North Stradbroke Island • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (June - September)

When the mid-latitude westerlies start pushing north into the Coral Sea, North Stradbroke Island finally shakes off the summer trade-wind slop. The average swell period bumps up near 9s, the SE/SSE/ESE groundswell becomes consistent, and the wind ideally flips offshore (W/WNW/NW/NNW) 22-26% of the time. That creates the classic Straddie formula: crisp, lined-up waves on the east-southeast-facing beaches, with morning offshores grooming the peaks before the afternoon seabreeze arrives.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & October)

April and May are the entry points into the good season, with swell periods holding near 9s and ideal wind percentages climbing to 14-19%. October is the mirror-image transition, where the swell is still present but the average period drops back to 8s. In these months, expect a mix of clean dawn sessions and afternoon onshore bumps - the kind of surf that rewards flexibility, early starts and local knowledge.

Low Surf Season (November - March)

From November through March, the South Pacific High strengthens and pumps ESE/SE trade winds directly into the island. Even though average swell heights stay around 1.1-1.3m (3.6-4.3ft), the onshore E/ESE/SE/SSE wind component often exceeds 50% of the wind rose, ruining wave quality with bumpy, cross-onshore conditions. The few good days come from early-morning NW land breezes, tropical cyclone tracks or late-afternoon seabreeze breaks - but consistency is poor, so surfers are left chasing occasional windows.