Brisbane surf doesn’t happen in Brisbane at all. Nope – the QLD capital is in a major swell shadow. But there’s some of Australia’s best if you’re willing to drive!
An introduction to Brisbane surf
Brisbane surf is off the menu, folks. Sorry, but the two Straddies – North Stradbroke and South Stradbroke – plus their pal Moreton, do a pretty darn great job of mopping up any swell that might be cruising through the Coral Sea on its way from the roaring 40s in the winter or even beyond the barrier reef in the summer.
There is OODLES of surf in the region, though. So much, in fact, that we’re tempted to say that surf-less Brisbane is one of the best bases for a surf trip to eastern Australia. Go south and you soon hit the epic Gold Coast, where the Superbank and Kirra make their home. Go north and you get to the Sunshine Coast, home of Noosa’s rights and stretches of swell-smashed shoreline that have peaks and hollowed barrels aplenty.
You’ll need a car and probably your own gear to make it work, but a surf trip here could be the best you’ve ever planned!
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to Australia surfing and surfing in Queensland
Brisbane surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Brisbane surf?
Where is Brisbane?
Brisbane is the capital of the Australian state of Queensland. It’s in South East Queensland, sat facing Moreton Bay, a large coastal inlet that’s delineated by Moreton Island and the two Stradbroke islands. Brisbane surfing is all about venturing out to spots that lie north and south of the city itself. For that, you’ll probably need your own car. Alternatively, you can fly into nearby airports in the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast. Brisbane Airport itself is the largest in the region, though, offering international and domestic connections alike.
A guide to the Brisbane surf spots
Most (read: ALL) Brisbane surf happens in the regions surrounding the city itself. We’d say that includes everything within about 1.5 hours’ drive, which brings the legendary likes of the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast into play. Here’s a look at all the spots, starting in the south and working north…
The Gold Coast
The Superbank project that starts off the Gold Coast begins any surf trip to this epic region in grand style. It’s like surfing a wave pool it’s that lined up and clean, provided conditions align. Waves there blast through from an outer headland, past Kirra and into Greenmount Point, sectioning into barrel-empty pits here and come-rip-me banks there. That’s just the beginning, though. You can also hit Burleigh Heads and Surfers Paradise – no wonder it’s considered Oz’s surf land extraordinaire! You’re looking at just over an hour’s drive from the core of Brisbane to the main surf breaks on Goldie.
Check out our complete guide to surfing the Gold Coast
South Stradebroke Island
South Straddie is now one of the most epic breaks in Queensland. But there was a time that it simply didn’t exist. It took the construction od the Stradbroke Seaway (also known as the Gold Coast Seaway) to build up the groynes and, by extension, the sandbars that coalesced at the entrance to Gold Coast Broadwater and Moreton Bay. It took something like 20 years for the sediment to settle properly. By the 90s, the wave was pretty well known as a thumping A-frame left and right that had just about the perfect protection from northerly winds and the right orientation for wrapping SE swells in the midwinter, though typhoon easterlies also work wonders. Come to watch it throw out hollow walls in both directions.
North Stradbroke Island
There’s a good range of surf breaks on North Straddie. Start on the western coast, where the seemingly endless run of white-sanded beachfront at Main Beach picks up literally any SE swell that the winter season will throw at it. The result is peak after peak of pounding beach break that oscillates from fat, wedgy rippers to crumbly knee-highs depending on swell size. Frenchman’s gets more protection from SE swells but is exposed to northern winds, although there’s a nice right peeler that works off the cliffs on the south end of the beach. Deadman’s and Cylinders are the next ones around. They go off on summer typhoon swells and are rippy and shifty as hell. The rights are the star of the show but there are short lefts you can cut up and lip out of straight away.
Redcliffe Peninsula
The residential Redcliffe Peninsula has nothing for serious surfers. This is smack dab in the heart of the Straddie swell shadow that’s Brisbane’s main curse. There are SUP rentals and other water sports, though.
Bribie Island
Bribie Island really comes into its own in the summer months when the typhoon NE-E swells can filter down from the storms up in the tropical reaches of the Coral Sea. They will give steady, clean waves that are basically unaffected by the S winds thanks to the protection of Moreton Island. The result is arguably one of the best beginner spots in Queensland, though the difficulty of access and the lack of any real surf infrastructure (not a rental to be seen) goes against that a little.
Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast might not have the ripping barrel sandbanks of the Gold Coast further south but it does have Noosa. That’s a real ace up the sleeve, because it’s where you can chase some of the best right-hand cruisers in the world. They work on the opposite swell as the rest of the region (the summer), while the long, sandy beaches to the south of the Sunshine Coast are all about frothing winter peaks for a variety of levels.
Check out our complete guide to surfing the Sunshine Coast
Where to stay when surfing in Brisbane?
If we count the Brisbane surfing territory as EVERYTHING from the Gold Coast to the end of the Sunshine Coast, then there are stacks of potential surf stays on the menu here! Here’s a look at just one or two that we love the look of…
The Retreat Beach Houses
These super-stylish and comfy cabanas are what a surf trip to the Sunshine Coast is all about. They sit amid the dunes just south of the Noosa National Park, offering walking access to a long stretch of beach break (Peregian Beach) that’s good for all levels and works best in the winter months. Once you’re done ripping, return to a sleek cottage with bright and airy living spaces and charming outdoor areas to boot.
The Pink Hotel Coolangatta
We can’t help but love this vintage-retro 1950s homage to the classic beach hotels of Coolangatta. It sits right in front of the Superbank break that barrels of Snapper Rocks, giving you a chance to surf one of the best waves in the whole world, let alone just Oz. And it’s quirky to the T – think colorful rooms filled with Pop Art paraphernalia and strange antiques.
Palazzo Versace
Calling all fashionistas – the Palazzo Versace is a glitzy and glamorous resort hotel that really lives up to its designer name. It’s got several outdoor pools and tropical gardens to frame them, along with interiors that would like right at home in Versailles. The reason we mention this here is mainly because a) it’s fun and b) it’s right by the South Straddie seaway, a spot with EPIC right barrels and wedges.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Brisbane surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Brisbane surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp. Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Rent a car. If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Brisbane?
There’s such HUGE variety in the spots around Brisbane that we really mean it when we say you can surf here all year round. The only anomaly is probably early spring when strong northerlies can play havoc with lots of breaks, though there are even protected spots that can dodge that on South Straddie and at Burleigh Heads.
What’s certain is that different surf spots will work better at different times of the year. Come the summer, the swell will shift to the NE channel and get Noosa and firing on all barrels. Come winter, the Superbank kicks off with wrap-around SE swells that rip off the Snapper Rocks to give the best rights you’ve ever seen. Like, ever.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
