A Guide to Sydney Surfing Breaks
A Guide to Sydney Surfing Breaks, Sydney stunning beaches and awesome coastline. For those that like to surf, there aren't many metropolitan areas that come close to Surfing Sydney in terms of the variety and quality of options available.
There are miles upon miles of beautiful coastline and white sandy beaches for you to explore whilst here. The best surfing options are definitely up on the Northern beaches, but the southern and eastern beaches have plenty of choices as well. Due to the Sydney's huge surfing culture, you'll find the waves at the better breaks packed on a good day, and there are a few beaches were you should be wary of the locals.
Here are few of Sydney's more popular surf breaks.
Sydney North
Manly Beach
Manly Beach is a one mile long stretch of sand and is made up of South Steyne/Manly Beach, North Steyne Beach and Queenscliff Beach. Manly is easily accessible particularly for tourists coming from the city by ferry, but hard to park on busy days. Works best in north east swells and is one of two beaches only on the north side to be able to handle Cyclonic swells. This is due to the cabbage tree bay marine reserve at the southern end that allows for an easy paddle out to the break.
Manly closes out a lot in the winter southerly swells, but the summer winds break up the banks and that can provide some good quality waves.The southern corner of Manly is perfect for kids learning to surf, it provides good sandbanks and predictable rip formations making it a breeding ground for young surfers and surf lifesavers
North Steyne in the middle of the beach is a lot more open to all swells and winds. The banks there are generally better than South Steyne and can be excellent for good quality surfers. Nth Steyne is famous for the 1977 Coca Cola Surf about where Larry Blair rode an 8 second tube ride in front of a huge crowd. The break between North Steyne and Manly was the venue for the first ever world surfing championship in 1964, local surfer Bernard (Midget) Farrelly
Queenscliff at the Northern end works better in South swells and can be off shore in the north east winds if you can get close enough to the point. Doesn’t hold the bigger swells as the outer banks are effected by the Queenscliff Bombora.
Queensie Bomby breaks about 800metres off the shore in large south swells. It is a reef break and needs a swell size over 3metres to break. Once it does break top to bottom it is one hell of a mean wave. Not much more than a take off but it’s worth the rush if you can find the shifting peak. Don’t get wiped out here
Fairy Bower is a reef break South of Manly Beach off North head, you can paddle around from Shelly Beach or any where from Cabbage Tree Bay. Theouter reef is called "winky" and sometimes links up with "the bower" which is then named racecourse due to the speed you need to get through "surge rock'. Wiky breaks heavily on a ledge and barrels for up to 4 seconds on a good ride. bower can get crowded in good surf and finishes with the shoulder dropping off into deep water
Surfers to be brought up on Manly Beach
7 times world surfing champion - Layne Beachley
World Surfing Champions – Barton Lynch & Pam Burridge
World long board champion - Stuart Entwistle
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On any given morning on Manly beach you may see the 1st ever World Surfing Champion Bernard (Midget) Farrelly either surfing or Steering a surf boat
Freshwater Beach
Freshwater beach - a smaller horseshoe bay just over the headland from Manly Beach. Freshwater is a stunning beach that faces south east, mainly dumping waves particularly at the northern end through to the middle of the beach. In the southern corner the waves can have some nice shape; however the break is crowded with locals.
Freshwater Beach will always remember that day in the Southern Summer of 1915 when the great aquatic Hawaiian, Duke Kahanamoku gave an amazing exhibition of wave riding with a solid surfboard modeled on the very type used by him in his native Hawaii. Out through the surf-break "The Duke" paddled, turned around and having paddled onto the face of a breaking wave, caught the wave back into the beach while standing tall on this newly carved timber surfboard. The Duke selected a young lady from the local crowd - one Miss Isabel Letham - to accompany him on his surfboard. In this event, young Isabel Letham became the first Australian to ride a surfboard in the Australian surf on this type of surfboard.
Long Reef
Long Reef is one of the most visually arresting of Sydney’s northern peninsula beaches, with a headland that comes complete with a stunningly-situated golf course and an extended protruding reef that’s a protected aquatic reserve.
A bit of rock-hopping about the Long Reef Aquatic Reserve will usually turn up a few interesting marine creatures, or migratory wading birds like the Ruddy Turnstone which travels here from its breeding grounds in Siberia.
There are offshore reefs in the north (the Long Reef Bombora's) and beach breaks running the entire 1.6km south to Dee Why and, on weekdays especially, there’s every chance of getting a quality wave to yourself
The Long Reef Bombora’s starts to break at one metre or so and in a big south swell can produce a beautiful wave up to five metres. Reliable sandbanks shape beach breaks that are great for beginners and intermediate surfers, especially in summer with the northern headland blocking passage of both the sea breeze and any marine stingers drifting with it
Collaroy
Collaroy is partly protected from wind and swell from the south and is thus a great option for beginner surfers when a southerly hits. There’s even a gentle point-break that wraps round the south headland, appropriately known as Powder Puff Point.
As the place misses the big swells and has no natural barrier against the northeast sea breeze, it’s mostly avoided by the more accomplished board-riders on Sydney’s northern peninsula.
While advanced surfers are more likely to look at nearby wave-magnets such as
Narrabeen and Long Reef, Collaroy does offer a considerable advantage in amenities for visitors.
North Narrabeen
North Narrabeen is renowned as one of the great surf breaks of the world. The large triangle of white water to the left of the headland.
The lake emptying into the sea here creates a deep channel (known as shark alley) that is seen as a line of dark green water leading to the apex of the triangle. This is instrumental in forming the sand bank that creates this classic break. Long Reef about 4 miles to the south hooks onto the southerly swells and directs them towards North Narrabeen. The deep water off shore allows these swells to finally break with more power than most beaches in the area.
Surf beaches are notorious for being tribal and very territorial. When you have a break with the quality of Narrabeen, in a city the size of Sydney - the pressures become extreme.
North Narabeen has been home to many international surfing competitions including the Coca Cola Surf about
Surfers to be brought up on Nth Narabeen Beach
2 time World Surfing Champion - Damien Hardman and legend surfer Simon Anderson
Newport Beach
You've got two options in Newport. The northern end is a beach break with nice long waves, but it does get a bit crowded, and the locals can rile up so smile a lot. Down … the south end, there's a reef break with great barrels, but be prepared to paddle hard. After you're finished with the surf, head up to the massive beer garden at the Newport Arms Hotel.
Surfers to be brought up on Newport Beach
Two times world Surfing Champion Tom Carroll
Avalon
It's quite a way from the city, so give the whole day over to a visit should you decide to venture this far north. The beach is stunning and the banks here are great for surfing with a very good northern point break. If you want to see some crazily good young surfers, come check out the locals here. The high school is across the road and even offers surfing as a subject. The locals aren't quite as tetchy as in Maroubra or Narrabeen, but stay on your best behavior nonetheless. More recently Avalon is famous for a shark attack on a 16 year old and a near fatal head and neck injury to former surfing manly surfer Robbie Bain
Surfers to be brought up on Avalon Beach
Temporary home to World surfing champion – Martin Potter
World Surfing American champion Kelly Slater often surfs here whilst in Australia
Palm Beach
The geographical exclamation point that is Barrenjoey Headland marks the end of both Sydney’s northern peninsula and the 2.3km strip of sand labeled Palm Beach.
The headland is an imperious barrier to the summer nor’easter but loves a north swell, so this end of “Palmy” usually offers the choicest pickings for board-riders. Kiddie’s Corner at the south end sounds cozy and it is, but this sheltered swimming spot gets a few breakers when the wind and swell come in from the south. It’s also a favourite with surf instructors teaching younger kids, for its easy paddle-out and, usually, gentle waves. By contrast, the middle of the beach and Barrenjoey Headland break hard when the swell is up, and anything more than three metres can produce fast-barreling tube rides. Behind the beach, the rarefied wealth and society that characterises this postcode are not immediately apparent, but some of Australia’s most rich and famous live or holiday here and you can find yourself waiting for your fish and chips alongside Nicole Kidman or tennis champion Lleyton Hewitt. Palm Beach is further distinguished as the “Summer Bay” filming location for Australia’s long-running TV soap series Home and Away.
Surfers to be brought up on Palm Beach
Bernard (Midget) Farrelly
Sydney South
Bondi Beach
Sydney's iconic beach suburb. Not a destination for die hard surfers, though there is something to be said for telling everyone back home you went surfing on Bondi Beach.
South Bondi is also the business end of the beach for board-riders, where south swells load up across a rocky reef and unfurl as powerful right-handers, to the joy of a mostly short-board contingent of locals and visitors. Sandbanks around the middle of the beach shape two or three separate left-and-right breaks, one of which usually falls into the possession of a cheerful crew of long-boarders. The north end is ideal for the soft-board learn-to-surfers, and a shallow kiddies’ pool here makes it a big draw with families.
For anyone with an eye for star-spotting, Bondi is also one of the most likely places in Sydney to see a celebrity, its esplanade and surrounding streets over-populated with actors, musicians, models and the cheerfully healthy and wealthy.
Tamarama
Tama' is the next beach south from Bondi and has much better surf. It's quite narrow (50 meters across at best) and has a vicious rip that will drag you way out sometimes even around the head to Bronte. Be very careful, as it's also quite shallow on the outer bank and you're very close to the rocks. Very dangerous for swimmers as there is no consistent sand banks or wave formations, one for the more experienced.
Maroubra Beach
Facing east-southeast, Maroubra Beach (“The ‘Bra”) is a 1km curved strip of sand backed by a rifle range and a low-key residential neighborhood that has a pub and two clubs, surf shops and a short strip with some restaurant and café gems. Families are also drawn to the beach’s picnic areas, shaded playgrounds and safe rock pools.
A decent swell brings three or four beach breaks to life, and on a happening day, board-riders are spread, more-or-less, the length of the beach. The reef at the south end creates Maroubra’s premium wave, which on a south swell and with a southwest breeze breaks as a classic barreling right-hander. The beach itself has some great long waves; it's generally an easy paddle out, so make use of the rip near the rocks for an express trip back out. It tends to get very crowded, especially if there's good surf -- but that's mainly because it's by far the best surf beach in the eastern suburbs.
Maroubra is the poster child for aggressive, territorial locals. Be warned that they're not the friendliest bunch of people and thrive off their reputation
Cronulla
The 4km of coastline known as Cronulla actually comprises four different beaches – Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla and Cronulla – side by side on a single broad sweep of southern Sydney sand.
Being the only Sydney beach directly accessible via the City Rail network, Cronulla is a cultural melting-pot, combining local board-riding communities, surf lifesaving clubs, and beach-goers from as far afield as the city’s west and south-western fringe. As something of an urban hub, Cronulla has plenty of places to eat from flash restaurants to burger joints; it’s also a great place to shop for surfboards, board-shorts and anything else surf-related with major labels well represented just a short stroll from the ocean.
From monster barrels at sites known locally as Shark Island, Cape Solander and Voodoo to mellow beach breaks at South Cronulla and Boat Harbour to the north, it can genuinely be said to offer something for everyone. Cronulla is also Sydney’s first-choice beach for kite-boarders, especially in a solid swell with a southeast or southerly breeze.
Cronulla Beach was declared a National Surfing Reserve in 2008, the fifth site in Australia to be recognised for its significance to recreational surfing;