Surfing Bucket List: Queensland, Australia

It’s hard not to think of dreamy right-hand points, warm water and living your best summer life every day when thinking about surfing in Queensland. It’s a surfing bucket list for a lot of us, and there’s a list of top surf spots across Queensland we all want to hit.

Below you’ll find a list, and description, of what we think are the best places to surf in Queensland. But, even if you don’t get to tick off all these locations, you should know that there’s a lot of waves up and down the Queensland coast that are sitting on beautiful beaches waiting for you to turn up and have fun.

The best thing? It’s warm water surfing up here. Springsuits, boardshorts and vests or even just boardshorts if you’re feeling it (although if you come in winter you might need a lightweight steamer, maybe). Surfing in Queensland is a great time for anyone and everyone.

1. Snapper Rocks

The place where all dreams lay, and rarely does reality match the dream. Snapper Rocks sits at the top of famed ‘Superbank’, but getting waves out here is wildly competitive with the likes of World Champs, Junior World Champs, up-and-comers, and just regular rippers to contend with.

Having said that, you can still find yourself paddling into the wave of your life out here. And if you do, you'll need every bit of grit and determination to make it - through endless tube sections, dodging a stream of people and enduring leg burn if you get one from Snapper Rocks through to Greenmount and beyond.

Snapper Rocks is best with a 4-6ft ESE swell running and a light SW wind blowing (keeping it clean). If you’re more in the beginner to intermediate stage of surfing, your best bet would be paddling out near Snapper Rocks and floating down towards Greenmount. You’ll have a better chance of getting more waves and enjoying yourself. If you’re more advanced feel free to float up towards beyond the rock to see if you turn pops up and you can paddle into one of those crazy double up beasts.

2. Kirra

Owwwwwweeeeee, Kirra! While you can get the wave of your life at Snapper Rocks, you can get the longest, most intense barrel of your life at Kirra. It’s a different beast when it’s on, the speed and intensity of this wave is second to none in Queensland (in our opinion).

Kirra is situated at the end of the Superbank - past Snapper Rocks, Greenmount and Coolangatta beach. Take-off sits at the groyne, affectionately known as Big Groyne, where you need to jockey for sets with the locals who have drifted down from Snapper Rocks. Some days it’s easier to get waves here, some days it’s a lot harder. All depends on the conditions.

And the conditions you need to get Kirra pumping is a little different to Snapper Rocks. At Kirra you’re chasing a more ENE swell, but same wind (SW) direction.

3. Burleigh Heads

As we move up the coastline and finish our run on the Gold Coast, we come up on the point at Burleigh Heads, home to the Stubbies (70’s) and countless Pro Junior events in the early 2000’s and now the home spot to the famed Burleigh Single Fin comp that is held every January.

Burleigh, as a wave, can be one of the funnest surfs, or one of the most intense and tiring surfs. It’s a combination of a few things – mainly swell direction and size. On these southernly directed swells, you will find that the sweep is crazy and will leave your arms in all sorts of a mess. Using the last ounce of energy you can, you’ll paddle into a 6ft set wave and drive into a glorious sand bottomed, green, glassy barrel that will leave you smiling from ear to ear.

To get that barrel you’ll need to get a nice SE (south-east) swell running at around 4-6ft with a light SW (south west) wind blowing.

For all three of these waves on the Gold Coast, the best time of year is from December to May, where it’s still boardshorts/wetsuit vest season. Having written that, it’s not unheard of getting it pumping during a big south swell during the winter surfing season.

4. Stradbroke Island

First things first, Straddie has two Islands - North and South. North is more heavily populated, and South is the spot where you see a lot of videos/photos that show Surfers Paradise in the background. Both are equally magically to visit though.

Magic aside, we’re here to talk about the waves, right?

And waves are aplenty on both Islands. South Straddie from the break wall all the way up the beach, you’ll find more peaks than you can poke a stick at or barrels to stuff yourself into. The catch with South Straddie is getting there, you either have to catch the ferry, paddle over or have a jetski to get there. Once there though, the rewards generally start coming in hot and fast.

South Straddie is a fast moving beach break with plenty of punch and is best suited to a SE swell direction (3-5ft) and a soft SW breeze running.

North Straddie is a different place compared to its Southern sibling. There are several amazing wave setups on the Island - from Cylinders (a world class right hand point break) to Point Lookout (a really fun set of beach breaks). Each wave needs different swell directions, winds and tides. But if you’re on North Stradbroke you’re most likely able to spend some time exploring the island (by car) and getting the most out of your time there.

5. Noosa Heads

The last in the line (but not the least) of our bucket list of spots in Queensland we should be trying to surf is Noosa. It’s a point break, like most of the surf spots we’ve written about here, and could give you one of the best rides (and longest) of your life.

The waves at Noosa range from advanced to beginner, which is great if you’re traveling with family and friends. And if the points aren’t working you can slide around to Sunshine Beach and enjoy a variety of beach breaks. Overall, you’re chasing a solid east (or even a NE) swell to get the points on.

Noosa is north enough on the coastline that it’s boardshorts weather most of the year, and rarely do you need to wear a steamer to stay warm. After a day of surfing, hit the surf club and watch the sunset while enjoying some good times and great food.

Whatever break you end up at you are going to have a real good time. That whole coast line from Kirra up to Noosa is just pure magic and you are bound to score some epic waves if the swell plays nice! And you know what? If you get skunked and the waves are flat, the water is warm, the sun shines more days than it doesn’t so the climate is great all year round to hang out at the beach. It is the perfect place to whittle away the day until Sundowners!

Check out our latest Phantom Boardshort range, call the crew and book a trip! What are you waiting for?