OZ Gold Coast February into March

[casa_mugrienta]

I am wondering if staying south of the city down towards Byron (but not Byron) would be better for my overall mental health. Peace and quiet and could still drive up to the Gold Coast.

Also would have easier access to the waves south down to maybe Angourie.

 

[freeride76]

100%.

Thats the way to do it.

Little off broadway missions to the Goldie and surf everywhere else daily.

 

[ULUSURFER]

I am wondering if staying south of the city down towards Byron (but not Byron) would be better for my overall mental health. Peace and quiet and could still drive up to the Gold Coast.

Also would have easier access to the waves south down to maybe Angourie.

yamba/angourie is a trek down there. I much prefer staying in the south gold coast and driving from there but i am partial to surfing the gold coast points. I love surfing lennox and the area around cabarita but the options are much easier in gold coast. All depends how rural you want to be. Southern gold coast isnt that crazy and is a pretty chill place

 

[Hazrus]

I would never choose to stay in the GC if I wanted a surfing holiday. Sure, the Superbank is A++ grade when it's on, but I have much more enjoyment at the "A to B grade" points south, even when Snapper is pumping.

Stay on the tweed coast (south of Kingscliff to Pottsville) or Lennox area. You can go up to the superbank with relative ease if you must scratch that itch.

Better yet, if you are going out of school holidays, just fly to Sydney, book a car there, and decide from the swell charts if you are going north or south. Should be easy to find accom.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Better yet, if you are going out of school holidays

When is that?

 

[Hazrus]

Avoid Easter weekend
nsw school holidays start on 13 April till end of April
qld holidays 29 march - 14 april

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Hmmmmm.......accom tends to be expensive in Aus.

I noticed!

Ended up booking a what looks to be a nice place in Ewingsdale for $90/night OTD and that was on the cheap end of things...assumed I needed A/C with temps running mostly 25-29C plus humidity (?)

 

[freeride76]

It's been super humid recently and for the foreseeable future- aircon will be a blessing to be able to sleep at night.

Water is super warm right now.

 

[Maz]

Have a great time, Casa. Be hard not to.

The missus and I have been to the area so many times, and it's always a pleasure, so much that we often talk about moving there. Yes, many spots are more crowded than I'm used to, but I always seem to get waves, even during Easter.

Food is good, people are friendly and congenial, things work.

Edit: how warm, @freeride76 ? ~27C, I'm guessing. I had a swim at Kirra a few years ago, and it was possibly the nicest water I've ever experienced; waaaarm and bright blue. We have 23-24C at the mo, which is very respectable for NZ.

 

[freeride76]

Yeah close to that.

Was over 27 on the Byron Buoy which is 4nm due east of Ballina Bar.

 

[Hazrus]

Good to see you've booked Casa. You'll definitely get fun beachies, at a minimum. Watch Ewingsdale Rd into Byron though... more like a carpark during busy times.

Crowds should be fine if you can handle not surfing A++ points. Plenty of room to spread out.

Are you flying into the GC, Brissy or Sydney?

 

[waxfoot]

I am wondering if staying south of the city down towards Byron (but not Byron) would be better for my overall mental health. Peace and quiet and could still drive up to the Gold Coast.

Also would have easier access to the waves south down to maybe Angourie.

You've been to the Eastern Cape of SA, so Angourie would strike you most like Cape St Francis if you made it that way. Every time I go to Angourie, childhood deja vu hits me hard.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Good to see you've booked Casa. You'll definitely get fun beachies, at a minimum. Watch Ewingsdale Rd into Byron though... more like a carpark during busy times.

Crowds should be fine if you can handle not surfing A++ points. Plenty of room to spread out.

Are you flying into the GC, Brissy or Sydney?

Brisbane

Looking at a map of the coast, it seems like the better beachbreaks are going to be either Brunswick Heads or Pottsville to the north? And Lennox/Ballina area?

 

[freeride76]

Correct.
You're in my hood- happy to help a brother get some waves.
not that it is hard around here.

 

[Aruka]

This trip is high on my list. Hope you score Casa.

 

[ULUSURFER]

Brisbane

Looking at a map of the coast, it seems like the better beachbreaks are going to be either Brunswick Heads or Pottsville to the north? And Lennox/Ballina area?

you can surf Pottsville both the point and the beach break. Last time I was there I saw a big shark in the water.

there’s beach breaks all along the tweed coast basically from cabarita on down.

 

[Hazrus]

Definitely lots of waves in the area. No real secrets; just check the swell/wind conditions and find a bank. Dead east of where you are staying - Belongil - is fairly fickle in my experience. You will likely have better luck going either south (Byron - Ballina) or at least up to Bruns or further.

I reckon just do a bit of internet sleuthing and explore yourself; It's more fun and rewarding that way.

 

[Retropete]

Active sea state now. March can be great.

 

[Hazrus]

Yeah it's looking fun for you guys in subtropical QLD/NSW over the next couple of weeks.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Getting packed. Is there a reason to bring a wetsuit? I'd typically wear a jacket or shorty on Oahu in winter.