Coastalsurvey

Australia and New Zealand are two of the finest places for surfing on the planet. Boardriding travelers could spend a lifetime surfing these coasts and never run out of options.

Both Australia and New Zealand benefit from the low-latitude belt of winds that circle Antarctica — the Roaring 40s, the Furious 50s and the Screaming 60s send reliable swell to these shores in the austral winter. From January to April cyclones will form in the Coral Sea bringing waves to Queensland and both islands of New Zealand.

Good surf can be had year round in Australia, although some seasons are better than others:

• Queensland  has consistent swell from June through September with cyclone season, January to April, providing some big waves. The water never really gets cold in QLD, but a shortie is comfy in winter
• In New South Wales the best waves come in March through October when a full-suit is also a good idea
• Victoria  has a wave window similar to NSW with cooler water temps — 13C/55F to 19C/65F.
• South Australia has two seasons for waves, March to May and August to October and morning offshores
• Western Australia gets its best surf from March through October with some truly epic swell’s pounding the coast north and south of Perth.

New Zealand

The two islands of New Zealand get waves year round. The West Coast of the South Island (“The Mainland” to Kiwis from those parts) suffers from too much of a good thing with plenty of swell and honking onshore — SW — winds most of the year. The West Coast of the North Island fares better with a more nuanced coastline that can handle most winds. Prevailing winds are from the SW, but from February to April east winds will push off the North Island.

The East Coasts of both islands are less consistent, but generally the waves are cleaner with prevailing offshore winds. In the southern winter, the East Coast of the North Island will get waves in the one to three-meter range.  The South Island will be a bit bigger and colder. Water temps on the South Island will dip down to 8C/40F in the winter. The East Coasts are cooled by a branch of the Humbolt Current, so except in the far north of the North Island, you’ll be wearing a full-suit all year.

See more Australia and New Zealand Articles

• Apostle Spared; Sister Cops It
• Pacific Tsunami?
• The Mainland, Riverton
• Tasmania Report
• NZ Surf Report
• North Island, NZ
• New Zealand Surf Beta
• The Gold Coast
• New South Wales Surf Beta
• The Mahatma