Byron Bay Beaches and Surfing

(Byron Bay, New South Wales - NSW, Australia)

The beautiful sandy beaches of Byron Bay are quite a magnet for tourists looking to relax an soak up a little Aussie sunshine. Byron Bay is also known for its surfing conditions, which tend to suit less-experienced surfers, with relatively mellow waves.

Located on Jonson Street, the Byron Bay Surf School regularly teaches at all of the town's beaches and offers inexpensive equipment hire, although a number of hotels and hostels do provide free surf boards to their guests. Main Beach tends to be where most visitors hang out when they first arrive, being conveniently located right in front of the town itself and patrolled by lifeguards all through the summer season. During the winter months, temperatures are often a little too cool to consider swimming.

General Information

An area known as the Pass lies on the southerly end of the Main Beach, and this sandy stretch is especially popular with surfers, although can become rather crowded at times. Nearby, both Watego's and Little Watego's offer some seclusion, being somewhat hidden and residing on the northerly side of Byron Point. These beaches tend to be most suitable for beginner surfers and longboarders, since the breaks are generally less pronounced than those of the Pass.

To the east, Clarks Beach is also a popular spot, offering good surf at times. On the western side of Byron Bay, many locals favour Belongil Beach, next to the Tyagarah Nature Reserve, where clothing is optional, suiting nudists looking for an all-over tan. Once a month on the third Sunday, a local Byron nudist organisation hosts a picnic on Belongil, with games and friendly competitions.

Belongil is where you will find the famous Wreck surf spot, which is located just 30 metres / 98 feet offshore and enjoys reliably strong waves, caused by the sandbank formed following the 1922 wreck of the Wollongbar. The ship's rudder is clearly visible and stands above the waves, while at low tides, the ship's boilers can also be seen.

Lying just a short distance to the south of Cape Byron and usually relatively quiet, Tallow's Beach stretches some 7 km / 4 miles towards Broken Head. Here a plethora of smaller beaches seem to be randomly scattered along the coastline and lead to Seven Mile Beach, and ultimately Lennox Head. The outlying suburb of Suffolk Park, situated approximately 5 km / 3 miles from south of Byron Bay, boasts good surfing, particularly during the winter.