Sharkies, Australia
Also within 20 km of Burleigh Heads
- Gold Coast Burleigh Kite spot · 1.1 km from Burleigh Heads
- Burleigh Heads Surf spot · 1.4 km from Burleigh Heads
- Tallebudgera Creekmouth Surf spot · 1.5 km from Burleigh Heads
- Tally Surf spot · 1.6 km from Burleigh Heads
- The Wall Surf spot · 1.6 km from Burleigh Heads
- 25th Av. palm Beach Surf spot · 1.7 km from Burleigh Heads
- The Reef Surf spot · 1.9 km from Burleigh Heads
- Palm Beach 21st rock jetty Surf spot · 2 km from Burleigh Heads
Watch this spot We email you when Sharkies is worth the trip.
About Sharkies
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NE (63°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (243°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 200 m out (1 in 19). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 21°C in August, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 27°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually May, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Burleigh Heads, 1.6 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 16 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 23°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 28 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Brisbane International Airport (BNE), changing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
See flights MDW → BNE · Skyscanner from about £795 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 50 from the airport to Sharkies.
Accommodation.
Stay in Burleigh HeadsAd
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 Burleigh Heads (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Burleigh Heads 3 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 38 places to stay · where Sharkies stays
Places to stay in Burleigh Heads · Booking.com AdPalm Beach 5 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 21 places to stay
Places to stay in Palm Beach · Booking.com AdMiami 6 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 51 places to stay
Places to stay in Miami · Booking.com AdMermaid Beach 9 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 67 places to stay
Places to stay in Mermaid Beach · Booking.com AdCurrumbin 9 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 30 places to stay
Places to stay in Currumbin · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Burleigh Heads · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Burleigh Heads · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Sharkies on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
At Sharkies
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Forecast
Sharkies does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 31, poor | 4 ft6 smushy | 99kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 10 knots | 20°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 41, fair | 5 ft6 smushy | 124kJ | wind from the south, 9 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 42, fair | 4 ft6 smushy | 135kJ | wind from the east, 7 knots | 20°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 42, fair | 5 ft6 smushy | 150kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 3 knots | 21°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 30, poor | 4 ft6 smushy | 114kJ | wind from the north-east, 10 knots | 21°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 41, fair | 4 ft6 smushy | 102kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 3 knots | 21°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 34, poor | 4 ft6 smushy | 104kJ | wind from the north, 4 knots | 22°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 26, poor | 3 ft7 smushy | 81kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 10 knots | 23°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 43, fair | 3 ft5 smushy | 55kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 10 knots | 25°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 20, too small | 2 ft6 shollow | 26kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 6 knots | 24°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 20, too small | 2 ft6 shollow | 22kJ | wind from the south, 8 knots | 19°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 BNE, changing at LAX, then 1h 50 by road. About 28h door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Sharkies
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 7 kn (13 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Sharkies
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 5 ft at 6 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Sharkies
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 10 kn (19 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Sharkies
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Sharkies
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to BNE, changing at LAX, then 1h 50 by road. About 28h door to door
The plan picks the best of 5 spots near Burleigh Heads each day: Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Heads - 5th Ave, Sharkies, Tallebudgera Creekmouth, Tally.
Rough cost
About £1,530–£2,920 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 BNE, estimated from distance and season, changing at LAX, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £795–£1,650 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| 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 | £1,530–£2,920 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Burleigh Heads
- Try ThaiThai · 0.5 km from the centre
- Domino's Pizza West BurleighPizza · 0.6 km from the centre
- Guzman y GomezMexican · 0.6 km from the centre
- Hungry Jack`sBurger · 0.6 km from the centre
- Stoked Woodfired PizzaPizza · 0.7 km from the centre
- Sushi and BeerSushi · 0.7 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
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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.