Sydney surf forecast

Surfing in Sydney

Sydney's ocean beaches face broadly east into the Tasman Sea, split by the harbour into the Northern Beaches and the Eastern Beaches, with the Central Coast an easy drive north. Most of the surfable coast is beach break with headlands and rock ledges at the ends of the bays, which means there is usually somewhere to surf on any swell from north-east round to south.

On the Northern Beaches, Narrabeen is a long sand beach whose northern end, North Narrabeen, can produce a high-quality left off the lagoon entrance, with a ledge below the headland for experienced surfers on bigger swells. Dee Why has a right-hand point at its southern end that comes alive in solid south to south-east swells with light south-west to west winds; it is fast and sucky over shallow rock and is not for novices. In the Eastern Beaches, Maroubra is a kilometre-long, fairly consistent beach that picks up summer north-east swells and winter south-east pulses, with punchier banks at the southern end. Avoca Beach on the Central Coast is an east-facing beach open to most swells, with a right-hand boulder point at its southern end that suits intermediates on south to south-east swell.

North-westerly to westerly winds are offshore along most of this coast, usually early in the day before a summer north-east sea breeze. Winter, roughly April to September, brings the best groundswell; summer is smaller and kinder for learners. Rips are common on every beach, the popular breaks get crowded, and jellyfish appear in warmer months. Sydney Harbour is listed separately as a sheltered sailing venue.