A surf instructor guiding a group of beginners into the whitewater on an Australian beach

The guide · Operators

Who to
ride with

Eight established Australian surf operators — schools, camps and wave parks — with what each one does, where it runs and who it's best for.

A beginner surf lesson on the sand at Bondi Beach

Surf school · Sydney

Let's Go Surfing

Bondi Beach & beyond, NSW

Founded at Bondi in 1995 by surfer Brenda Miley — famously starting out of a Kombi van with a mission to get more women into the water — Let's Go Surfing has grown into one of Sydney's most awarded schools. It runs lessons for all ages and abilities, strong women's and community programs, and has picked up multiple NSW tourism honours along the way.

BeginnersAll agesWomen's focusGroup & private
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Surf students carrying soft boards into the water at Manly Beach

Surf school · Northern Beaches

Manly Surf School

North Steyne, Manly, NSW

Open every day of the year, Manly Surf School teaches across some of Sydney's best learning beaches — Manly, Collaroy, Long Reef and Palm Beach — with boards and wetsuits included. There are group and private lessons, kids' programs from age five, and city pick-up day tours that pair two lessons with a trip to the Northern Beaches.

BeginnersKids from 5Day toursGear included
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Surfers riding machine-made waves in the URBNSURF lagoon at dusk

Surf park · Melbourne & Sydney

URBNSURF

Tullamarine, Melbourne · Sydney Olympic Park

URBNSURF opened Australia's first surf park at Tullamarine (beside Melbourne Airport) in January 2020 — the world's first lagoon built on Wavegarden's "Cove" system — followed by a second park at Sydney Olympic Park. Sessions are graded from gentle learn-to-surf whitewater through to advanced reef-like barrels, with family sessions, kids' programs, women's sessions, bodyboard nights and multi-week progression courses. You pick a left or a right, gear is on site, and the waves keep coming whatever the ocean is doing.

BeginnersAdvancedKids & familyLessonsGear hire
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A family surf lesson on the Great Ocean Road at Torquay

Surf school · VIC & QLD

Go Ride A Wave

Great Ocean Road · Gold Coast · Noosa

One of Australia's largest multi-site schools, teaching since the late 1980s across the Great Ocean Road (Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, Ocean Grove) and in Queensland (Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Noosa). Lessons run around two hours — a sand briefing then waist-deep water — with full wetsuit and soft board provided, plus SUP hire and the junior SurfGroms program for kids.

BeginnersFamiliesSurfGromsSUP & hire
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Travellers on a multi-day surf camp trip on the NSW coast

Surf camps · East coast

Mojosurf

Byron region & the NSW–QLD coast

A long-running favourite with travellers and backpackers, Mojosurf runs social surf camps and multi-day surf-and-stay adventures up and down the east coast. Trips bundle lessons, boards, transport and accommodation into one easy package — a ready-made way to learn to surf while meeting people and moving between breaks.

TravellersBeginnersMulti-day tripsSocial
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Beachside overnight surf camp at Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa

Surf camp · Gerroa, NSW

Surf Camp Australia

Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa, NSW South Coast

Australia's original overnight learn-to-surf camp, running since 1999 on the long, gentle beach break of Seven Mile at Gerroa — about two hours south of Sydney. Weekend and multi-day packages are all-inclusive: instruction, gear, beachside accommodation, meals and photos. It's a classic rite of passage for first-time surfers and travellers.

BeginnersTravellersOvernight campsAll-inclusive
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A surf lesson at Rivermouth in Margaret River, Western Australia

Surf school · Margaret River, WA

Margaret River Surfing Academy

Rivermouth, Prevelly, WA

A leading school in Western Australia's premier surf region, teaching at the gentler Rivermouth within sight of some of the country's heaviest waves. Beginner group lessons (from age eight, with basic swimming) include a soft-top board, full wetsuit and an ocean-safety briefing — a safe, supervised introduction to a world-class coast.

BeginnersKids from 8CoachingGear included
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A surf lesson on the gentle beach break at Byron Bay

Surf school · Byron Bay, NSW

Byron Bay Surf School

Byron Bay, NSW Northern Rivers

Byron's warm, forgiving beaches are some of the best in the country to learn on, and Byron Bay Surf School runs group and private surf and stand-up-paddle lessons across them with accredited local coaches. It's an easy, friendly introduction for beginners and improvers — and a great base for exploring the region's famous points once you've found your feet.

BeginnersImproversSUPGroup & private
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A lone surfer walking the shoreline at dusk

Pick a wave, then pick your crew

Explore the spots