How a surfer and a rock legend saved Australia's beaches

Australia’s National Surfing Reserves are hallowed ground when it comes to the beaches found along our coast, and not only for surfers.

Head down to the beach at daybreak, anywhere the swell is permitted to reach the shore, and you’ll see them. The wetsuit-clad meditators, the board shorts and bikini brigade, the groms and the silver-haired sea dogs with boards under arm, all gathered in their sandy place of worship.

Peeling towards rocky points, butting up against sandbars or curling around artificial reefs, waves break rhythmically on Australia’s coastline in all kinds of conditions. The surf calls to the soul of those who find solace duck-diving into its salty embrace. Those hooked on the indescribable feeling of riding a wave.

surfing in Bondi Beach — Bondi Beach is one of Australia’s most iconic surf spots. (Image: Elise Hassey)

When it comes to the quality of surf breaks, and the sheer number of them that ring the continent, Australia is indeed the lucky country. Surfing took off in Australia after being introduced by Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku in 1915, its popularity never waning. Australia is renowned as one of the world’s premier surfing destinations and it’s inescapably intertwined in the coastal fabric.

surfers hitting the waves — Australia’s surf breaks are the envy of the world. (Image: Elise Hassey)

“Surfing is much more than a sport," says conservationist Brad Farmer. “It’s a culture, it’s an art form, it’s a pastime, it’s a meditation. That’s why people go to the beach. Billions of visitors go there for this experience, which is really subjective and ephemeral."

two women walking down the beach staircase at Yallingup Beach — Yallingup is paradise for surfers and sun worshippers. (Image: Elise Hassey)

If Farmer’s name rings a bell, it’s because he’s also the man responsible for declaring the top beaches in Australia each year as Tourism Australia’s Beach Ambassador – a title he’s held since publishing his book 101 Best Australian Beaches with co-author Professor Andy Short in 2013. The annual list is carefully curated to showcase the diversity of beaches Australia has to offer.

surfing at Margaret River — Margaret River Surf School runs private surf lessons for all ages. (Image: Tourism Australia)

As a surfer himself, Farmer comes at it with a long history of advocating for Australian beaches. He’s responsible for creating the non-profits Surfrider Foundation Australia and Ocean Care Day, and is working alongside indomitable pro-surfer Kelly Slater to develop a model for UNESCO to recognise significant coastal sites. But it was his work as the founder of National Surfing Reserves that has led to the most profound change in how we value Australia’s outstanding surf breaks and the lifestyle they afford.

What are National Surfing Reserves?

The idea to protect surf breaks was seeded in 1973 when a group of local surfers created a ‘Surfing Recreation Reserve’ at Bells Beach, Victoria.

an aerial view of Bells Beach — Bells Beach is where pro Mick Fanning won his first-ever World Surf League tour. (Image: Robert Blackburn/Visit Victoria)

At the time, Australia’s surf culture was quickly gaining pace – it was the early days of Rip Curl and a time when shortboards were adopted to surf punchy beach breaks, as opposed to the longboards beloved in places like California. With our remote and untouched landscapes – and the advent of innovative gear such as wetsuits and board shorts that made the game a whole lot more enjoyable – Australia’s surf scene quickly became the envy of the world.

the Anglesea Surf Shop, Victoria — Pick up a secondhand surfboard from the old-school surf shop in Anglesea, Victoria. (Image: Elise Hassey)

Taking the concept of Bells and the power the reserve had held in the face of relentless coastal development, Farmer established the not-for-profit National Surfing Reserves in 2005 under the patronage of rock legend, environmentalist and then Federal Member of Parliament, Peter Garrett.

He had a list – the top surf spots found among about 1100 surfing beaches ringing Australia’s coast – and since Maroubra was declared as the first National Surfing Reserve in 2006, 18 more renowned breaks have been added to the list.

The criteria is strict and the application process can take anywhere from nine months to six years, but ultimately, each successful reserve is recognised as a place of “intrinsic environmental, heritage, sporting and cultural value to our nation".

the Maroubra Beach National Surfing Reserve in Sydney — Sydney’s Maroubra Beach was Australia’s first National Surfing Reserve. (Image: Destination NSW/Anna Kucera)

In 2009, Farmer helped the non-governmental Save The Waves Coalition take the idea global with the launch of World Surfing Reserves, and in 2016, Regional Surfing Reserves were added, extending to “any local surf breaks that have good waves and the community feel a sense of pride."

“It’s as much about protecting these sandy spots of worship, as it is about the community around them," says Farmer. “Empowering those who love and use our beaches, with a say in how they’re managed," he says. “This is what we call a sacred site – similar to how Indigenous Australians would have a bora ring or midden. The community have a sense that this is a place of awe, there’s something sacred about this particular site, not only for the quality of its waves."

the Yallingup Beach in WA — Yallingup Beach is considered by many as the birthplace of boardriding in WA. (Image: Tourism Australia)

For Australia’s Saltwater people, the First Nations groups born and raised to understand and care for the coast and its waves like no other, the ocean is like family. Indigenous ex-pro and co-founder of the Royal Indigenous Surfing Association, Robbie Page, sees it similarly to Farmer. “Surfing’s a healing place," he said in the ABC documentary Changing Tides. “It’s got no prejudice, it teaches every human, welcomes every human."

surfing at Freshwater Beach — Freshwater Beach has more than a century of surfing heritage. (Image: Destination NSW/Mark Clinton)

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What do National Surfing Reserves protect?

National Surfing Reserves are essentially decreed so that all people can enjoy, understand and protect these special coastal environments. While the volunteer-led National Surfing Reserves has always had people power on its side – and likely the approval of tourism boards who use the reserves in their marketing efforts – until recently, it lacked legal sway.

a surfer duck-diving under a wave at North Narrabeen Beach — A surfer ducks under a wave at North Narrabeen Beach. (Image: Destination NSW/Guy Williment)

The movement had been able to persuade the NSW government to gazette surfing reserves in 2007, formally recognising them in the Crown Lands Act. “It was the first time in the world that surfing and surfers had been recognised in any law in any country," says Farmer.

However, the reserves have since become a springboard for surf communities to read the riot act. Which is exactly what happened in 2020, when there was a threat of over-development at Killalea Regional Park – aka The Farm. “It was fought on the basis of surf reserves, and is now a [protected area] park," explains Farmer.

a surfer sitting on a surfboard on the shore while watching the waves — Surfers travel to Australia to find a magical break. (Image: Elise Hassey)

One of the key players in this fight was a local surfer called Chris Homer, the then-president of National Surfing Reserves. Leading a record-breaking paddle out to oppose the construction of a 200-seat function centre and 15 cabins inside Killalea Reserve, Homer’s passion and leadership saw him elected as mayor of Shellharbour soon after, even though he had no prior political experience.

“Whether in legislation, or lore, these places are sacrosanct and not to be touched, and the wording is such that surfers will have primacy in the decision-making process," says Farmer.

surfers sitting on the beach at Byron Bay — Byron Bay in NSW’s Northern Rivers is a wonderland for surfers. (Image: Elise Hassey)

In mid-2023, with a strong contingent of those surfers on the Central Coast, Norah Head National Surfing Reserve welcomed the news that a wind farm proposed off the coast of NSW would no longer include the surf spot. The original proposal had the potential to affect two iconic surf reserves, Norah Head and Merewether – both hotbeds of surfing talent.

Since then, more research has come to light on not only the importance of Australia’s surf breaks from an environmental point of view, but an economic one, too. Surfing is worth almost $3 billion annually to Australia’s economy, according to a recent study by the Australian National University, and that’s making more people in higher places sit up and pay attention.

surfing at Freshwater Beach, Sydney — A surfer paddling at Freshwater Beach, Sydney. (Image: Destination NSW/Adam Krowitz)

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How National Surfing Reserves are keeping surf culture alive

Another goal of National Surfing Reserves is to safeguard the continuum of surf culture. City of Gold Coast council even has a detailed Surf Management Plan, which includes programs to teach surf etiquette, to ensure visitors clearly understand local safety customs. Similarly, Noosa has a Surfer Code to reduce the chance of conflict and injury.

the Main Beach in Noosa — Noosa’s pristine Main Beach is a surfing hotspot. (Image: Tourism Australia/Glen Davis)

Surfers, after all, are not just those out riding the waves. The beauty, value and mental health benefits of surfing permeate the desirable beachside lifestyle so many Australians enjoy and visitors yearn to experience.

the surf culture in Noosa — Local community and surf culture, such as that found in Noosa, are a determining factor in what qualifies as a Surfing Reserve. (Image: Elise Hassey)

Ultimately, whether you’re a hardcore big-wave rider with saltwater in your veins or have no desire to go further than watching the waves with a coffee in hand, understanding and appreciating that these sites have seen quality waves being ridden consistently – in some places for more than 100 years – provides a sense of legacy.

the surfing reserve at Crescent Head, NSW — Ride the waves at NSW’s Crescent Head. (Image: Destination NSW/Dallas Kilponen)

Years from now, Farmer believes, these surfing reserves will become akin to national parks and, he hopes, will be protected at all levels, not excluding UNESCO. “I will continue to argue that waves have absolutely unique qualities to humanity – not just to their enjoyment, but they’re a phenomena of nature … and they deserve to be recognised as such," says Farmer.

surfboards in Bondi Beach — Surfboards lined up at Bondi. (Image: Elise Hassey)

Australia’s National Surfing Reserves

Maroubra, NSW, March 2006
Angourie, NSW, January 2007
Lennox Head, NSW, February 2008
Crescent Head, NSW, June 2008
Cronulla, NSW, September 2008
Merewether, NSW, March 2009
Killalea, NSW, June 2009
North Narrabeen, NSW, October 2009
Margaret River, WA, March 2010
Kalbarri, WA, March 2010
Manly-Freshwater, NSW, September 2010
Yallingup, WA, December 2011
Gold Coast (Burleigh Heads, Currumbin Alley, Snapper-Kirra), Qld, February 2012
Daly Head, SA, January 2013
Point Sinclair, SA, January 2013
Phillip Island (Woolamai, Smiths Beach, Summerland, Cat Bay), Vic, March 2013
Noosa, Qld, March 2015
Bondi, NSW, December 2017
Norah Head, NSW, November 2022

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock, one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915. Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore, one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

How a surfer and a rock legend saved Australia’s beaches

Australia’s National Surfing Reserves are hallowed ground when it comes to the beaches found along our coast, and not only for surfers.

What are National Surfing Reserves?

What do National Surfing Reserves protect?

How National Surfing Reserves are keeping surf culture alive

Australia’s National Surfing Reserves

Where to take your mum out on Mother’s Day in 2026

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

What’s on around Australia in May 2026

Don’t miss the world’s most iconic meteor shower next week

Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces

Australia’s National Surfing Reserves are hallowed ground when it comes to the beaches found along our coast, and not only for surfers.

What are National Surfing Reserves?

AI Prompt

What do National Surfing Reserves protect?

How National Surfing Reserves are keeping surf culture alive

Australia’s National Surfing Reserves

Where to take your mum out on Mother’s Day in 2026

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

What’s on around Australia in May 2026

Don’t miss the world’s most iconic meteor shower next week

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces