Bar Reef Surf Break

Bar Reef Surf Guide

Lat Long: 32.94° S 151.77° E

Issued: 9 pm 20 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bar Reef sea temperature is
19.6° C

Normal for this time of year

Bar Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Bar Reef break guidePhoto by: DANIEL MAWKES

Bar Reef Surf Guide

Bar Reef in Newcastle is an exposed reef break that only works when conditions are just right Works best in offshore winds from the northwest. Tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells and the ideal swell direction is from the southeast. There is no reef break. When the surf is up, crowds are likely Beware of - Urchins - Rips / undertow - Rocks - Localism - Sharks.

Bar Reef Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Reef2inconsistent
19.6°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Bar Reef:

The best conditions reported for surf at Bar Reef occur when a Southeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Northwest.

What's the best time of year to surf Bar Reef (for consistent clean waves)?

julyBest Season: winter
The best time of year for surfing Bar Reef with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter  and most often the month of July. Clean surfable waves are typically found 41% of the time in July while 39% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 20% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
41%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
39%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
20%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Bar Reef Location Map

Interactive Bar Reef surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail.

  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Bar Reef Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Saturday, 20 June 2026, 23:57 Local Time
Sunday 21
1AM4AM7AM10AM
Wave (m)
0.5
E
0.5
E
0.5
E
0.5
E
Period (s) 11 11 11 11
Wind (km/h)
15
15
10
10
Wind State off off off cross-
off

What does Bar Reef look like?

Latest photos from Bar Reef. Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: DANIEL MAWKESCredit: DANIEL MAWKESCredit: DANIEL MAWKES

    Tides at Bar Reef

    Current tide and informaton
    For Newcastle, Australia, 2 km from Bar Reef.
    Next High Water: 12:43am | 1.58m
    Tidal range Clock
    Next Low Water: 07:26am | 0.35m
    IS AT (local time)

    Bar Reef Sea Temperature

    The water temperature (19.6 °C) at Bar Reef is relatively warm. If the sun does come out as forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a summer wetsuit. Effective air temperature of 17.0 °C.

    Today, many surfers would wear a summer wetsuit.
    Current Temp*: 19.6°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite
    water-temp
    New-South-Wales Sea TemperatureView Sea Temp Map

    Swell History at Bar Reef

    Surf stats for Bar Reef, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

    Bar Reef Location Map
    Average Swell
    View Swell Statistics

    Wind History at Bar Reef

    Wind stats for Bar Reef, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.

    Bar Reef Location Map
    Average Wind
    View Wind Statistics

    Other Nearby Breaks Closest To:

    Discover surf breaks near Bar Reef. Click below to view there surf guides.

    Wave Buoys Nearest To Bar Reef:

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