8: Learn to surf

It’s fun, it’s a great way to keep fit, it instils a deep and abiding respect for the ocean and the environment, and it might just kindle a lifelong passion. Surfing was first observed by Europeans in Tahiti in 1767 and in the intervening centuries it has gone on to become one of the great Australian sports – and the good news is it’s never too late (or too early) to start wiping out… er, hanging ten, we mean.

Anyone who’s admired the cool, impossibly laidback surfers as they seamlessly slide through barrels and weave across waves could be forgiven for thinking it’s easy – we assure you, it ain’t. That’s where surf schools come in and luckily there are plenty of them across Australia.

A few sessions with the pros will equip you or the kids with the smarts and the skills to start your own love affair with this addictive water sport, which inspires so much passion in so many others. And there’s a bonus for parents: enrolling the kids in a week of surfing lessons frees mum and dad up for some relaxation time. Plus it’s exhausting, guaranteeing sweet dreams after a big day on the waves.

Surfing also teaches resilience – if you fall, there’s always another wave; you’ve just gotta keep getting back up. As a wise surfer once said: “There are a million ways to surf, and as long as you’re smiling you’re doing it right."

Try these

Let’s Go Surfing Bondi, NSW – From $95 a lesson or $350 for a family private lesson. 02 9365 1800.

Surf the Bay South Coast, NSW – From $40 a lesson; special family (four people) surf or stand-up paddleboard deal for $120 (until end Feb 2014).0432 144 220.

Coastrider Surf Academy, Clifton Beach, Tas – From $50 a lesson or $70 one-on-one. 0419 324 921.

Get Wet Surf The Spit, Surfers Paradise, Qld – Learn at the beach or in the wave pool. From age five and up. From $45 a lesson. Family lesson (includes two adults and two children) for $180. 1800 438 938.

School of Surfing Trigg, Mullaloo, Leighton and Rottnest Island, WA – From $40 a lesson, or $70 for a private one-on-one lesson. 08 9448 0004.

Torquay Surf Academy Urquhart’s Bluff, Lorne, Cosy Corner, White’s Beach and Bancoora River, Vic – From $60 a lesson. 03 5261 2022.

Kingo Surf School Goolwa Beach and Port Lincoln, SA – From $40 a lesson.0427 842 085.

7 << Go coastal camping Family fun at St Kilda >> 9

Back to 101 Unforgettable Coastal Experiences

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The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park — Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay — A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento — Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento.

Playing there

an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse — Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

Eating there

Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.

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Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict

The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Playing there

Eating there

Try these

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Which Qantas flights have been cut? Inside the airline’s extended schedule changes

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The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Playing there

Eating there