Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.12° S 153.21° E

Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Woolgoolga Back Beach sea temperature is
19.3° C
0.6° 

Woolgoolga Back Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Woolgoolga Back Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, ESE swell with 410 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period with SE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Woolgoolga Back Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Woolgoolga Back Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Woolgoolga Back Beach in the next 16 days are 1.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Tue 18th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 9s
Best Surf10PM (Tue 18th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 9s
Most Powerful 1PM (Wed 19th Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolgoolga Back Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good hard look at what’s on the table for Woolgoolga Back Beach.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—this forecast is a long, flat, and ugly stretch with one bright light way out at the end. The first real chance of a surf doesn’t arrive until Wednesday the 19th, and even then it’s just a teaser. We’re talking about a couple of days of something rideable before it all goes quiet again for the better part of a week.

Wednesday morning the 19th, we’ve got some 4ft ESE swell rolling in with a period of 8 seconds. The wind goes glassy, and that’s the key here—clean conditions make even small waves feel good. The water’s sitting at 67°, which is about average for this time of year. By the afternoon, the swell bumps up a touch to 5ft and the period stretches to 10 seconds, which will give the waves a bit more shape and push. Combined energy is sitting at (438) for that afternoon session—moderate energy, but with those glassy conditions, it’s a solid window for a beginner-friendly wave. It’s a fairly consistent break, so you’ll get a few. Just keep in mind, the swell is coming from ESE, which is straight on, so the wave face might be a little fat. And yeah, you might have some company—crowds are sometimes around.

Thursday the 20th starts off with a bit of hope—4ft ESE swell, period 8 seconds, and a light N wind making it clean. But that’s about it. The energy drops to (162) and the quality is just ordinary. By the afternoon, the wind picks up to 12 mph from the NNE and the waves get messy. After that, we hit the wall. From Friday the 21st all the way through to Saturday the 29th of August, it’s pretty much a write-off. Swells drop to under 3ft, periods are short, and winds are all over the shop—cross-off, cross-on, you name it. There are a few glassy moments on the 22nd and 26th, but with only 2ft to 2ft on offer and combined energy in the 40s and 70s, it’s barely a ripple.

Now, I told you there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Sunday the 30th of August. This is the standout. The morning brings a pulse of 6ft NE swell. That’s the biggest we’ve seen in the whole 16-day run. The period is a short 7 seconds, which means it’ll be a bit lumpy and sectiony, but the combined energy is a massive (677)—that’s strong energy for this spot. And here’s the clincher: the wind is glassy, dead calm. The break is exposed to swell from the NE, and while the period is short, that offshore/glassy combo will make the most of it. This is the best on offer by a long shot. After that morning window, the wind swings S and it’s all over. But for that one morning, it’s on.

The following days into early September are blown out by strong SSW winds—19 to 25 mph—and the swell drops back under 4ft with poor conditions. If you’re a kite surfer, some of those windy days might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.

Bottom line: There’s one proper session to circle on the calendar—the morning of Sunday the 30th. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
1
1
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
ESE
8
1.3
ESE
7
1.4
ESE
9
1.2
ESE
8
1.4
ESE
10
1.2
ESE
9
1.1
ESE
8
1.1
ESE
7
1
E
7
0.8
E
7
0.9
NE
6
0.7
ENE
6
0.5
ENE
6
0.5
ENE
6
0.6
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
7
0.7
NE
8
1
NE
8
1
ENE
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
318
193
286
171
365
208
128
128
94
61
58
32
23
24
53
47
44
41
59
122
96
Wind (km/h)
15
SE
10
ESE
10
SW
5
E
10
E
10
W
5
N
20
NE
10
NNW
15
NNW
25
NNE
5
NW
5
ENE
5
NE
5
W
5
S
10
E
10
NW
15
N
30
NNE
15
NNW
Wind State
on
on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
11:58AM1.31m
11:53PM1.08m
12:49PM1.27m
00:41AM0.94m
1:49PM1.23m
1:46AM0.84m
2:58PM1.23m
3:12AM0.80m
4:07PM1.26m
4:31AM0.82m
5:04PM1.33m
5:29AM0.88m
5:51PM1.41m
Low Tide
6:07PM0.41m
6:02AM0.26m
7:10PM0.50m
6:44AM0.35m
8:31PM0.55m
7:39AM0.41m
10:01PM0.53m
8:51AM0.44m
11:11PM0.47m
10:03AM0.42m
00:00AM0.39m
11:03AM0.36m
00:38AM0.31m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:16
6:16
6:15
6:13
6:13
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:23
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
 mm
3
1
1
3
1
Temp °C
17
18
16
17
17
16
18
18
16
20
19
17
18
18
17
18
18
17
20
20
17
Feels °C
14
15
15
16
15
16
15
14
14
17
15
16
18
18
16
18
17
17
16
16
15
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Woolgoolga Back Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Woolgoolga Back Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Woolgoolga Back Beach surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Woolgoolga Back Beach) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Woolgoolga Back Beach may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

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