Buckleys Reef (Wilsons Promontory) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be real—this outlook is a tough one. There’s a big stretch of nothing ahead, and if you’re itching for a wave, you’re gonna have to be patient. The only glimmer of hope is right at the tail end, and even then, it’s not much.

For the first week and a half, it’s all cross-onshore winds, lumpy chop, and poor quality surf. Buckleys Reef (Wilsons Promontory) is a sheltered reef, and it needs clean, glassy conditions to work. We ain’t gettin’ that. The swell is there—SW groundswell with some solid energy readings early on, like 2141 on the 16th, and another push to 1535 on the 21st—but the wind is wrecking it. Blowing 25 to 30 km/h, sometimes harder, it’s just messy. Even when the swell is 1.5m to 1.9m, it’s not surfable for the average punter. That’s borderline too big for beginners anyway, and with that chop, it’s a chore, not a pleasure.

From the 24th to the 29th, the swell backs right off. We’re talkin’ weak energy—numbers in the low hundreds—and periods dropping to 12 or 13 seconds. There’s a tiny window on the 25th afternoon with a clean offshore breeze, but the swell is only 0.5m. Then the 26th rolls around, and that’s the highlight of this whole forecast. Both the morning and afternoon have light offshore winds (NNE at 10 km/h), clean glassy conditions, and a long-period SW swell (19-20 seconds). The energy is still weak—478 and 602—but it’s the only time you’ll find a decent shape. The swell is only 0.7m to 0.9m though, so you’re ridin’ a longboard, no question. The long period means it’ll have a bit of push, but at a reef like this, it might be a little straight. Still, it’s the best on offer.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. The 27th afternoon has a clean cross-offshore, but the swell is still small. Then from the 28th right through the 1st of October, it’s poor surf again—strong winds, no energy, and even a near gale on the 1st with onshore winds at 55 km/h. That’s kite-surfing weather, not paddle-surfing.

So, here’s the deal: if you can wait, the 26th of September is your only real shot, and it’s marginal. Water temp is 14°C, pretty average for the season. Everything else is a blank stretch. It might not look like it now, but forecasts can change—this run won’t last forever. But as it stands, you’re better off findin’ something else to do for the next two weeks. Rusty out.

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