Surfing the Fleurieu Peninsula
A popular weekend and day trip getaway for many Adelaide surfers, the surf spots south of the city and around the south coast of the peninsula offer fun waves for surfers of all levels.
During the almost annual summer heatwaves that occur in South Oz, non surfing folk also head to the beaches in droves to relax and cool off.
The Fleurieu Peninsula offers everything from luxury tourism and splendid wineries, to the Aussie beach holiday experience as it has always been; caravan parks, fish & chips, ice creams, beer gardens and sandy feet. There's good fishing too.
Surfing Lessons
Getting There
Car
From Adelaide, Moana is 40 minutes drive south & Victor Harbor is 1.5 hours drive south.
Rail
Trains go from Adelaide to Noarlunga only.
Bus
Premier Stateliner links Adelaide to Victor Harbor & Adelaide Metro to the beaches around Seaford.
Airports
Adelaide Airport serviced by all domestic airlines is 15 minutes from the city & 1.5 hours drive to Victor Harbor.
Airport transfers
Adelaide Airport Flyer.
Car Hire
Renting a car or van is a great way to see & surf South Australia. Hire a car or campervan.
Where To Sleep
Camping
Middleton, Port Elliot, Victor Harbor, Aldinga, Moana, McLaren Vale Lakeside Caravan Park.
Hostels & Holiday Parks on Fleurieu Peninsula
Hotels & Holiday Homes on Fleurieu Peninsula
Between Surf Sessions
What to see & do
Walk across the causeway from Victor Harbor to the Granite Island Recreation & Nature Park where you may see penguins around dusk (please give them some space and stick to the paths).
Spoil yourself to some fine food & wine in the wonderful wine region of McLaren Vale.
Catch the old cockle steam train from Victor Harbor to the Murray River town of Goolwa. The journey takes 30 minutes & travels along the coast offering great views of the beaches & the Southern Ocean.
Where to eat & drink
The best places for fine dining are Victor Harbor & McLaren Vale, and all the major towns on the peninsula provide a good range of options. The culinary quality in and around Adelaide is very good.
Victor Harbor is a popular destination for students from Adelaide so head here if you're after some nightlife or cruise back up to Adelaide itself.
Climate
Surf Spots for Beginners & Kids
Along the Mid Coast south of Adelaide and between Victor Harbor and Goolwa are numerous surf spots that are often very good for beginners. For info on these spots click on the landmarks on the map below.
Good To Know...
For beginners still practicing in the whitewater, the beaches at Middleton and Goolwa offer mellow, rolling waves that break over one of the broadest sandbars in the country. Located to the west of the mouth of the Murray River (or River Murray as they say around here), paddling out the back here may require negotiating dozens of waves after each ride, so bring your paddling arms or stick to catching the whitewater waves closer to shore.
To the west of Victor Harbor, inside the Newland Head Conservation Park, are Waitpinga and Parsons Beaches, which offer a more powerful and challenging surfing experience. These two beach breaks pack plenty of punch, with uneven sandbars and very strong rips. This is an isolated area and the difference in wave size and energy between here and around Middleton can be surprising, so assess the conditions carefully before deciding to enter the water or not. Beginner surfers should steer clear of these spots unless the waves are tiny and surf with a friend who possesses decades of surfing experience.
If the surf is massive on the South Coast and the wind is from the south or south east, head back up towards Adelaide's Mid Coast for more sheltered surf options. Remember to practise surfing etiquette.
Warm wetsuits are needed all year round on the South Coast except in late summer when you can get away with a short sleeved spring suit. Back up towards Adelaide the water is a little warmer and reaches 20 degrees Celcius in summer.
Surf Shops
Barrel Surf & Skate Goolwa
Big Surf Australia Middleton
Southern Surf Port Elliot
The Surf Shop Victor Harbor
SurfDiveSkate Victor Harbor
Surf Power Victor Harbor
South Coast Surf Normanville
Surf Esteem Aldinga
Surf Culture Moana
Fly Boardriding Seaford
Preece's South Port Surf & Skate
Mv2 Surf Skate & Lifestyle
Mid Coast Surf Lonsdale
Cutloose Surf Lonsdale
Surfboard Repairers
Cutloose Surf or ask in any of the other
surf shops if you need a board repaired
Boardriders Club
Surfer Girls Surf Club
Microgroms
Seaview Road Boardriders Club
Seaford Board Riders
Classic Lines Longboarding Club