South Wall Ballina - surf spot statistics

South Wall in Ballina, Australia, offers a mix of ground and wind swells throughout the year, with no completely flat periods. The best months for surfing are typically between May and August, when ground swells dominate (52-61% of the time) and wind conditions improve, particularly in June, July, and August when good winds occur 48-53% of the time. These months also provide consistent swell sizes averaging 1.2-1.5m, making them the most reliable for quality surf. Outside this window, conditions are less favorable, with higher percentages of wind swells (up to 73% in November) and stronger onshore winds, particularly from January to April and September to December. The worst wind conditions occur in February (78% bad winds) and December (71% bad winds), while swell quality is weaker in late spring and early summer. For surfers seeking cleaner, more powerful waves, the winter months (June-August) are ideal, offering a balance of favorable swell direction and lighter winds compared to the rest of the year.

In September, South Wall Ballina offers decent surf conditions with an average swell height of 1.3m and a solid period of 9.8s, suggesting consistent, well-formed waves. The swell distribution shows a strong prevalence from the SE and ESE (combined ~47% of waves in the 1-2.5m range), providing clean, rideable energy. Smaller but still surfable waves (0.5-1.5m) frequently arrive from the ENE to SSE, ensuring variety. Wind conditions are surfable 38% of the time, with favorable light to moderate offshore (NW-WSW) or side-offshore breezes (~20% occurrence under 20kph). However, winds from the N-NNE-SE can bring onshore choppiness (~24% of days), particularly at higher speeds. Expect the best sessions when mid-period SE swells (1-2.5m) coincide with W/NW winds—classic conditions for this spot—though early mornings often see lighter winds. Wave quality is best on mid-to-high tides with the SE swell, offering hollow sections. Advanced surfers will find the occasional bigger SSE days (3-5% over 2.5m) challenging but rewarding.