Port Phillip Bay (Victoria, Australia)
Green Point Port Phillip Bay
Windsurfing & Kitesurfing Spots around Port Phillip Bay
Port Phillip Bay might not register as one of the all-time great destinations in the world of windsurfing but it offers some pretty good sailing with super easy access from a big city and its suburbs.
There is enough launching spots for kite boarders & windsurfers around the bay to be able to get out in every wind angle.
During summer many parts of the bay (particularly the northern end) experience afternoon sea-breezes from the south (15 -20 knots is very common from 2 pm) as the land heats up on a hot day.
During winter most storms start with a northerly system and winds can be quite strong and sometimes squally. Sailors tend to congregate during winter down on the Mornington Peninsula at places like Rye where a northerly works well.
The main sailing season is Nov through to Feb however Oct and Mar can also be ok. And there are those that will brave the Melbourne winter storms to get a sail in during the winter months.
Pros
- The bay is 360 degrees so there is a spot for every wind angle
- There are dozens of spots within 1 hour of the city of Melbourne
Cons
- The water is relatively cool in summer (around 18-20 deg C) and down-right freezing in winter (sub 10 deg C).
- The fetch in most locations is substantial generating bay swell and rather large choppy waves in most spots
- Many spots have a sizeable shore break in on-shore conditions making it difficult for those with less experience to launch.
SE Bayside
Bayside to the SE of Melbourne encompasses a large number of beaches & points that work in most directions; apart from NE and E that are mostly off-shore and can be gusty due to land obstructions. Unfortunately the water quality at this end of the bay can vary and can be quite dirty just after a rain storm but it is mostly pretty good.
For kitesurfing St Kilda West beach is the mecca in Bayside and is also the spot where several kite boarding centres operate their lessons. Other popular areas include Brighton Beach &
For windsurfers Middle Park, Point Ormond, Elwood Beach, Dendy Street Brighton, Green Point, Ricketts Point South, Ricketts Point North, Aspendale,
For beginner windsurfers the Sandringham Harbour is a nice sheltered & shallow spot.
Mornington Peninsula
Mornington Peninsula is a popular holiday & weekend destination for Melbournites. The water at this end of the bay is generally clean and blue (even turquoise blue in some spots where the shallow sand is close to white) due to it getting flushed in/out of the heads each day. This means the water is typically colder as well.
Many of the spots around the bay-side of the peninsula are good in northerlies (N, NE, NW). This is particularly handy during winter when the bay tends to get most of the high winds from the north (and a northerly wind is far warmer than a southerly blowing from Antarctica).
Some of the most popular spots on the peninsula include Rye, Blairgowrie, Rosebud, Dromana, Safety Beach and Mt Martha (but many other spots in between).
For kitesurfers Rosebud is one of the most popular spots.
Western Bayside
There is not a huge choice of windsurfing spots on the western side of Melbourne however Altona and Williamstown Beach can be good. As for kitesurfing Altona Beach is very popular.
Geelong & Bellarine Peninsula
The Bellarine Peninsula has some good flat-water and bump-and-jump spots on the bay side of the peninsula such as Point Henry (near Geelong), Portarlington, St Leonards and flat water blasting / speed sailing on Swan Bay and Lake Connewarre.
On the ocean-side of the peninsula you will find some good wave sailing at the Barwon Heads river mouth, 13th Beach, Point Impossible and the famous Point Danger where Jason Polakow started his wave sailing career.
Windsurfing Spots - Port Phillip Bay
Following are a number of popular spots for windsurfing around Port Phillip Bay. This by no means all of the spots and we would be happy to add you favourite spot. Contact us here>>
Windsurfing Spots
- Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- E
- S
- SE
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Speed Sailing
- Bump and Jump
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Windsurfing at Altona on Port Phillip Bay Altona Beach is an option for windsurfing when the wind blows from the E, SE, SW and S (onshore). Due to a sand bar about 50m from shore it creates a shallow speed strip that works on a full tide. Beyond the bar the water chops up for some classic Port Phillip Bay Read more... - Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- S
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
- Foiling
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Windsurfing at Aspendale Aspendale is located about 40 mins drive SE of Melbourne on Port Phillip Bay. This spot is good for all levels of windsurfers. The conditions are flat water in light wind to bump-and-jump in moderate to high wind and some bay wave chop sailing in high winds. Aspendale can work in W, NW, WSW or SW and Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- E
- NE
- NW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Blairgowrie is located on Port Phillip Bay on the Mornington Peninsula approximately 105 km (1.5 hours drive) from Melbourne. This spot offers good bump-and-jump conditions from NW to E. It is also possible to sail in a S and SW however it is off-shore and somewhat gusty but the water can be very flat in these conditions. Access & Launching Read more... - Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- S
- W
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freestyle
- Foiling
Ability:- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Dendy Street Brighton is located on Port Phillip Bay NE of Melbourne. This spot is good for flat-water-blasting and bump-and-jump in a S, SW, W (SW is best) for strong intermediate to advanced riders. IN SW around 15 knots it’s a fairly smooth, side-to-on swell out to sea and perfectly flat on the inside for gybing. In a big southerly Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- NE
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
Ability:- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Dromana is located on Port Phillip Bay on the Mornington Peninsula approximately 85km (1 hour drive) south of Melbourne. This spot works from WSW to NNE and is ideal for flat water blasting and bump-and-jump. Access & Launching The most popular area for launching is to the north of the Dromana jetty. The beach is a large and sandy beach Read more... - Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- S
- W
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Windsurfing at Elwood, VIC Elwood is located on Port Phillip Bay approximately 8km SE of Melbourne. This spot is associated with Elwood Sailing Club which has a strong following of recreational windsurfers with up to 50 members dedicated to the sport. On a good day you can find 20+ windsurfers launching from the front of the club and a further Read more... - Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- N
- S
- W
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Green Point is located between South Rd and Gould St, Brighton and is a great spot for Melbourne locals when the wind blows from the NNW to S. It is particularly of interest in those hot northerly wind days where other areas at the head of Port Phillip Bay don’t work very well. Kitesurfing is not permitted here however there Read more... - Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- S
- SE
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Speed Sailing
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Lake Connewarre is located on the Bellarine Peninsula just a short drive out of Geelong in Victoria. This spot can be good for flat-water-blasting and even speed sailing if the conditions are right regarding wind direction, tide & amount of weed. The spot works from SE to SW (best being SSE though to SW). A weed fin is highly recommended. Read more... - Suited to: WindsurfingBest wind direction:
- S
- SE
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Foiling
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Middle Park is located just a few kms from the Melbourne CBD and is a regular hang-out for local windsurfers. The spot works well from SW to SE for flat-water-sailing however the water can be pretty choppy as there is a lot of fetch by the time the wind arrives at this end of the bay so it is more Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- S
- W
- NE
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Speed Sailing
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Point Henry is located on the Bellarine Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay near Geelong (approximately 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne). This spot is great for flat-water-blasting and bump-and-jump and works best in a strong Northerly or a Westerly (NW being best). N & S is cross-shore; add a bit of W and you get a nice cross-on-shore. When the wind Read more...
Kitesurfing Spots - Port Phillip Bay
Following are a number of popular spots for kiteboarding around Port Phillip Bay. This by no means all of the spots and we would be happy to add you favourite spot. Contact us here>>
Kitesurfing Spots
- Suited to: KitesurfingBest wind direction:
- E
- S
- SE
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Foiling
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Kitesurfing at Altona Beach on Port Phillip Bay Altona Beach is one of Melbourne’s best kiteboarding locations. This spot works well in a E, SE, SW and S (onshore) breeze and is ideal for flat water kiting in the shallows closer to shore where the water is protected by a big sandbar or bump-and-jump on the other side of the Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- E
- NE
- NW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Blairgowrie is located on Port Phillip Bay on the Mornington Peninsula approximately 105 km (1.5 hours drive) from Melbourne. This spot offers good bump-and-jump conditions from NW to E. It is also possible to sail in a S and SW however it is off-shore and somewhat gusty but the water can be very flat in these conditions. Access & Launching Read more... - Suited to: KitesurfingBest wind direction:
- N
- S
- W
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
- Foiling
Ability:- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Brighton Beach is located on Port Phillip Bay SE of Melbourne. This is a good spot mostly for locals not wanting to travel too far to get a sail in. It works for bump-and-jump, freestyle, foiling and blasting. Whilst S & SW is the best direction, this spot also works well in a N, NW, W. Pretty much anything without Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- NE
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
Ability:- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Dromana is located on Port Phillip Bay on the Mornington Peninsula approximately 85km (1 hour drive) south of Melbourne. This spot works from WSW to NNE and is ideal for flat water blasting and bump-and-jump. Access & Launching The most popular area for launching is to the north of the Dromana jetty. The beach is a large and sandy beach Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- S
- W
- NE
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Speed Sailing
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
- Freestyle
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Point Henry is located on the Bellarine Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay near Geelong (approximately 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne). This spot is great for flat-water-blasting and bump-and-jump and works best in a strong Northerly or a Westerly (NW being best). N & S is cross-shore; add a bit of W and you get a nice cross-on-shore. When the wind Read more... - Suited to: KitesurfingBest wind direction:
- N
- NE
- NW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freestyle
- Down-Winders
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Kitesurfing Rosebud – Port Phillip Bay Rosebud is located on the Mornington Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay about 1 hour drive from Melbourne. It is fast becoming one of Melbourne’s most popular kitesurfing spots both during summer and winter. This spot works best in N, NW, NE. This section of the peninsula has kilometres of flat water with a clean Read more... - Best wind direction:
- N
- E
- W
- NE
- NW
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
WIND:The best wind directions here are from North West to East however the best direction tends to be either from the North East or North West. North is direct on-shore and can be difficult to get our far enough to get away from the shallows and the sand bars.
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Rye Front-Beach Victoria, Australia Rye Front Beach is located on the Mornington Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay about 100 km from Melbourne (1.5 hours drive). It is a great location for bump-and-jump and flat-water-blasting for both windsurfers and kitesurfers. Due to the shallow water it is also a great spot for beginners & improvers as you can easily stand up. Read more... - Best wind direction:
- W
- SW
Sailing type:- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Freeride
Ability:- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Best months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Safety Beach is located on the Mornington Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay. It works best in a SW breeze but also works in a W. No good in a S or N as there is too much of a wind-shadow. The spot is suited to all levels of windsurfers & intermediate to advanced kiteboarders. It is ideal for flat-water-blasting and Read more...
Windsurfing Clubs
- Sailing Type:
- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
Best Months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Best wind directions:- NE
- E
- ESE
- SE
- SSE
- S
- SSW
Elwood Sailing Club, Elwood Victoria Elwood Sailing Club (ESC) is located on Port Philip Bay approximately 8km SE of Melbourne. The club has a mix of mono-hull & multi-hull sailing craft. Sailors meet for racing on Saturday’s from October to April each year. It also has a strong following of recreational windsurfers with up to 50 members dedicated to the Read more... - Sailing Type:
- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
Best Months:- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Best wind directions:- E
- SE
- SW
- W
Mordialloc Sailing Club is located in Mordialloc on Port Phillip Bay approximately 30kms (35 mins drive) from Melbourne. The club offers “learn to windsurf” courses throughout their regular sailing season which starts the first week of October and runs till the end of April. The course is a private 1:1 student:instructor and consists of 6 x 2 hour sessions on Read more...
Windsurfing Lessons
- Services Overview:
- Beginners Gear Rentals
- Hourly Rentals
- Adults Lessons
- Kids Lessons
- Parking
Location of centre:- Beachfront
SHQ Boardsports are located in Sandringham on Port Phillip Bay NE of Melbourne. They have been around since windsurfing began in Melbourne and are Melbourne’s largest retailer of windsurfing gear plus they also retail kite boarding gear. They also offer windsurfing lessons for beginners & intermediates which take place in the protected shallow water of Sandringham harbour and can be Read more... - Services Overview:
- Adults Lessons
- Kids Lessons
Location of centre:- Beachfront
Facilites:- Showers
- Changing Rooms
Instructor Adrian provides windsurfing lessons in front of the Elwood Sailing Club to kids and adult. Ability levels include first-timers through to advanced sailors wanting to improve their skills. Lessons take place in front of the sailing club at Elwood on Port Phillip Bay, just 10km SE of Melbourne, Australia. There are no set days of the week however lessons Read more...
Kitesurfing Lessons
- Services Overview:
- Premium Gear Rentals
- Walk-Up Rentals
- Hourly Rentals
- Advanced Booking Rentals
- Adults Lessons
- Kids Lessons
- Safety Observers
- Parking
Location of centre:- Beachfront
Facilites:- Food
- Beach Bar
- Shady Seating Area
- Retail Shop
Other equipment for rent:- SUPs
Kite Republic, Kitesurfing Lessons & Hire St Kilda Kite Republic has a retail outlet at the St Kilda Baths and generally has its kite lessons centre located at West St Kilda Beach. They offer private & group (up to 3 people) kitesurfing lessons by the hour up to a full day or multi-day. If you are already a kiter looking Read more...
Windsurfing & Kitesurfing Retailers
- Windsurfing Brands:
- Avanti
- BIC
- Chinook
- Dakine
- Flying Objects
- Gaastra
- Goya
- JP Australia
- K4
- MFC
- Mystic
- Neil Pryde
- Powerex
- Quatro
- Radz
- Select Fins
- Sunshine
- Tabou
- Unifiber
Windsurfing Gear:- Boards
- Sails
- Booms
- Masts
- Fins
- Foils
- Harnesses
- Buoyancy Vests
Kitesurfing Brands:- Cabrinha
- Dakine
- Duotone
- Firewire
- Liquid Face
- Mystic
- Neil Pryde
Kitesurfing Gear:- Twin Tips
- Kite Surfboards
- Speciality Boards
- Bindings
- Bars
- Kite Foils
- Packages
Sailboard Headquarters has a physical store located in Sandringham SE of Melbourne, VIC, Australia. They offer the biggest range of windsurfing gear with many of the top brands. They also have a good range of kitesurfing equipment as well as foils. Check out their website for details and online sales. Read more... - Category: Kitesurfing RetailerKitesurfing Brands:
- Core
- Flysurfer
- Duotone
- Naish
- Nobile
Kitesurfing Gear:- Twin Tips
- Kite Surfboards
- Directional Boards
- Speciality Boards
- Kites
- Kite Pumps
- Bindings
- Harnesses
- Impact Vests
- Helmets
- Foot Straps
- Bars
- Kite Foils
- Travel Bags
- Packages
- Used Gear
Kite Republic is located at the St Kilda baths complex in St Kilda Melbourne. They retail kiteboarding gear and accessories as well as SUPs and accessories. They also provide kiteboarding and SUP lessons at West St Kilda Beach from their mobile centre. See website for more details. Read more... - Category: Windsurfing RetailerWindsurfing Brands:
- I-99
- Point-7
Windsurfing Gear:- Boards
- Sails
- Booms
- Masts
- Fins
- Harnesses
- Harness Lines
The Big Blue are the exclusive importer of Point-7 & I-99 windsurfing & SUP gear. Being a direct distributor they offer great discounts for volume purchases. They do not have a physical shop however contact them via their website and they can provide the latest information & pricing. Read more...
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