Surfing Road Trip

[madwag]

Hey, me and a mate are planning on a surfing trip from Melbourne up to Surfers Paradise and back over this summer.

The rough plan is drive the two solid days it will take to get up there and then take about 2 weeks to get back to melb surfing along the way.

so i thought id get a few tips

1. Where are some good surfing spots along that coast?

2. What to do to my BF wagon to prepare it for the long drive apart from a service?

3. Any tips for camping for free because we are happy to sleep in the car or a tent if it means its free.

Cheers!!!

[trippytaka]

Seal Rocks! NSW mid north coast. Head to http://www.treacherycamp.com.au/ great spot, and a good place to make your base. Just keep an eye out for sharks, as I have been knocked off the board a few times there. Take a 4WD and you'll have a great time on the beach too!

Next one, Cresent Head - great longboarding spot - consistent small, but perfect waves. And they go forever. Stay right on the head at the caravan park

http://www.4shoreholidayparks.com.au/

[FTE217]

So your heading staright to Surfers it seems then making your way back down if I read right.

Surfers is ok crowded but if swell is right good fun anyway if possible and banks and winds are cool head to the north end of Main Beach - called the Spit nice backsa when on.
Staddy would be the best option seeing your hanging up Surfers end - just depends how long you wish to stay up that end of the world.
Heading south
Kirra/Burleigh/Snapper Rocks are the norm - great when ON but very crowded.
If small Duranbah is the pick many banks.

Got to stop into Byron - Pub is Great ! and if swell is on great waves at The Pass - Lighthouse end.
Lennox Head - top right hander
Yamba/Angourie - another great right hander !
Crescent Head - as mentioned right hand point but better still head to the back Beachs from there, graded dirt roads with many beachs to pick from the pick named Point Plomer - awesum. This is just north of Port Macquarie. BF wagon can handle this easy.
Taree/Purfleet - Salt Water Point - great right hander.
Forster/Tuncurry region but not epic choices.

Central Coast many to pick - Forresters Beach, Crackneck Point,Avoca Point,Copacobana.
Sydney well mate crowded again but for good swells can't beat North Narrabeen. Bungan,Newport,Avalon closer to the city Curl Curl/Manly all on the north side.
South well if you must Bondi but suc ks but great perving.
Further south Royal National Park - Gerie Beach etc.
Further south Ulladulla/Mollymook, Green Island awesum !! Bawley Point.
Further south too cold for me you can have it LOL......
Mate I could go on forever for it was my passion for 30yrs but check out yosurfer website.
Have fun mate !

[madwag]

Cheers guys exactly what i was after, the good local knowledge!! (i almost feel like a tourist in my own county sometimes!)
We are just beginners i must add. But by the end of the trip we will be getting good i hope haha

What about camping and sleeping in your car?

Is it legal to do it like on the side of the road or something?

[mondo_broady]

Originally Posted by madwag

What about camping and sleeping in your car?
Is it legal to do it like on the side of the road or something?

Most places, No.

If you're passing through the Illawarra/South Coast NSW, depending on prevailing conditions:

(South to North)
Werri Beach - Gerringong
Boneyard - Kiama Downs
Mystics - enter from Killalea State Pk - Minamurra River
The Farm - Killalea State Pk - Shellharbour
The Shallows - Bass Point - Shellharbour
Cowries - Shellharbour
Sandon Point - Bulli
Sharkies - Coledale

All quality breaks... You'll have a ball.


oh, and there's also this place:



shot taken by a mate of mine locally but i can't say publicly where or he'll smack me...

[madwag]

really appreciate the info guys. Will make a big difference to our trip!

[madwag]

Hey, just thought id let you guys know that im heading off tomorrow morning and am visiting many of the places suggested, and ill put up some pictures when im back!

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11349351

[mondo_broady]

Enjoy!!

[FTE217]

Safety on the roads mate - have fun hope you get some good waves and not too crowded !

[StarDeala]

Originally Posted by madwag

....
2. What to do to my BF wagon to prepare it for the long drive apart from a service?
...

As per your car, make sure you check and take spares, as some country/rural regions the mechanics may not have parts, or on weekends even be open.
At least 5 litres of clean water for the radiator, oil, power steering fluid.
If you are going over summer, I would also check your air con is blowing cold, it can get pretty warm and humid up north.

I would definitely recommend getting your tyres checked, rotated and balanced, including the spare, and check you have a decent jack. Also a safety triangle for side of the road work is great as a truck going past at 100 is a scary feeling when changing the drivers side tyres.

And of course, the in car components...
many cd's or an mp3 player of some sort filled with various tunes to prevent boredom,
maps or a gps, mobile phone, and all chargers,
a good camera to take many photos of this trip,
an esky and icepacks, or a refrigerated unit, to keep drinks cold. Some of the best spots can be far from the nearest stores.

[mondo_broady]

good advice mate...

[StarDeala]

Yeah, me and the olds did a few big trips when I was in my early teens.
1st one 3 months from Melbourne up the eastern coast to Cairns, back to Sydney then inboard via Canberra to Melbourne, and back to Melbourne,
2nd one 3 and 1/2 months Melbourne to Adelaide via coast, up to Darwin, back to Adelaide then followed the Murray River back to Melbourne.
Averaged 300-500 k's per stop, set up the caravan, see the sites, then move onto next stop after a few days (depending on the area). Got to see lots of Australia that many never do.

Have done a few smaller trips myself when I got my License but nothing that big again, so I know what you need to be prepared.. Nothing worse than being stuck in Tenant Creek (middle of NT) waiting on injectors cause a majorly bad batch of diesel stuff the ones in the Patrol.

[StarDeala]

By the way, hope all is going well Madwag, look forward to reading about your expedition and seeing some photos.

[madwag]

thanks fellas, made it up, hating the rain in byron though, cant surf.
the drive up was a bit hairy with the rain, killed 4 birds and got lost and did 200km on dirt roads. haha

[FTE217]

yer the rain has been a bi atch up here the last days - starting to ease off here in Syd but can imagine what the roads up north are like with the rain.
Beer time I suppose no surfing at one of the best located pubs being in Byron !
Keep us updated.

[HenryFordJr]

Originally Posted by madwag

Hey, me and a mate are planning on a surfing trip from Melbourne up to Surfers Paradise and back over this summer.

The rough plan is drive the two solid days it will take to get up there and then take about 2 weeks to get back to melb surfing along the way.

so i thought id get a few tips

1. Where are some good surfing spots along that coast?

2. What to do to my BF wagon to prepare it for the long drive apart from a service?

3. Any tips for camping for free because we are happy to sleep in the car or a tent if it means its free.

Cheers!!!

Jealous, I have surfed most of the east coast and there are some great spots.

I'm not too familiar with southern surf spots, IMO the surf doesn't get good till you hit Northern NSW, here's a few for ya..!!

- Safety Beach NSW

- Boulders / Lennox Head

- (The Pass / Broken Head)

- Snapper Rocks / Duranbah

[mondo_broady]

Henry, sounds like you need to come try the southern breaks then... ;)

[HenryFordJr]

Originally Posted by mondo_broady

Henry, sounds like you need to come try the southern breaks then... ;)

Haha, I lived in Melbourne years ago so I have surfed down there. I liked Bells, Torquay and a few spots past Phillip Island.

I'm not that familiar with the South East coast of Australia though, will have to check it out sometime..

[mondo_broady]

there's plenty listed in this thread, you won't be disappointed if you do...

[stev3n]

There is some awesome point breaks between the hastings river and cresent head. No crowds between school holidays. Had some epic surfs at point plomber. Enjoy your holiday mate

[The Monty]

Scotts Head, only problem is finding people to go out with. There is a few breaks here depending on what your after from an extremely long point break to climbing down cliff faces for hidden waves, or 5 second long 1 ft deep bombies.
Angourie of course, who could forget it.
Black Rock at Nambucca Heads.

[z80]

You have to check out Croajingalong national park.

Don't be put off by the 45 minute dirt road drive to get there.

[madwag]

hey im in newtown today long story but im here,
my fav beach so far becasue of the rain, i didnt get to many or they where dirty or they had poor waves, i would have to pick Sawtell, that was great, and also Pipi beach in Yamba was great too.
going to do the tourist thing and hit up bondi today!