ANGOURIE: NSW
A special place in the heart of Australian Surfing. Credit: Visit NSW
As we head into the 3rd Round of the Surf Web Series Surfboard Empire E-Pro Australia, we travel south into NSW and the northern tip of the wonderful coastline of the Yuraygir National Park where so much Australian surfing history was written.
The rocky shelf at Angourie is called “Life or Death” and the next beach up “Spooky’s” not very inviting really, but while Angourie is somewhat intimidating, Spooky Beach is a much easier option for swimmers.
Angourie really is a place where the ocean is in charge, and as with many of the Australian point breaks experience in strong surf is a big plus for anyone venturing into the lineup!
There are many many beach break options around the area, and one of the major advantages of Angourie and the surrounds is the consistency of waves that break here, with year round options and very rarely a flat day.
Angourie Pumping. Photo Credit: Andrew Shield
Venture into the local town of Yamba or explore any of the coastal walks, this is a wonderful, somewhat magical stretch of coastline created where the Clarence River meets the ocean. Beautiful lakes & lagoons like Wooloweyah and Lake Arragan to the south, or the Green and Blue pools perfect for families around low tide.
Angourie is another example of the Australian Surfing Reserves that are designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, and a visit or stay does not disappoint , places we know as national treasures to be shared but respected, and most of all preserved.
While you will generally find a very laid back and happy group of locals here, just like at many points around the world they are all passionate about the place they call home and it is best not to forget that, or out of towners will suffer the consequences!!
Angourie Surfing Reserve. Credit: Wikipedia
As one of literally hundreds of world renowned locations around the country synonymous with Australian surfing history, Angourie is steeped in characters and stories of local culture:
Any mention of Angourie evokes the name of Dave Treloar, but sadly in 2019 Angourie lost one of its most iconic characters; ‘Baddy’ who despite his nickname was the complete opposite as a father figure and mentor to many of Angouri’s local youngsters and was generally considered to be “The Custodian” of the place.
Angourie Icon Dave ‘Baddy’ Treloar (Credit: John Witzig)
As Tracks Magazine reported on his passing: He was probably best known for his role in Morning of The Earth and the iconic scenes from the movie of him shaping, fishing and surfing. It was a different era, but Australia is still one of those places where you can ‘feel’ history when you wander through these small country towns in coastal, rural NSW.
There is no shortage of footage, images or stories about Angourie all over the internet, but only when you visit can you get that ‘kickback time’ exhalation from the lungs, and know that this is a place where you can really relax and watch the world go by.
A number of the surfers and clips in the SWS E-Pro Australia feature Angourie so make sure to keep an eye out, as knowing where the shot is taken will also give a better appreciation of each surfer.
