Noosa (First Point) Surf Season
Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia · part of the Noosa (First Point) spot guide
The prime window is cyclone season, roughly December to May and peaking February to March, when Coral Sea tropical cyclones and ex-cyclones generate the east and northeast swell the north-facing points need. A secondary, less reliable path is a large winter south groundswell that wraps the headland. Guides cite February and March as the standouts and April as the cleanest, most consistent single month; mid-winter (June to August) is usually small as the dominant south swell is blocked by the headland.
Where the swell comes from
Coral Sea tropical cyclones and ex-cyclones for the wickedly-angled east and northeast swell that lights all five points, plus large south-southeast groundswells that are only useful when big enough to wrap the headland.
Historic swells at Noosa (First Point)
Tropical Cyclone Oma
A long-range Coral Sea system aimed east and northeast swell straight at south-east Queensland; regional buoys read open-ocean seas up to around 12 metres offshore and First Point was described as hypnotically peeling — the iconic modern Noosa cyclone-swell event.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
A long-lived Coral Sea system that crossed near Moreton Island produced large swell and major coastal erosion along the Noosa stretch, with regional significant heights up to nearly five metres well offshore.