If you’re on the East Coast of Australia and want to escape the crowded and over-run Bondi, Byron Bay, Burleigh Heads, and Surfers Paradise, then here are a few other options.
I have noted a few of the quieter East Coast surf spots and a couple of real back beaches where you can enjoy a surf in relative tranquillity. We enjoyed these beaches on our drive between Sydney and Brisbane, and were very glad of the advice we were given, so I thought I would share the knowledge.
Mac Masters
Our first stop on the way North from Sydney was Mac Masters. This was recommended by a few people, most notably a couple of people that grew up and learned to surf there.
The beach is pretty big, but cut off from any major tourist atrractions and travellers/backpacker areas. Hence it is a quiet and unpopulated place. At least is was during our visit. Weekends and holidays probably change the vibe a little. We parked and slept in the car park at the Southern end of the beach which has showers and toilets.
Seal Rocks
I’m not the only person to say this is one of, if not, my favourite surf spots on Australia’s East Coast. A beautiful backdrop if the National Park surrounds white sand and clear water. The rocks provide a great point break which can be surfed even when the swell is relatively small.
The drive there is a bit dodgy, which is one reason this place is so empty. There are showers and toilets though.
Forster
We stopped in Forster but didn’t hit the surf. However we were assured by the locals that surf is worth trying. The beaches are not the nicest or most beautiful, which probably explains why they are quieter than other beaches along the coast.
Crescent Head
Crescent head is probably one of the more touristy beaches on this list, but the inhabitants are generally Aussies, and pretty good surfers rather than backpacker kooks (like us). There is plenty of water to go around though and you shouldn’t be short of waves to catch.
Because of the nature of Crescent Head there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or drink after your hard days surf. If you really want some solitude though, there are a couple of great back beaches near Crescent Head.
Point Plommer
Near Crescent Head, but well off the beaten track. You are unlikely to find other travellers or backpackers here, only beach and waves for company!
Delicate Nobby’s
Again near Crescent Head, Delicate Nobby’s is a great little back beach for a quiet surf. Not all that delicate when the surf is up.
Red Rock
We didn’t venture to Red Rock beach, but it was on our list of recommended beaches. If you have more time than we did on the East Coast, it is apparently worth checking out.
Angourie Point
Not that easy to find, but worth the effort. Angorie Point is a lesser known beach (at least among our peers), so if you like the road less travelled have a look for it. As a reference point, it is near Yamba.
Broome’s Head
Again, not that far from Yamba, but a little more popular than Angourie. Broome’s provides some good surf in the right conditions.
Coff’s Harbour
A bit further north is Coff’s Harbour. This is a slightly touristy place, but the ocean was empty during our visit. We had the waves to ourselves in the evening and had a great little twilight surf. Be careful of the strong rip.
There are showers and Toilets for you at Coff’s.
Evan’s Head
We parked up and slept in the Surf Club’s car park, a good nights sleep it was! We spoke to a couple of locals the next day who were very friendly and had some good banter. The surf was pretty good to. Not as quiet as the other beaches as there were only a couple of breaks to choose from, but still very enjoyable.
After that we were back in the tourist trap of Byron Bay. Not a bad place to surf though, and the break that comes of the ship wreck north of the main beach is pretty fun. We didn’t stay there long though as we had Surfers Paradise and Brisbane in our sights. Not much solitude in Surfers Paradise, so my advice would be Nobbys Beach if you stop there, but definitely head further North and make the effort to surf Cylinder Beach.
Nobbys Beach
There are few quiet beaches around surfers, but Nobbys would probably be my pick if I had to choose.
There is a nice surf club at Nobbys and good toilets and showers.
Cylinder Beach
If you like surfing, definitely get to Stradbroke Island! About an hour drive from Brisbane it’s one of our favourite surf spots. The main beach is awesome, but packed full of surfers. For a quieter surf try Stradbroke Islands second surf beach, Cylinder Beach. Not as impressive as main beach but has an awesome point break when then swell is big. No need for a long paddle either, just jump in from the rocks and you past break in a few paddles. You might even get a few dolphins swimming around you. One of my favourites.
We travelled in a van and thoroughly enjoyed surfing this stretch of Oz. Thanks the friends that told us about all the beaches and I hope you find these snippets of advice as useful as we did.
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