Wing Foiling, Kitesurfing & Windsurfing in Australia
Australia has a vast network of over 25,760 km of coast line and thousands of estuaries and lakes.
The coastline comprises of the Indian Ocean to the west, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and the Southern Ocean to the south.
Combine this with good reliable sea breezes & trade winds around most of the country and you have a massive playground for wind sports enthusiasts such as wingfoiling, kitesurfing & windsurfing.
When is the windy season in Australia?
The windy season can vary from one location region to another based on a number of factors.
Much of Australia’s coast line is in the mid-latitudes where sea breezes typically follow a daily pattern.
During the day, as the land heats up more quickly than the sea, warm air rises over the land creating a low-pressure area. Cooler air from the sea then moves in to replace the rising warm air, creating a vacuum affect resulting in an onshore sea breeze.
Sea breezes are generally stronger in the afternoon, reaching their peak in the late afternoon or early evening when the temperature contrast between the land and sea is greatest.
The strength and timing of sea breezes can vary depending on local topography, coastal orientation, and other meteorological factors. Some areas may experience stronger or more consistent sea breezes based on their specific geographic features.
Coastal sea breezes occur in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Southern Queensland.
In the tropical north of Australia in such places as Far Northern Queensland and Darwin, they experiences trade winds. Trade winds are prevailing winds that blow from east to west and are a consistent feature in the Earth’s tropical and subtropical regions. In Queensland, the southeast trade winds are prevalent, and they generally blow from the southeast.
What is the best time for wind in each state of Australia?
WA – has a vast coastline along the Indian Ocean. Cities like Perth, Fremantle, and Geraldton are situated along the coast and experience the effects of sea breezes. These most consistent period for a sea breeze in WA is from December to February.
NSW – on the northern coast of NSW, sea breezes can start as early as September and can run through until April. It will generally start and finish a little earlier on the south coast as land temperatures are cooler in the shoulder months. However December to February is generally the most consistent sea breeze in NSW. The predominant wind direction is SE followed by NE.
VIC – Victoria tends to have a cooler climate than NSW so the sea breeze season doesn’t tend to kick in until December and usually prevails until February and sometimes into March. The predominant sea breeze is from the southwest or west but can be influenced by local geographical features.
SA – like Victoria, the climate is cooler until the summer months kick in to create enough heat difference between the sea and the land. The best sea breezes in South Australia are generally from December to February/March. The prevailing directions are from the west/south west however may be influenced by local topography.
TAS – Tasmania is similar to Victoria & SA. December to Feb/March.
Southern QLD – this part of Queensland (from the Whitsunday Islands down to the NSW border) generally receives a sea breeze like it’s southern neighbours. The season may start a little earlier around October/November as summer temperatures are more likely sooner than the southern states.
Far North QLD – the southeast trade winds in Queensland are associated with the dry season, which generally occurs during the winter months (May to October). These winds bring relatively dry and stable weather to much of the state. This is the time when many parts of Queensland experience milder temperatures and lower humidity.
The best spots by state
Western Australia
WA – is famous for it’s very strong sea breezes along the coast from Exmouth in the north to Esperance in the south. In between you will find some of the best wingfoiling, kiting & windsurfing spots not only in Australia but on the planet!
Exmouth is a long-long way from anywhere; approximately 1,300 kms north of Perth. However its remoteness in the great Australian wilderness on the famous Coral Coast makes it worth the effort to get there. There are numerous wing foiling, windsurfing & kitesurfing spots around Exmouth such as Sandy Bay for flat water sailing or Yardie Homestead and Graveyards for flat water, bump-and-jump & waves.
The
Geraldton (or Gero) area is renowned as one of Australia’s top destinations for kitesurfers and windsurfers due to the areas reliable southerly thermal breeze which occurs from October to April.
Basing yourself in Geraldton enables you to access spots such as Sunset Beach (in town), Point Moore (in town) and Coronation Beach (30 km drive).
Lancelin, also known as “Lano” is one of Western Australia’s best windsurfing, wing foiling/wingding and kitesurfing destinations. Located just 1.5 – 2 hours drive north of Perth on the Indian Ocean drive.
Other top spots in WA include Esperance, Albany, Bunbury, Mandurah, Perth Beaches, Swan River, Cervantes, Shark Bay, Carnarvon, Gnaraloo and many more!
New South Wales
From South to North…
The South Coast of NSW has some beautiful coastal towns with lovely beaches, inlets and lakes. Some of the most popular areas are
Merimbula, Tomakin, Batemans Bay, Jervis Bay, Shoalhaven, Gerroa for wave sailing, Wingdang Bay, Lake Illawara (speed sailing at Primbee) and little gems like Green Island.
There are dozens of spots around Sydney including Cronulla, various spots around Botany Bay and in Sydney Harbour.
Victoria
Victoria has three key area to consider, when choosing your next spot,
Port Phillip Bay being the key area around suburban Melbourne, then the east and west coasts. Over and above this there are a few lakes around which can also be good.
Close to Melbourne,
Port Phillip Bay is a great spot for wing foiling, windsurfing, sailing and SUPing, the bay has a long history of for being a melting spot of water craft activities. Some of the key locations to check out, which are great in the prevailing south westerly wind, would be
St Kilda,
Middle Park,
Dendy Street and
Ricketts Point.
On the west coast, there are many locations which work in almost every wind direction, such as
Point Danger, Point Impossible and 13th Beach.
On the east coast and Phillip Island, there are also some great spots such as Surfies,
Inverloch,
Area 45 and
Sandy Point.
This page is a work-in-progress and further information is being added frequently
