Tasmania has exceptionally nice waves despite being often disregarded as a surfing destination. Late summer and early fall, when the water is at its warmest, are the best times to go surfing in Tasmania. However, fall and winter have the largest waves and the best wind conditions.
Take out your wetsuit and get ready to surf some of the most remote and unspoiled beaches you’ve ever seen. From the intimidating waves of Shipstern Bluffs to the beginner-friendly Clifton Beach. There you can take lessons at a nearby surfing school as Tasmania caters to all skill levels.
Surfing in Tasmania
Coastal North
Long flat periods, particularly in the summer, may happen along Tasmania’s northern shore since it is fairly sheltered. Although not large, the waves here are nice. The beach breaks at the Mersey River’s mouth and Tam O’Shanter.
However, King Island lies midway between Tasmania’s mainland and Victoria on the western shore of Bass Strait. It has the region’s greatest surf. Due to its varied shoreline and location in the Roaring Forties, there is always surf someplace.
Australia’s top beach break is Martha Lavinia Beach on King Island’s east coast. British Admiral Beach and Fitzmaurice Bay on the island’s west coast both benefit from an easterly breeze and westerly surge.
Eastern Coast
The east coast is once again exposed to the Tasman Sea and has high surf. This is particularly when winter lows enter the sea. On Tasmania’s “surf coast,” Scamander is maybe the most well-known surfing location. There are miles of white beaches where the surf consistently comes in.
There are several well-known surf beaches along the coast, from Scamander to Orford. Popular locations in the northeast include the mouth of the Scamander River and the eastern arm of Georges Bay’s entrance.
With some great free camping, hotels, a resort at Ironhouse Point (Falmouth), and a sizable hotel in Scamander, the majority of lodging is provided in self-catering vacation homes. Since the temperature is moderate even in the winter, surfing is possible all year round. The main surfing hotspots include Scamander, Chain of Lagoons, Seymour, Four Mile Creek, and Beaumaris.
Hobart Region
Hobart is situated on a vast harbour. However, waves may sometimes reach the edge of the bay. The most well-known beaches are Park and Clifton.
Clifton is roughly 30 minutes from the city centre. The south end provides some shelter from west winds and is often a little softer. The sandbanks are surrounded by deep channels to aid with the frequent close-out of the beach, which is a little pushier.
There are numerous nice surfing beaches in the South Arm region. The several beaches that face south get waves from smaller south swells.
Large waves may be encountered in the Eaglehawk Neck area, farther south in the Hobart region. Beyond the Port Arthur historical site on the Tasman Peninsula lies the infamous Shipstern Bluff.
Shipstern Bluff
Shipstern Bluff is also known as Devil’s Point. It is often regarded as Australia’s most difficult surfing spot. Heaving waves crashing onto a reef below the bluff caused a sizable volume of water to appear out of nowhere. This churning surge, which has recently dominated the surf media and raised the standard for extreme surfing in Australia, has drawn top surfers from all over the globe.
Its accessibility for spectators and proximity to Port Arthur is what set it apart from other venues. Anyone who is able to endure a beautiful 2-hour trek (a fantastic hike in and of itself) may join the queue up when the waves are on at Shippies. Huge waves struck a reef directly, forcing it to arc up apparently out of nowhere.
Shipstern Bluff has established South East Tasmania as a major surfing destination. According to Shipstern, the wave is one of the worst in the world. Australia’s largest waves may be found beyond a group of truck-sized stones at Bluff.
Forestier and Tasman peninsulas
There are a tonne of alternative surfing sites nearby if you live in southern Tasmania and find Shipsterns Bluff to be too difficult to reach and intimidating. When the wind is out of the west, and the swell is from the southeast, Eaglehawk Neck features some of the best waves in the world. It is the isthmus between the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas.
Boneyard in Marion Bay is another treasure of South East Tasmania. Over 800 metres off the shore in Marion Bay, this wave crashes over a permanent sand bar. Local surfers are aware that when Boneyard is breaking, there are a number of other nearby locations with strong surf. This includes Eaglehawk Neck, the Tasman Peninsula, and south-eastern Tasmania.
Bruny Island
Although the D’Entrecasteaux Channel protects Bruny Island’s western shoreline, its east and south coasts take the brunt of Antarctic swells. This makes them the obvious locations to visit in search of the ideal wave.
Cloudy Bay is the best of the island’s southern breakers. It is the southernmost surf beach in Australia. To surf there, you need a southerly wave and a northerly breeze.
South Cape Bay
South Cape Bay is a natural beach break that receives enormous, clean waves on a southerly swell in Tasmania’s extreme south. This is where the west and east coastlines converge.
Surfers must carry their boards down a beautiful 7 km walking track that begins beyond the end of the road and Cockle Creek. It pays to bring a couple of boards since they are known to break here when the surf is big.
Eddystone Rock
Eddystone Rock is Australia’s newest hotspot for big-wave surfing. It is located on the south coast and has just lately been surfed. Due to its distant position, all but the most devoted tourists who come to surf cannot access it. Local fishermen, who have long been aware of the tale, led surfers to the spot.
Eddystone is a tower-shaped rock or tiny island with a height of 30 metres and a distance of 27 kilometres from the South East Cape.
West Coast
The most well-liked surfing location in northern Tasmania is Marrawah, which is also the westernmost village and the municipality the farthest from Hobart. The nearest significant towns to Marrawah are Smithton and Stanley. They are accessible from Tasnania’s northwest area.
When the wind is offshore, and the surf is westerly, Ann Bay, Mawson Bay, and Green Point in Marrawah offer hundred-meter-long rides. With wind and waves rolling in nonstop for about 17,000 kilometres, the record wave in this region was recorded at approximately 20 metres.
The National Wave Sailing Championships is a highly competitive event with a $22,000 prize that spans five days in February. It mixes wind and wave abilities to draw participants and spectators, which are held at Marrawah. Every March long weekend, this event is followed by the West Coast Surf Classic. It is an amateur surf carnival that has been held for the last 30 years and draws up to 1000 spectators and participants.
Strahan is a wonderful site for a variety of water activities, including surfing, kiteboarding, windsurfing, and kite surfing. This is thanks to the abundance of adjacent rivers, lakes, and oceans. If you’re a beginner, Strahan surfing schools provide instruction for surfers of all ages and skill levels.
Final Word
We hope our list has helped you figure out and plan your next trip to Tasmania. The fact that several of the most well-known sights can only be accessed by walking through World Heritage sites ups the adventure factor of the trip. Be prepared to take in stunning waves produced hundreds of kilometres away in the Southern Ocean.