The Australian National Surfing Competition for 2015 is being held in the town that is home to the “Big Banana”. For those of you are scratching your heads trying to work out the name of this town, it’s Coffs Harbour. Located on the mid north coast of NSW, if you ask for directions on where to turn off the Pacific Highway to reach the Coffs Harbour beaches you will be told to turn at the “Big Banana”. There actually is a large yellow banana built outside the local tourist attraction.

The Surfing Competition this year has divisions for all boards – long boards, short boards, body boards – and surfers-male, female, junior, masters,open. With the wide range of surf spots in close proximity to Coffs Harbour there is bound to be waves to test the skill of the competitors. Each spot has a wind and swell direction, wave size and break type (reef, beach,sand). Below is a short summary of the more well-known breaks in the area.

Coffs Harbour Surf Spots

Emerald Beach

A great spot to find long lefts over the sandbanks. Best waves are dependent of the sandbank itself. North-east to south east swell 0.5 to 2m combined with winds from the north west produces the best rides.

Moonee Creek

A decent beach break can be found where Moonee Creek meets the sea. This spot doesn’t work well with big swells with best breaks at 0.5 to 1.5m. Good rides to be had with south-easterly swells and south-westerly to north-westerly winds.

Diggers

Diggers can get some good beach breaks if the sandbanks are in the right places and surrounded by headlands and hills it offers protection from strong winds from most directions. It works best in south-easterly swells up to 3m and south-westerly winds.

Macauleys Beach

Macauleys Beach will produce a ride in most types of swell but is best when it comes in from the south east. Long lefts can be found running from the point to the beach in a big swell.

Park Beach

The breaks at Park Beach are dependent on the sandbanks. When it’s working there are some decent rides to be had with the best to be found on a south east swell with a north west wind.

Coffs Harbour Northern Breakwall

As the name suggests the Northern Breakwall breaks at the northern end of the Coffs Harbour Breakwall. Big south to south-easterly swells can produce some wild right handers but is definitely an experienced surfers only break.

Gallows

Gallows gives a great left reef point break but needs the right conditions to work good waves. When there is a south-easterly swell (best between 1.5 to 3m) and north to north-westerly wind this is a surf for experienced surfers only. These conditions come about most oftern in the winter months.

Trapdoors

Trapdoors is where to find a long right point break. The waves can get out of control so should only be attempted by experienced surfers only. Works best in south-westerly winds and has no trouble with southerly swells up to 5m. When its working there are some good barrels on offer.

Sawtell Beach & The Island

There is a fairly consistent beach break here. The creek outlet on the south-side of Sawtell Beach means waves will differ depending on the tide, bank location and swell size. Waves range from wedges to point breaks and wedges.

The Island at the southern end of the beach can produce fast long rights, but is not very consistent, unless the sand banks are formed right. Sawtell Island is one of the best spots for a winter surf, especially in a heavy swell from the South and southerly winds.

Boat Ramp

When most of the other breaks are wild Boat Ramp is where the strong surfers find a wave. The barrels on offer at this spot are brilliant in these conditions however surfers need to be aware that the breakwall is there and dangerously easy to hit in big swells.

Coffs Harbour has really turned on the sunshine for the 2015 titles and with a good range of breaks to choose from the competition should produce some great rides.