SURFING is a big drawcard of the area. Not just because we have 83 beaches stretched along 110 kilometres of coastline but because of the pristine waters and the fact that you can get a wave without heaps of surfers competing you for them.
The Eurobodalla region has some of the most spectacular and unspoilt coastline on the South Coast of NSW. There are plenty of beautiful sandy ocean beaches to choose from, as well as quiet beaches in sheltered bays.
There are protected beaches with gentle waves for the kids and serious breaks if you love surfing. This is a rugged coastline though, exposed to the Tasman Sea and care should always be taken, even in the calmest bays and lakes.
Surf Life Saving Club volunteers patrol the following four beaches on weekends and public holidays from September to April:
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Malua Bay Beach
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South Broulee Beach
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South Head, Moruya
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Surf Beach, Narooma
During December and January, there are daily paid patrols at eight popular swimming beaches.
Patrolled beaches in the warmer months include Surf Beach and Malua Bay Beach near Batemans Bay, as well as Broulee Beach, Moruya Beach, Tuross Beach at Tuross Head, Dalmeny Beach and Narooma Surf Beach.
The BeachSafe APP
The Beach safe website and App are a great tool to have on your beach going holiday. It lists ALL the beaches, large and small, in the Eurobodalla.
The Surf Life Saving Australia BeachSafe site includes the location, facilities, weather, conditions and lifesaving services for all Australian beaches to help you find the right beach. BeachSafe also provides expert advice about flags and signs, waves, rip currents, marine creatures, surf skills and more.
If you are seeking bigger waves along the coast then the general picks are (north to south):
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Breaks at North & South Durras are popular. South Durras beach, the best breaks are in front of the lake. North Durras offers many top reef breaks (incl. Bumholes, Stones, Depot Beach Boat Ramp, and No Swells) and should be surfed with caution. When conditions are real big the pro's come down and get pulled in with jet skis out on the Bomborra off Durras
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Surf Beach is the first real ocean beach as you head south out of Batemans Bay and offers a gentle wave that is ideal for beginners to intermediate surfers. The beach falls away gradually and evenly which allows children to gain confidence in the water. Surf the Bay and Soulrider offer beginner surfing lessons here.
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Malua Bay typically provides a powerful ocean break on sand and can get rips and dumpers. Can be dangerous at times but if it breaks well, you will have a top surf.
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MacKenzies beach is shaped so that the waves funnel in and compress to become a very powerful and thick wave when the swell runs in. Usually a left hander off the northern rocks.
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South Rosedale can be a small, gentle to large powerful wave with rips and channels. This is a nice secluded beach that is popular for surfers.
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Broulee South can handle large swells up to 12 foot and more however most of the time there is a gentle 3-4 ft wave. Broulee is a very long beach and even though most surfers head to the northern corner of the beach (in front of the surf club), there are good waves to be found right along the beach. In front of South Broulee is Broulee Island. Out on the extremity and to the north of Broulee Island is a hot reef break called Pink Rocks. It only breaks with bigger swells but the break is very heavy and it barrels. It is for experienced surfers only. Broulee North is a wider beach and often used by Broulee Surf School for lessons as it offers a more manageable wave.
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Moruya Wall is very popular in medium swells. It pitches and barrels with a quite heavy powerful wave. It has a strong rip next to the wall which takes you back to the break. Very heavy impact zone.
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Congo/Bingi offers pristine uncrowded beach breaks. Beautiful clean sand waves which can be powerful tubing waves
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Further south is Tuross Head with banks off Plantation North and Plantation beach and quite often a left hander at One Tree. next south is Potato Point that works well when it's pumping from the SE and you can often catch a good wave at Dalmeny South (also called Yabarra Beach)
If you'd like to learn to surf there are accredited surf schools at locations along the Eurobodalla coast that provide boards and wetsuits as well as expert tuition.