The Best Surf Beaches in Australia

The Pass at Byron Bay is arguably the most famous point break on the Australian east coast. The wave is a long right-hand peeler that works on most east swells, and the setting below Cape Byron lighthouse is the most photographed surf break in the country.

Margaret River in Western Australia has more than 75 named surf breaks within an hour of the town, ranging from gentle beach breaks at Redgate to the world-class reef at Main Break where the World Surf League runs an annual championship tour event.

Bondi is the most famous beach in Australia and a perfectly serviceable surf break for beginners and intermediates. The north end is reliably small, the south end picks up more swell, and the whole beach can fire when a good south swell lines up.

Noosa Heads is one of the only north-facing point breaks on the east coast, meaning it stays clean when the rest of the coast is blown out by southerlies. Long, mellow, and good for longboards.

The Gold Coast has a string of world-class point breaks including Burleigh Heads, Kirra and Snapper Rocks. Kirra is one of the longest rideable waves in the world on a classic cyclone swell.

Bells Beach in Torquay is Australia's oldest professional surfing venue and hosts the Rip Curl Pro each Easter, the longest-running surfing competition in the world. The wave is a powerful right-hander off a horseshoe-shaped reef.