. The headland also protects the beach from north-east winds, so in north-east conditions, this is the peak spot to be.
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A big thank you to Garuda Indonesia, Visit Gold Coast, Tourism and Events Queensland, and Tourism Australia.
Happy Sustainable Travels!
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