Oxleys Reef, Australia
Also within 20 km of Port Macquarie
- Port Macquarie Kite spot · 0 km from Port Macquarie
- Town Beach Surf spot · 0.7 km from Port Macquarie
- North Wall Surf spot · 0.8 km from Port Macquarie
- Middles Surf spot · 1.1 km from Port Macquarie
- Flynn's Beach Surf spot · 3.1 km from Port Macquarie
- Nobbys beach Surf spot · 3.1 km from Port Macquarie
- Shelly beach Surf spot · 3.1 km from Port Macquarie
- Palms Wedge Surf spot · 5 km from Port Macquarie
Watch this spot We email you when Oxleys Reef is worth the trip.
About Oxleys Reef
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces E (87°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (267°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 650 m out (1 in 67). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 21°C in July, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 26°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April, May and June, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Port Macquarie, 1.4 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 7 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 22°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 30 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to PQQ, changing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Brisbane International Airport (BNE).
See flights MDW → PQQ · Skyscanner from about £810 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to Oxleys Reef.
Accommodation.
Stay in Port MacquarieAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Port Macquarie (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Port Macquarie 2 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 52 places to stay · where Oxleys Reef stays
Places to stay in Port Macquarie · Booking.com AdLake Cathie 27 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 5 places to stay
Places to stay in Lake Cathie · Booking.com AdBonny Hills 34 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 12 places to stay
Places to stay in Bonny Hills · Booking.com AdNorth Haven 45 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in North Haven · Booking.com AdCrescent Head 48 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 25 places to stay
Places to stay in Crescent Head · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Port Macquarie · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Port Macquarie · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Oxleys Reef on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 35, poor | 5 ft7 smushy | 234kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots | 21°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 50, good | 4 ft6 smushy | 124kJ | wind from the south-west, 1 knot | 20°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 47, fair | 4 ft6 smushy | 92kJ | offshorewind from the west, 4 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 41, fair | 3 ft6 smushy | 77kJ | wind from the east, 0 knots | 21°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 23, poor | 3 ft5 smushy | 56kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 10 knots | 20°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 17, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 50kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 9 knots | 21°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 23, poor | 5 ft6 smushy | 142kJ | wind from the north, 10 knots | 24°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 35, poor | 4 ft7 smushy | 153kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 9 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 41, fair | 5 ft6 smushy | 171kJ | offshorewind from the south-west, 4 knots, offshore | 23°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 36, fair | 4 ft7 smushy | 157kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 5 knots | 21°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 19, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 20kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 5 knots | 17°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to PQQ, changing at LAX and BNE, then 25 min by road. About 30h 30 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Oxleys Reef
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Backwash
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 0 kn (1 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Lighthouse Beach
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, wind 11 kn (21 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Lighthouse Beach
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, wind 11 kn (21 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Lighthouse Beach
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 12 kn (22 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to PQQ, changing at LAX and BNE, then 25 min by road. About 30h 30 door to door
The plan picks the best of 10 spots near Port Macquarie each day: Backwash, Flynn's Beach, Lighthouse Beach, Middles, Nobbys beach, North Wall, Oxleys Reef, Palms Wedge, Shelly beach, Town Beach.
Rough cost
About £1,450–£2,795 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to PQQ, estimated from distance and season, changing at LAX and BNE, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £810–£1,680 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £240–£395 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £105–£175 |
| Total | £1,450–£2,795 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Port Macquarie
- Bills Fishhouse + BarSeafood · 0.1 km from the centre
- Birdrock Bar and GrillSteakhouse · 0.1 km from the centre
- Glass House Thai RestaurantThai · 0.1 km from the centre
- Luxe Finefood-Cafe-CateringBurger · 0.1 km from the centre
- Papa FetaGreek · 0.1 km from the centre
- Pizza Hut Port MacquariePizza · 0.1 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.