when is the australian surf season?

Hey Wouter

Im on the east coast just south of Sydney

Usually late Autumn through Winter into Spring we get the most low pressure systems creating swell  with offshore winds.

cheers

In Victoria we have swell year round - generally a bit bigger and more powerful in winter (June-September).

http://www.swellnet.com.au/forecast.php?state_id=3&region_id=35

Winter's my favourite time because the footy boys are off running around fields and most of the clowns are in front of their fireplaces.  And I get to pull out the pintail.!

But Autumn (March-May) is the best season - sunny, warm water (17 -19 C), light winds and south swells kicking in

Wouter, it all depends. If you are a serious/advanced surfer, who likes powerful waves then the above replies are valid. If you are not specifically hunting those kind of waves, there's pretty much something all year round. Im a little bit more south than ripbowl. I would describe myself as an intermediate surfer ( being keen doesnt make you any better unfortunately haha ), and i surf once or twice a week ( 3 times if im lucky ), pretty much all year round. Im talking knee to head high mostly, but sometimes we are lucky and get head high plus. One thing you do find here is variety. Beaches, rivermouths, reefs, points etc

Hope it helps.

P.S you need to tell us where you are planning to surf. It's a big place!!

Hey Wout...

I'd be sorry if you did'nt make it to Victoria, but If it were me flying in from OS and wanted the Aussie experience and the best likelihood of waves, I'd be going Sydney then South.

Need I say Aussie Pipe? Ulladulla? Merimbula Bar? 

Be prepared to need anything from shorts to a full steamer, more than one board if you can.

Josh

www.joshdowlingshape.com

Don't want to put you off exploring the sth eastern area of N.S.W but the good breaks get really crowded now.  Aussie pipe is worth a look but virtually unsurfable these days if theres any hint of a NE wind.  It's the kind of break that gets better through the day and it's not uncommon to have 30-40 people siting on the 10sq meter take off spot in the arvo.  The times I've surfed it in the last year I've paddled out in the dark, sometimes lucky but if it's good there'll be 10 boogieboarders already there. The break-ins are so bad everyboday leaves the cars completly open.  Weekends and school holidays forget about any reef near Ulladulla, it's only 3 hours from sydney now the highway's so good.

You'll get uncrowded beach breaks anywhere you go in oz the place is so big but If your coming in summer I reckon go the north coast of N.S.W for board shorts, girls and Coopers on tap.  Otherwise grow some serrious balls and head to Sth oz, vic or even Tassie. My 2 cents.

wouter wrote:

i dont want to spend 2000 AUS dollar to go surf head high waves... i want to rock hardwith pintail like boards [sigh!!]

I don't know how your side of the north sea pond have been lately, but right now I'd kill and/or sell my soul for head high clean surf. *sigh*

One of the world's longest running pro surf events has been run in The 3rd week of November in Victoria for 25 years.  http://www.phillipislandkneeboardclassic.com/

Conditions range from blistering heat, breathless double head high perfection to knee high in freezing gale force southerlies (sometimes both on the same day!). 

Like all travel you need to get lucky.  One guarantee - there will be swell and places to go in different winds.  Not many guys are trunking it at that time - more like 3/2 wetties.  Push too far into December and you can end up with less good swells.

Wouter, if your coming up this way (qld, nsw border) then i would wait a few months. it gets better winds and swell after christmas and after jan is better as school is back then.

If you are serious tho i would pm lennox76 aka steve shearer who does the swellnet forecast for this region. he knows this stuff inside out and could give you a good idea of where to go for the time of year your heading down under.

but if i was after surf that requires a semi or full gun to surf i wouldnt be coming here. i surf a fish or log 90% of the time. like the others have said, go south of sydney or WA. even bali/indo in the off season would be better.

cheers,

scot