South Australia
Surf Spots & Information

South Australia is in the southern central part of the
country and covers some of the most arid parts of the continent.
With a total land area of 983,482 square kilometers (379,725 sq mi), it is
the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories. It is bordered to the west by Western Australia, to the north by the Northern Territory and Queensland, to the east by Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and along the south by the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean.

With nearly 1.6 million people, South Australia comprises less than 10% of the Australian population. The majority of its people reside in the state capital, Adelaide, with most of the remainder settled in fertile areas along the southeastern coast and River Murray.

The South Australia coast from the border to Kingston is very similar to Victoria's southern coast - lots of limestone reefs with beaches in between. But you will need to explore. This coastline is also right open to the Southern Ocean. From Kingston the coast swings northwest and is mostly a large unbroken beach. Surfing potential here is limited by access (there are very few places to access the beach and a 4WD is necessary), and size usually decreases the further north you move. This beach ends at Victor Harbor; in this area there are reef and beach breaks, although Kangaroo Island can block swell.

Adelaide, South Australia's capital, is located on the Gulf of St . Vincent. Although it can get small choppy waves, it isn't really a serious destination. Adelaide's surfers usually head for the tip of Yorke Peninsula, where there are some good reef/point setups. Spencer Gulf separates Yorke Peninsula from Eyre Peninsula.

The southern and western coasts of Eyre Peninsula offer a variety of reef, point and beach breaks. There are some closely guarded classic setups along this coast. Many of the waves are quite powerful and are not to be underestimated. West of Ceduna are the famous cactus beach breaks, some of several well-known breaks in the area.

The country is harsh and 40+ Celsius land temperatures can combine with 25+ Celsius water temperatures. Great Whites patrol the area regularly, so be careful! The surf ends at the Nullabour Plain, not due to lack of swell, but due to 200 miles of unbroken cliff that stretches to the Western Australia border.

Find a surf school in South Australia.

South Australia Surf Spots

Fowlers Bay Area (Caves, Castles, Cactus, Cunns, Crushers)
Surf Location	Far west region of South Australia, which holds numerous high-quality breaks. This area requires a committed road trip to reach.
Best Swell Direction	Southwest, South
Best Tide	Incoming tide
Best Wind Direction	North
Best Surf Season	Year-round
Wave Quality	Lots of good waves at all these breaks to go with lots of big sharks. Caves especially can get epic.
The Surfers	These spots are remote and have a loyal following of experienced surfers, so be respectful and deliberate when surfing here.
Boards	Shortboard
Paddle Out	Depends on swell size
Skill Level	Intermediate to Expert
Bottom	Reef, rocks and sand
Watch Out For...	Sharks, locals
Water Condition	Gin clear

Pennington Bay
Surf Location	Located on Kangaroo Island. You can reach it via a quick flight or ferry. The break is located close to American River, which is the main town on the island.
Best Swell Direction	South, Southwest
Best Tide	Incoming tide
Best Wind Direction	North
Best Surf Season	Can get big in winter, but breaks year-round
Wave Quality	Powerful, hollow and fast right and left beach break
The Surfers	Fun beach break that occasionally delivers workable walls and nice tubes
Boards	Any board will work
Paddle Out	Easy to moderate depending on swell
Skill Level	Intermediate
Bottom	Sand with some rocks
Watch Out For...	Sharks
Water Condition	Super clean

Knights Beach (The Wedge)
Surf Location	In Port Elliot in same area of Middleton Beach
Best Swell Direction	Southwest, South
Best Tide	Mid and High
Best Wind Direction	North
Best Surf Season	Year-round
Wave Quality	Beach break, so breaks both ways. It is similar to the Newport wedge, so watch out! It can get hollow and bone-crunching powerful. Since it is near Adelaide, it is also crowded.
The Surfers	Good surfers…big crowd
Boards	Shortboard on small days, body boarders when it gets big
Paddle Out	Easy to difficult depending on swell
Skill Level	Intermediate
Bottom	Sand and rock
Watch Out For...	Sharks, locals
Water Condition	Clean

Middleton
Surf Location	In Port Elliot near Adelaide
Best Swell Direction	Southwest, South
Best Tide	Mid and High
Best Wind Direction	North
Best Surf Season	Twelve months a year you will find surf here
Wave Quality	Fun beach break
The Surfers	Crowded at times
Boards	Longboard, shortboard
Paddle Out	Moderate
Skill Level	Beginners
Bottom	Sandy with rocks
Watch Out For...	Rocks
Water Condition	Brown-tinted water due to Murry River outflow