14 DAY SURF CAMP – $1,899

Thirroul Beach is on the Northern end of the Wollongong City coastline. In fact, it’s only about an hour drive South of central Sydney which makes it a perfect destination for a trip out of the city. Driving South along the Grand Pacific Drive you can get a glimpse of the beautiful coastline this region has to offer, stop and have some lunch at Scarborough Hotel (best pub ever) and be sitting on beautiful Thirroul Beach before you even think about it. Coming from the South its only about 15 minutes drive from Wollongong City Centre making it a perfect beach to escape the crowds.

There’s no cows on this farm!! There used to be though which is how this beach got it’s name. Actually when you see this beach you will wonder why ‘in thy Lords name’ the farmer actually sold his farm! The old farm that used to be here is now called Killalea State Park and the only history that can be seen are a few foundations of barns from a bygone era that used to stand here. While past surfers used to make the trek through the old farm and pay 20 cents at the gate to get in, it is now hidden from the road by a large housing estate that anyone can get to. It is managed by State Parks and is a beautiful mix of manicured grassland, lagoons, rolling hills, a campsite and two sensational surf beaches. One of these beaches is called ‘The Farm’, for obvious and recently explained reasons and the other is called ‘Mystics’ aptly named after the fogs that roll over the cliffs in Winter time from which Mystical (and perfect) waves appear. While Mystics is strictly for ‘advanced’ surfers only due to its incredible power and thick hollow barrels, ‘The Farm’ has a much more forgiving set up and presents beautiful lines of swell and turns them into peaks right down the beach. The South End here is the main break for the more advanced, but only a 5 minute walk up to the North End will give you long shallow rolling waves… perfect for beginners!

Around 220kms south of Sydney, on NSW’ pristine South Coast region, and hidden by a highway and a mountain range is the beautiful little seaside village of Bendalong. It takes about 2.5 hours by car, a little more by bus and about 4 weeks if you want to walk. It is known by most Sydney-siders that surf but by nobody from anywhere else.

What gives Bendalong its charm is the fact that its so close to Sydney, but barely anyone goes there.

It’s surrounded by a National Park to the West so there is ‘heaps’ of Australian Wildlife and to the East.. well.. 6 of the most beautiful beaches with epic waves that you can find anywhere on earth. You see Bendalong is stuck out in the ocean on a Peninsular that used to be called ‘Red Head’. To the North there is the tranquil beach called Washerwomans that is absolutely perfect for learning. South of the point is Bendalong main beach which has perfect A-Frame style beach breaks right along it and catches almost every piece of swell that the ocean dishes up. Further South again (3 mins drive) is arguably the most beautiful beach of all. Conjola Beach sits at the entrance of Lake Conjola which glistens on sunset and is a beach break for all levels. But the main attraction at this location is Green Island and its very tasty 500 metre long left hand point break! Perfect walls that run forever and one of the South Coast’s hidden treasures. Woops.. maybe I shouldn’t have said….