Main Beach | First Point | Little Cove | Nationals | Tea Tree | Granite Bay | A Bay | Open Beaches
Noosa is well known for having some of the best longboarding breaks in the World but it’s often overlooked just how good Noosa’s surf spots are for all kinds of surfing. With such a wide variety of different breaks, we take a look at all the different Noosa beaches for you to carve up.
Where ever you decide to surf in Noosa you will be blessed with super clean, crystal clear water, magnificent views, abundance of marine life and if you pick the right spot hopefully not many crowds.
Noosa is extremely fortunate here to have possibly the most beautiful National Parks in the country right in the town center and it just so happens to have some pretty darn spectacular waves.
You are bound to find a fun wave somewhere in town if you are willing to check out a few different spots. So where are the best breaks to surf in Noosa… (In order from North to south ish, as if you were walking down the coast).
Shorter rides, often dumpy. Good for short boards.
Average height 2-4ft, can get overhead
Breaks Left and Right
If you are staying on Hasting Street some easy spots to reach are the middle rock wall on Main Beach, right at the start of Noosa Woods, after Hastings Street and the Noosa River Mouth or Spit at the very end of the Claude Batten Dr.
Surfing on the easterly side of the Groyne or Rock Wall, about 400m East of the surf club you can find a great right hand wave, often quite short rides and dumpy but if you find a good bank it can be great fun. You often get very adventourous kids here body boarding on the crashing waves, its good fun but you only get a second or two ride. I have personally snapped 3 boards here on the steep waves.
This is where all the Noosa surfing lessons take place, in the shallow water around the rock wall so make sure to leave them a wide bearth as they often don’t have control.
For a much better wave, head down the beach about 300m until you are slap bang in the middle of the two rock walls, there is always a bank here so you can get a left or right hand wave. I have only ever seen 4 sharks in Noosa in my surfing career and they have all been right here so stay alert. But don’t let deter you, they are absolutely beautiful creatures and I’m sure they don’t want to hurt you.
For even better waves still head another 200m down the beach to the Noosa River Mouth. There are lots of strong currents and no life savers so be warned. But there is often a really fun left and right, just in front of the spit rock wall.
I once had a leg rope snap here and my board ended up miles out to see, had to have a fisherman direct me as I swam in the setting daylight out into the ocean to retreive my board.
The spit is a great fun spot and easy to park in the woods on the busier days.
Perfect for longboarding when small, perfect for short boarders when big..
Average height 1-3ft, occasionally head high
Breaks Right
First Point is situated right slap bag at the end of Hastings Street, towards the National Park end. This is THE longboarding spot in town and everyone knows it hence the often massive crowds.
This spot is right out the front of the Noosa Surf Life Saving tower and its often where the life savers put the safe swimming zone flags so the shore area can get extremely crowded in the holidays. Now we have the negatives out the way lets get to the good stuff.
First Point, goes off when it goes off, I mean it really fires. When the waves are in the 5 foot plus range and the swell is pushing from an easterly direction this place sets on fire. Unfortunately Noosa doesn’t often get big swell but don’t worry, First Point is great fun on small days, (I actually spent the first 2 months of my surfing life out at the point every single day, so its fantastic to learn). You will be surrounded my long boarders with everyone vying for the prime spots.
It’s also a hot spot for photograhers with the surf break being rather close to shore. If you are lucky you might see former World Champ, Josh Constable out on his board with a camera drone filming his action.
First point is the home of the Noosa Longboarding festival every March (I believe) and they close the beach from the mornings till about 5pm but its great to go down and watch the pros do their thing.
There are usually two places to catch a wave here, if you are on a big board, head right out the back to the end of the point and catch the waves as they start to form. If on a shorter board head in about half way between the point and the beach, often lots of longboarders fall off by here and you can snag a great fun ride into the beach.
Best times to surf, on the out going tide, any time when there are no school holidays or early morning or late afternoon in busy seasons.
Right hand break, perfect on small days 1-2 foot for longboarding. Absolutely sensational for short boarders in the 5 foot plus range.
Watch out for a few rocks around the point, but once out from the shore and ahead of the breaking water there is no worries about rocks.
Parking, park wherever you can snag a spot on hastings street, if you are lucky you will park right on the beach but in the busy times you might be driving around for a while.
Toilets are situated at the Surf Club car park.
Where to get in, you can paddle from the surf club side on the main beach but the locals tend to walk around on the sand to the top of the point and step over a few rocks and paddle out between sets, definetly worth this on big days.
Longboarders dream. Great spot to learn to surf, very scenic.
Average height 1-3ft.
Breaks Right
This absolutely stunning cove is a great beach to visit even if you arnt into surfing, the water here is supurb and the trees and sweeping cove makes for some beautiful hang outs. But we are here to talk about the waves so lets get to it.
Little Cove is the next point around from First Point, you can get there by walking from Hastings street and up towards the National Park. There are three ways people tend to get here with a car. The first is to park right at the end of Hastings Street if you are lucky and just walk over the hill, or you can park up the hill in Little cove (this is usually the best option, and where the locals park) or in the National Park car park (but its a slightly longer walk).
Once you rock up at the beach. You can decide if you want to get in the water at the base of the cove or walk around on the sand towards to point or you can walk around the footpath and come down a set of stairs right at the point and jump in the water there.
Usually a little quieter than First Point, its a fantastic place to learn in the sheltered water.
But when there is a big swell pushing in you can catch a great wave here, and if its just right you can link up a wave with First Point and get a real long ride, but its a rare occasion that, that happens.
The only down side here is when it gets big it produces one hell of a side sweep which makes it a real mission and a half for all those on shorter boards. The best bet on these days is not to paddle out to the point its to paddle out to sea about 200m and then paddle across and avoid the rip.
Right hander, amazing to learn and good for longboarders on pretty much any day.
Get in the water at the steps off the walking track (towards National ParK) about 300m around from the main Little Cove entrance.
Keep an eye out for turtles in this area. I have surfed past a few of them here, just be careful not to hit them.
Treacherous rocks but amazing long rides.
Average height 2-4ft, can get very big with a storm
Breaks Right
Nationals is situated right at the start of the National Park, right next to the car park. When you park up here make sure to look up in the Eucalyputs trees and find a Koala, there are a few that are always hanging about, ask at the visitor centre and they will point them out for you if you can’t find one.
Toilets are at the back of the car park, you can also buy drinks at the National Park shop.
Try park in the main car park but if no luck, head back towards Hastings Street then take a left at the top of the hill and find a spot with the locals up here.
Advanced surfers only out here, lots of dangerous rocks and big swell.
The best place to catch a wave (if you are extremely confident), is right at the end of the point at a place called “The Boiling Pot”. Here the waves break pretty much on top of the rocks so be seriously skilled or stay back. For everyone else the best place is to find a nice spot about 50m down and wait out a little further for the big ones.
When Nationals is just right you can catch a wave from the Boiling Point, through Little Cove and past First Point. It will require a few strokes to change wave but if you get the chance, go for it and try make it the whole way.
There are plenty of rocks here so definetly be cautious if you are here on holiday.
The best point to get in the water is at a place called ‘Flat Rock’. If you start walking the coastal track in the National Park you will see a few stairs off to the left after about 100m, walk down to the flatish rock. Watch a few locals first to see how its done, time it between waves and jump in, make sure to jump out so you dont scrape your board on the rocks.
When you are coming back to shore, you have three options on how to get back to land. If its small you can paddle over to Flat Rock and time it between waves and walk back the way you came but I’d only recommend this on small days. When its bigger you can either try battle the rocks but you risk a twisted ankle or broken board trying to get back in at the car park. But the most sensible way is to catch a wave or paddle down to Little Cove and get out on the sand and walk back to your car.
Absolute perfection. Amazing location. Fantastic waves.
Average height 1-4ft, potential to get real big.
Breaks Right
The greatest surf spot in the World, in my opinion. Tea Tree is nothing short of pure paradise, great waves and great scenary, what more does one need in life.
If you are holidaying in Noosa, I insist that you get up before sunrise and make the trek out there and be in the surf as the sun rises, what a way to start the day, you won’t be disappointed. Even if there is no surf, just get there and sit in the water.
Ok, so how do you get to Tea Tree, well firstly, park as close to the National Park as you can, see above for more info on parking. And then take the Coastal walking track into the National Park, its about a 10-15min walk with a board, but take your time and check out the awesome views at the Boiling Pot.
Tea Tree is the first bay as you walk around on the track, you can’t miss it. Once you reach the bay you have two options, paddle out from the beach (its a few hundred meters) or keep walking around the walking track until it starts to go up hill again, once you reach the top of the hill keep an eye out for a little hidden walking track off to the left. It’s rather treacherous but makes getting out to the point way faster. Once down the track, climb over a few rocks and walk out onto the rocky point, time it very well between waves and do a big jump and fast paddle to safety, its pretty dangerous, so be careful.
Pretty much where people jump in the water is the prime spot to be so just sit back and hussle your way onto some super clean and fun waves. When it goes off here you can get some little barrels right on the point and some real long right hand rides all the way into the beach.
Keep an eye out for dolphins and turtles. I even heard a story of a whale in the bay there once so keep absorbing your surroudings when out.
Often biggest wave in town, long walk but totally worth it.
Average height 2-5ft, have seen it 12-14ft
Breaks Right
Grantie faces a slightly different direction from the other points we have discussed so it often miraculously picks up swell when everywhere else is dead.
To get here, follow the Tea Tree guide above and then just keep walking for another 10-20mins, its worth the hike on good days, trust me. The best plan of attack is to head out to Dolphon Point on the Coastal Track and check out Granite Bay and if it doesn’t look good just back track 50m and hit Tea Tree.
I have personally seen this place firing with 12-14 foot waves (some of the best days of my life). Catching a double over head here is wonderful, the water is deep and the waves move a little slower so even a beast of a wave is manageable.
To get in the water here you have to walk right around the whole bay until you are on the far side and then you will find a tiny little pebble bay down a rocky track near the point where you can paddle out. Be careful as there are lots of rocks in the shallows, but its relativly deep water once you get out, but still be aware of rocks.
Another thing to be careful of on big days is how far down you catch a wave, make sure you don’t catch a wave right to the shore and be washed sideways onto the rocks, best to pull out a 100m or so before you reach the shore.
Super sketchy, long walk, lots of rips..
Average height 2-4ft.
Breaks left and right
For the really adventuours walkers, A bay is here. There are no life savers anywhere near here and many strong rips, so I don’t recommonded surfing, there have been several terrible accidents with tourists here so try and avoid, there are usually better waves around elsewhere anyway. A Bay is pretty much a really hard to reach open beach. If its good on the open beachs (see below) its basically the same here.
If you want to walk here to check out the views, keep following the Coastal Track around from Granite and past Hells Gate and you will see the massive bay, which just happens to be a nudist beach so be prepared to rip off your boardies. Or you can park your car at Sunshine Beach and walk along the beach (literally) and right at the end you will see some never ending stairs leading up the hill, follow this track and it will take you a solid 20mins walk to get there.
Very fast, very fun. Can get real powerful.
Average height 2-4ft.
Breaks left and right
When the open beaches are clean, it is THE place to be. You can always find a quiet spot to surf and a wave to yourself.
Sunshine to Coolum beaches are all easily reachable from Noosa, and you can park pretty much anywhere along the David Low Way. There are about 50 beach access points so take your pick. Find a good sand bank and get shredding.
The open beaches offer much faster waves than all the points, and it can easily get way overhead on a good day.
Make sure you are very confident with swimming as there are lots of rips around. There are surf life guards at Sunshine, Peregian and Coolum so surf there if you can.
For a majestic open beach break, head as far North on Sunshine Beach as you can until you reach the National Park (opposite side from what we spoke about earlier) and find an ideallic break in a very nice spot.
Make sure you put your head underwater here in the July- September times as you often hear whales swimming up and down the coast.
So I hope that helps with a bit of surfing around town. If you are holiday and a keen surfer, try and get a flavor of all the spots if you have a chance, so many people just surf at First Point but there are much better waves waiting out there for you.
For a map of the walking tracks in the National Park visit the link and have a look, for all the best spots, stick to the Coastal Track.
Ding repairs, hit up Dani at Deck It Surfboards, best ding repair man on the coast and super nice man. Always keen for a surf chat and to give ya some tips.
Surf Lessons, click here to learn to surf with a former World Champion
If you are the type of person that enjoys checking the surf forecast before heading down, cruise over to Coastal Watch and look at the Noosa to Coolum regions to check out the live webcams. But be warned, and I have fallen victim to this oh too many times, the waves are always always better down at the beach than they seem on the camera so don’t let a small surf report put you off, head down and try your luck. Or if you want a super awesome forecast check out Magic SeaWeed
Toilets can be found at beach access 13 in Noosa woods. In the Noosa Heads Surf Club. In the National Park car park. Out the back of the Sunshine Beach Surf Club.
Parking can be a huge mission in Noosa, if its handy its a good idea to use the free holiday buses or check out some of the locals favorite parking spots in Noosa on the map below.
Free holiday buses run to and from the beach in the Christmas holidays, great idea if you want a stress free trip to the beach.
Surf life savers have their main bases situated at Hasting Street in Noosa Heads and on Sunshine Beach. There are patrols and towers along Main Beach and towers in Perigean and Coolum. Remember to swim between the flags.
Check out our handy map below for all the spots to park for the beaches around Noosa
If you see a park, get it, don’t risk trying to drive closer, take what you can get. Use the free bus service in the holidays.
I might just add, that I recommend some things here that you should only do if you know exactly what you are doing, do not attempt anything that you are unsure about. Do so at your own risk. Only surf where there are life guards and do not attempt to access the water from anywhere other than a designated beach spot. Do not jump in off the rocks.
