Coolum surfing might not be the most famous on the Sunshine Coast but it’s pretty reliable and great for beginners, offering a less-competitive line up than the right-hand points of Noosa proper to the north.
An introduction to Coolum surfing
Coolum is like a chilled Noosa, where groms and beginners can find plenty of square meterage in the line up to bail and throw the board to their heart’s content. There are some great waves here, especially when the sandbanks of Stumers Creek line up in the spring, whittling down those strong S-SW swells into nice pinhole barrels. But really it’s about the cruisy beach breaks that line the main town and draw the surf schools, all in some of the warmest water Oz can muster. Nice.
Those coming to Coolum surfing should be sure to base themselves in the main town, somewhere overlooking the Point Perry Foreshore Reserve. That gives you access to Coolum main beach, but also the trio of more sheltered spots – known as the Three Bays – that work well in N-NE typhoon swells. Expect a chilled Sunshine Coast resort with a smattering of easy-going surf schools aimed at younger folks and learners, backed up by a town packed with golf courses and lazy cafés. It’s a family fav for good reason!
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Australia
Coolum surfing at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Coolum surfing?
Where is Coolum?
Coolum is midway up the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, eastern Australia. You’ll probably be able to pinpoint it on the map because it’s very near to the region’s undisputed surf mecca: Noosa. There, the so-called Heads churn out the best right points in, well, perhaps, in the world. Coolum town is just 25 minutes’ drive south of that along the main coastal road.
The nearest airport is the hub at the Sunshine Coast Airport, which has regular domestic flights to major cities all around Oz, especially during the summer.
Coolum surf spots
There’s a handful of named spots in Coolum. They’re all wedged into a short stretch of coast that’s no more than three miles long, all between Stumers Creek in the north and Point Arkwright in the south. That means you can usually make it between them on foot, though a car hire is a great option here if only to give yourself the option of cruising up to the epic rights of Noosa if they happen to go off, thus giving yourself the chance of chasing the rights of your life.
Here’s a closer look at all the spots in the Coolum region:
Noosa
We’ve already mentioned Noosa a few times here, but there’s a reason for that – this is one of the most epic surf destinations in eastern Australia. A series of rocky point breaks sucks in E-NE swells and sends long, peeling right handers marching into bays haloed in rainforest. There’s almost certainly no more famous spot on the Sunshine Coast, though it does get busy.
We’ve also got a complete guide to Noosa surf right here.
Stumers Creek
The build up of silt coming down from the rainforests and the mountains occurs most efficiently at the mouth of Stumers Creek, on the north end of Coolum Beach. It’s a great place to go chasing the hollower waves in town in the spring as the rains start to recede. Good SW swells over 5 foot and with a nice E offshore can see it spinning with tubes. Smaller than that it’s a bit mushy but also good fun and less busy than the grom-filled spots nearer town.
Coolum Beach
Coolum Beach is a classic QLD beach break that’s riddled from head to toe in sandbanks. And it really is the sandbanks that reign supreme here, as it’s their quality that determines whether you’re paddling out into shapeless mush or glassy walls of peeling rights and lefts. There’s not so much protection from the headlands on the south end of the beach as in other Sunshine Coast mainstays – Mooloolaba, Noosa – so it can be closed out here on the bigger winter SE sets. To be honest, it’s the summer when Coolum really shines, as the sandbanks have settled for better or for worse, and the lighter E swells bring conditions that are just about perfect for learning groms up to intermediates.
Point Perry
The outer rocks of the Coolum headland are known as Point Perry. They’re pretty protected so often don’t work like the other poking points on the Sunshine Coast. There are some days here when the winter swells and the angle of the spur align perfectly. When that happens Perry will suck up SE winter swell and the wave that comes off it can handle some serious size – we’re talking 8-12 foot. It’s a big, frothing shoulder when that’s on in June and July, attracting crews of shortboard rippers from the north and south. Rare thing though.
Three Bays
First Bay, Second Bay, and – you guessed it! – Third Bay are the triplets that make up the Three Bays south of Coolum (Nobel Prize for literature to whoever named the spot, eh?). Anyway, they’re a sort of poor man’s Noosa, with hotdogging rights off the main reefs during summer N and NE swells. Of the lot, First Bay is the funnest option, with longer shoulders to trim for about 50 meters.
Point Arkwright
Move around to the southern side of the Yaroomba Coolum Foreshore Reserve and you hit the sands that roll down Yaroomba Beach off Point Arkwright. This is more sandbank stuff, with occasionally amazing months when it’s fast and hollow and then other seasons when it’s just fluff. The best swells are actually NE typhoon swells with some good size, because they wrap around and hold shape better than the winter SE offering.
Where to stay when surfing in Coolum?
The one thing that Coolum has plenty of is accommodation. The glowing, white-sand beach and the balmy waters means that this is a vacation hotspot first, a surf destination second. There are oodles of top-quality hotels right by the shoreline, just meters from the surf schools and the waves. Most fit in nicely with that family vibe…
- Surf Dance Apartments – The Surf Dance Apartments have basically everything a family on a surf vacay could need. You can rent units with one or two bedrooms (with twin bed options). All come with big self-catering kitchens and communal spaces. The beach – importantly – is just across the road!
- Coolum Beach Getaway Resort – Clean and comfy condo rentals that have access to a lovely pool area, all located further north in town, near the potentially-quality breaks that peel off the south side of Stumner Creek.
- Pandanus Coolum Beach – The Pandanus Coolum Beach would be our budget-friendly pick, mainly because it’s got a lovely pool on the Coolum head and great walking access to the Three Beaches for those looking for more secluded surfs than what the main beach can offer.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Coolum surfing trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Coolum surfing…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: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): 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 five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Coolum?
The best time to go surfing in Coolum is probably the summer up to the shoulder season of autumn, between the months of November and May. We say that because most see Coolum as a bit less of a performance hotspot and a bit more of a beginner location. As such, it’s the smaller NE sets and typhoon storm swells from the E that work best. Sadly, that clashes with prime time on the Noosa Heads, so you’ll want to be absolutely certain that Coolum is your pick.
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!
