• ABOUT THE SPOT

Surfing in Shelley Beach, Cronulla, New South Wales Australia

Skill Level:
All Surfers
Cronulla is a beach-side suburb in southern Sydney, at about 26 km/16 mi in the south of Sydney's CBD (Central Business District). Cronulla lies on a peninsula, between Botany Bay on the north and Port Hacking on the south. Cronulla is a popular tourist location and attracts many beach enthusiasts.

Mark Occhilupo, the famous professional surfer and world champion made Cronulla beach a famous surf spot. The beach features a long stretch of sand, extending from Boat Harbor to North Cronulla. Shelley or Shelly beach is a small, southern beach in Cronulla. This spot is an exposed reef break that offers a consistent surfing experience.

To reach the surf site, find the rock point, north of the pool. Shelly beach is appropriate for novice and advanced surfers alike. The best wind direction is from the northwest, west and the ideal swell direction is from the south, southeast. Surfers can explore the waves with swell sizes from less than 1 m/3 ft and holds up to 2 m/6 ft.

The best tide movement is rising and falling tides and the ideal tide position is mid tide. Shelly Park lies just behind the beach. Shelley beach is usually less crowded than the rest of Cronulla, so it is a great place for surfers who hate beach crowds.

Apart from surfing, you can enjoy the magnificent view of the sea in one of the many restaurants and cafes that lie on the streets around the beach. Note: watch out for rocks.