Surfing in Tasmania promises to be a real adventure, taking you to waves at the edge of the Southern and Indian oceans, with totally remote barrels for pros and accessible beach breaks for beginners. It’s incredible stuff and has bucket-list activities waiting for when you’re done in the water.
An introduction to surfing in Tasmania
Tasmania is built for those who want to go off the beaten track. The island sits on the very cusp of the South Pacific and the Southern Ocean, right, as the locals like to tell you, at the “edge of the world.” It’s Oz, but it’s not Oz as you’ve seen it. Wide, sweeping bays of shimmering sand roll under the mountains here. Rainforests spill into reefs. Dolphins ride the swells with the odd surfer. This is nothing like the packed-out breaks of Noosa and the localism-rife beaches of central Sydney. And therein lies its charm.
In some ways, Tasmania is a bit like Australia writ small. The west coast gets the huge swell pulses that bless WA and Bali further north. The east, where beaches replace the rugged rocks, suck some action of the mid-Pacific or the Southern Ocean through the Tasman Sea, offering the cruisy sets on sandbanks, much like the East Coast. The upshot? Variety, variety and a bit more variety, with everything from learner breaks in Hobart to the monstrous right-hand barrels of Shippies. YOU WILL NOT GET BORED.
More than all that, it’s the charm and the raw beauty of this isle some 240 clicks of the Victoria coast that we love most of all. Dawnies will likely be just you and the bottlenoses with a chilling ocean mist. Sessions can be broken up with hikes up Cradle Mountain and wild swims in the rainforests. It’s bucket-list-busting stuff.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Australia
Tasmania surfing at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to surfing in Tasmania?
Where is Tasmania?
Tasmania is the southernmost state in Australia. It’s about 150 miles or 240 kilometers off the coast of mainland Oz and the neighboring state of Victoria. It’s an island, and that means water on all sides. For surfers, the main thing to note is the proximity of the Indian Ocean to the west and the Southern Ocean to the east. They are swell factories that will send waves all year round without trouble.
Hobart is the capital of Tasmania and hosts the largest airport on the island territory. You can also fly into Launceston, Burnie, and Devonport, all of which have direct flights from major Australian cities on the mainland. There are also direct flights to the outlying territory of King Island, which are worth knowing about since there are some fantastic surf spots there.
Tasmania surf spots
The best way to look at Tasmania is as an island of two halves: North & west, and then east & south. Both sectors get different swell systems and have quite different types of waves. Let’s take a closer look…
North and west Tasmania
The western side of Tasmania is WAY less populated and WAY more rugged. It’s hit by the brunt of the westerly winds, so can often be blown out in the winter. The Indian Ocean works wonders on the big, sweeping bays here, though, and you can come to ride some of the very best cruising waves and down-the-line surf in the country (expect rides of 150m+ in some spots). King Island’s A-frame wonders are another jewel in the Tasman crown!
Martha Lavinia (on King Island)
Martha Lavinia has been hailed among the top 10 finest waves of anywhere on the planet. Sadly, it’s also the subject of a hard-fought Save the Waves campaign because new licenses are being issued to salmon farmers who want to start artificial breeding centers off the short of King Island that will almost certainly ruin the whole thing. You can see why people want to preserve the spot. It’s sorta’ one part Hossegor beachy, one part Supertubos, only with the glowing turquoise waters of the Bahamas. A-frames abound, curling and bowling beautifully for fast and fun rides in both directions. This is the star of the northern coast of Tassie and the best on King Island for sure.
Devonport
The Mersey River meets the Bass Strait smack dab in the heart of little Devonport town. Where that happens, there are nice lefts off the sandbanks and over the reefs. It holds well on anything up to 7 foot but works best in the 4-6 range with little winds, since the dominant westerlies are cross or onshore. The vibe is nice in Devonport.
Marrawah
Marrawah is the hub of all the west coast surfing in Tasmania. It’s got great road links to a trio of beaches that offer far and away the highest quality breaks on this side of the island. Let’s take a look at each:
- Ann Bay – Really another name for the south end of Green Point Beach (see below), this one has long lefts and rights that work on more direct W swells.
- Green Point Beach – Immediately to the north of Marrawah town, this one throws out curling shoulders off its northerly point that can go for 150 meters.
- Mawson Bay – An abundance of lefts work off the rocks at the south end of this beach. They are also among the longest on the island and a doozy for goofy riders when the Indian Ocean starts doing its thing.
The western shore of Tasmania is a different beast to the east. It gets swell from the Indian Ocean, which pumps nice NW offerings from June to August but actually does plenty all year round. There downside here is the dominant W winds, which will often be onshore.
South and east Tasmania
The eastern and southern sides of Tasmania are considered the mainstay surf regions. This is the province of cruisy beach breaks with decent shelter from heavy SE swells, all of which harness those steady W winds into offshore fun. The southernmost points of the island are also home to arguably the most challenging wave on the planet: Shippies.
Blackmans Bay
The town of Blackmans Bay has a dumpy (in fact, it’s also known as Dumpies) spot that’s beloved of tray riders. Can be gnarly when its heavy because you can get caught inside between the shallow reef and the pounding closeouts. Let the swell slacken a touch or come in summer and the wave holds nicely for fun, occasionally hollow rights and lefts.
Shipstern Bluff
The most famous wave in Tasmania but a beast unto itself. There’s no wave in Oz that can match the sheer ferocity of Shipstern Bluff. Imagine a 30-foot barrel that’s got slabs weighing literal tons overhead, an inside section that will fling you into super sharp rock reefs, and a patrolling local crew of great whites, plus some of the hardest double-up sections anywhere on earth. Only then do you get a taste of the nigh-on ridiculous challenge this break represents. We have a complete guide for the mad hatters out there mulling over a charge.
We’ve got a complete guide to Shipstern Bluff right here
Remarkable Caves
Named after the amazing sea caves that you reach on 115 salt-washed steps from the national park carpark above, this spot is an exposed beach break that offers lippy and wedgy rights and lefts in a narrow bay. There’s better protection from the strong SE swells compared to Shippies, which makes this a true performance wave with the potential for airs. It’s tricky to reach – just as are all spots on the Tasman Peninsula – and usually has a local crowd.
Eaglehawk Neck
There’s a patchwork of reef and sand that helps to offer up a series of very good-quality A-frame peaks come the winter months at the isthmus beach of Eaglehawk Neck. They only really work to their potential on medium-to-large SE swells and can be tubular. Sharks are perhaps the biggest worry.
Boneyard
Watch out Kirra, the Boneyard’s star is rising and many say that this is now unquestionably the finest right-hander in the whole of Australia. It sits at the far southern tip of Marion Bay, where a built-up sandbar has accumulated at the rivermouth (ring any bells?). Yea, well this sandbar can offer semi-hollow walls that bowl neatly into the inside of the long beach, and it’s hardly ever that busy. Where Boneyard might fail you is on the consistency front – some years this one shuts off a la Skeleton Bay and there’s simply never a SE good enough to wrap into the channel. Other years it’s working like clockwork. You just gotta’ be lucky.
Scamander River
The mouth of the Scamander River is a wave factory when there’s decent SE swell on the charts. Yes, It’s a bit of a hefty walk there over the dunes from the carpark, but that whittles down the crowds and means you’ll often get the spot to yourself. It can get rippy here and the water’s not always the cleanest, but it’s a very good option on smaller days in the 2-4-foot range. Get into the River Mouth Café after your session for a coffee and a cake.
Beaumaris Beach
Endless peaks run up and down 2-mile-long Beaumaris Beach north of the Scamander River. They have a tendency to be a bit messy on big winter days but are so exposed that they can run through the summer and offer decent hotdogging waves and beginner mush. Couple that with the abundance of affordable campgrounds and parking spaces on the adjoining east coast road and you start to see why this one’s a favorite of casual surfers Tassie over.
Where to stay when surfing in Tasmania?
To be honest, you’ll need a car to really make the most of the Tasmanian surf. It’s that simple. Breaks here can be hours and hours apart and most have tricky access that involves parking up and walking through coastal reserves. The best you can hope for is a stay in a local surf town like Bicheno or Marrawah. Check the suggestions below:
Beach Retreat
Book yourself this classic Tassie beach bungalow to get a place right on the sands around Bicheno. There’s not great surf out the front door but you’ll be in the midst of a region that has almost unlimited options an hour to the north and south.
Port Arthur Villas
Cozy, chilled pads with self-catering facilities await in lush grounds at the Port Arthur Villas. These are a fantastic choice if you want access to the incredible waves and nature reserves of the Tasman Peninsula – Shippies is among them!
Spring Beach Garden Retreat
Spring Beach Garden Retreat is a well-rated escape that puts you neatly among the beginner-friendly beaches of the Tasman east coast.
Step-by-step guide to planning your surfing in tasmania trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the surfing in tasmania…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 Tasmania?
There’s almost always swell available in Tasmania but the general rule is that the winter months (May to August) are the best for the bigger swells and most iconic spots – Shippies, especially, but also the cruising rides of the west coast and the A-frame wonders of King Island. The summer (December to March) will be a lot smaller, but the fantastic exposure on the eastern side of the island means there’s almost always a great wave for a beginner and plenty for the surf schools to practice on.
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!
