Shellharbour South Beach, Australia
Also within 20 km of Shellharbour
- Cowries Surf spot · 0.8 km from Shellharbour
- Mab Reef Surf spot · 0.8 km from Shellharbour
- Barrack Point Surf spot · 1.4 km from Shellharbour
- shallows Surf spot · 1.7 km from Shellharbour
- Suckhole Surf spot · 1.7 km from Shellharbour
- mini pipe Surf spot · 1.8 km from Shellharbour
- Shatters Surf spot · 1.8 km from Shellharbour
- Redsands Surf spot · 2.5 km from Shellharbour
Watch this spot We email you when Shellharbour South Beach is worth the trip.
About Shellharbour South Beach
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces E (69°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (249°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 4–15 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.1 km out (1 in 105). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 18°C in July, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 24°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Shellharbour, 0.9 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 14 surf spots.
Water about 19°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 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD), changing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
See flights MDW → SYD · Skyscanner from about £820 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 40 from the airport to Shellharbour South Beach.
Accommodation.
Stay in ShellharbourAd
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 Shellharbour (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Shellharbour 2 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 15 places to stay · where Shellharbour South Beach stays
Places to stay in Shellharbour · Booking.com AdBombo 14 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 18 places to stay
Places to stay in Bombo · Booking.com AdKiama 17 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 37 places to stay
Places to stay in Kiama · Booking.com AdWerri Beach 29 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 23 places to stay
Places to stay in Werri Beach · Booking.com AdGerroa 38 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in Gerroa · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Shellharbour · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Shellharbour · GetYourGuideAd
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Luxury Where it is
Shellharbour South Beach on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Shellharbour South Beach 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 | 37, fair | 4 ft7 smushy | 119kJ | wind from the east, 4 knots | 20°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 52kJ | offshorewind from the west-north-west, 2 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 16, too small | 2 ft4 smushy | 16kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 3 knots | 22°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 18, too small | 2 ft5 smushy | 26kJ | offshorewind from the west, 3 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 31kJ | wind from the north, 2 knots | 22°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 22, too small | 4 ft5 smushy | 58kJ | offshorewind from the west-north-west, 2 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 35, poor | 4 ft6 smushy | 94kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 3 knots | 24°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 56, good | 4 ft6 smushy | 142kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 23°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 36, fair | 3 ft6 smushy | 82kJ | offshorewind from the west, 3 knots, offshore | 23°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 12, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 30kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots | 17°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 8, too small | 1 ft7 smushy | 7kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 5 knots | 14°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 SYD, changing at LAX, then 1h 40 by road. About 28h 30 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf The farm
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Warilla beach
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf The farm
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf mini pipe
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 5 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Barrack Point
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to SYD, changing at LAX, then 1h 40 by road. About 28h 30 door to door
The plan picks the best of 13 spots near Shellharbour each day: Barrack Point, Cowries, Mab Reef, mini pipe, Redsands, shallows, Shatters, Shellharbour South Beach, Suckhole, The farm, Warilla beach, Windang Beach, Windang Island.
Rough cost
About £1,555–£2,975 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 SYD, estimated from distance and season, changing at LAX, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £820–£1,705 |
| 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 | £1,555–£2,975 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Shellharbour
- Acai Bros.Brazilian · in the centre
- Pacinos CafeAustralian · in the centre
- Aharn Thai RestaurantThai · 0.1 km from the centre
- Domino's PizzaPizza · 0.1 km from the centre
- Imperial SpiceIndian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Tandoori JunctionIndian · 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
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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.