Maroubra Beach was dedicated as Australia’s (and the World’s) first National Surfing Reserve on 19 March 2006. The area was originally inhabited by the Dharwahal people, descendants of whom still reside close by at La Perouse. Maroubra was connected by tram to Sydney and became an early popular bathing beach, with the Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club established in 1907, with the South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club following in 1959.
The 1 km long beach faces due east and picks up most swell which maintain a rip-dominated beach resulting in numerous good beach breaks, but also hazardous bathing. In addition there are five point/reefs breaks, from north: The Point or Mistral Point which can offer a peaky takeoff over boulders followed by a long left working best in E-NE swell; Dunnybowl which in bigger swell has a short right and longer left; Stormies a reef that lies 200 m off the rocks and works best in a E swell; Southies a reef that can produce peaky rights; and The Reef which during E-NE swell can has barrelling rights, best for experienced surfers.
Boardriding developed during the 1950s and a group of surfers called themselves the Maroubra Surf Riders Club. In 1964 this became the Maroubra Surfers Association. Next was the Southside Surfriders Association and by the mid-eighties the beach has four clubs’ Maroubra Boardriders Association, North Maroubra Boardriders, Southend Boardriders and Maroubra Christian Surfers. Maroubra remains a very popular surfing
beach which has generated generations of top surfers.
Surfing in Maroubra:
