THE coastline to Byron Bay features some of the world’s best breaks — here are the top 10 as voted by you. Honourable mentions to The Other Side at South Straddie and Kirra which only had a few nominations — probably because surfers want to keep them from overcrowding.
10. Narrowneck and Fingal Gold Coast, Fingal Head NSW
Locals are thanking the council for the artificial reef that helps create Narrowneck’s quality wave. When the surf peaks the reef can provide some of the best rides on any open stretch. Fingal relies on sand to fill in the gaps and prefers a north easterly swell.
9. Greenmount Superbank
This southern end of the Gold Coast boasts the best breaks. World champion locals Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning are often shredding Greenmount. You’ll get your best ride when there is a southerly swell and south-easterly wind.
8. Surfers Paradise Surfers
Passed the crowded sand you’ll find you’ve stumbled across a wipe-out wonderland. It may be the top tourist spot on the Gold Coast, but among the sightseers are keen surfers who can always rely on the Surfers break. Locals and visitors claim the exposed beach break has dependable surf, with waves breaking both left and right.
7. Rainbow Bay Superbank
It used to be known as a section of the Superbank where wave faces open up for surfers to carve across but this year Hawaiian surfer Freddy Patacchia struggled to find swell in his heat and rode his surfboard into the rocks on the shoreline before punching the water and screaming.
6. The Superbank Coolangatta
The stretch of sand that encompasses Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay, Greenmount and Kirra was nominated in its own category. Sand has been pumped from The Tweed since February 2001 to prevent erosion on Gold Coast beaches, but arguably more importantly creating perfect waves.
5. Currumbin Alley Currumbin
Making up a third of the Gold Coast’s famed point breaks, it sits at the mouth of Currumbin Creek. Quickly fills up with long boarders and other surf craft when small and one of the most ideal spots to learn how to surf. The unique river mouth point break can also hold larger waves in cyclone swells for surfers lucky enough to own a jet ski.
4. Duranbah New South Wales
Quiksilver Pro organisers were very apprehensive about moving the competition from Snapper Rocks over to Point Danger recently even though the surf was better there earlier this year. NSW’s most northerly stretch of sand is an east-facing beach with exposed swell creating punchy, technical waves.
3. Snapper Rocks Coolangatta
It is home to the annual Quiksilver Pro World Surfing League competition. As well as being the first leg of surfing’s world tour Snapper is also the first section of the spectacular Superbank. Has been the subject of overcrowding concern of late, with unrelenting crowds flocking to the stretch of beach whenever the surf is good.
2. Burleigh Heads Burleigh Heads
Set in front of granite boulders and lush national park the birth place of the now standard man-on-man surf competition in 1977 has a soft spot in the hearts of Gold Coast surfers. Prior to the introduction of The Superbank. it was arguably one of the most consistent waves on the Gold Coast. It is a high-performance break that offers perfect waves for surfers who manage to get over the boulders leading up to the break and past the strong current.
1. The Pass Byron Bay
The favourite wave for Gold Coast Bulletin readers is two shires down the road in New South Wales territory — no doubt popular here because all the Snapper fans want everyone to bugger off there for the day. Nevertheless, The Pass is a mostly-gentle, beautifully tapered right wave that can roll along for up to 300 metres along in pristine beach and overlooked by verdant hills.