Surfing is all about the search. From the moment you experience the thrill of riding that first wave; you are a slave to the search. The search for the perfect wave; the elusive ‘magic’ surfboard; even a life partner to share your passion for surfing with!
The South Coast of New South Wales is the ideal place to begin your search. This coastal fringe stretching from Stanwell Park to the north all the way to Mallacoota on the Victorian border is a wave rich playground – a plethora of long sandy beaches, rocky coves, headlands and river entrances. There are surf breaks everywhere which catch swell from every direction and offer protection from all wind directions. Sand bottom beach breaks suited to beginners; death-defying reef breaks for the more adventurous surfer; and everything in between. Sometimes the biggest problem you will encounter is having too much choice and emptying your fuel tank on the search for what may be breaking over the next hill.
I was lucky enough to grow up surfing the south coast with my father as my guide. I surfed many of the popular surfing spots, and quite a few of the ‘secret spots’, by the time I had finished high school. But my world really expanded when I purchased my first car, an avocado green corolla hatchback. The search was on! The south coast was my surfing oyster and back in the early 1990s unleaded petrol was around 70 cents a litre. Leaving tyre marks up and down the Princes Hwy, I managed to find a few hidden gems; places I frequent to this day and only reveal to the worthy.
In my role as Head Coach of Broulee Surf School, I often get asked ‘Where is the best surfing beach on the South coast?’
For the novice surfer, the answer is an easy one. In all my searching, all the hours spent behind the wheel, driving across potholes and flooded creeks and running down sandy tracks, the best beach I have encountered for consistent, easy to ride waves is on my doorstep. It also happens to be my workplace.
North Broulee beach has a unique geography which makes it one of, if not THE best, learn to surf beach breaks in Australia. It offers a sheltered location with gentle rolling waves and minimal rip currents, perfect for beginner to intermediate levels. The Broulee Island, anchored at the southern end by a sand isthmus, provides a barrier from the raw swells that march up the coast from the Tasman Sea, and the wind that often produces them; but allows the waves to refract so they are smooth and rideable by the time they reach the shallows.
Likewise, if the swell comes out of the north from a tropical storm, the spectacular Burrewarra Point peninsula helps to take the venom out of the swell so there is always a manageable break somewhere along the beach on any given day.
Over the northern headland, on the other side of Mossy Point, is the popular sandbar simply known as ‘The Rivermouth’. This break at the entrance to the Tomaga River is best suited to longboarders and stand-up-paddle riders and offers a mellow 200 metre righthander. The ideal break for beginner surfers to transition to riding ‘green’ waves and working on trimming and cutbacks. On occasion it can get hollow and entice the performance shortboarders to paddle the short distance across the river and share in the spoils.
For the thrill seeking surfer, the reef break off the northern tip of the Broulee Island is a real challenge. ‘Pink Rocks’ has a ledging take-off that is not for the faint hearted which leads into a heavy barrel section. If you are lucky enough to navigate this shallow zone, the rest of the ride is a beautiful wrapping wall that finishes in a lagoon and is often compared to Angourie. A rare event to witness, when this break is on surfers will dust off their big wave boards and migrate to Broulee from all over the south coast to tackle a monster.
So pack your surfboard and head to Broulee, the search is over! For more information about our famous surfing lessons click here