Burleigh Heads

Burleigh Heads is a right-hand point break divided into four distinct sections that produce markedly different wave characteristics. Sharkies, the first section, breaks thick and hollow across the front of the bluff, often closing out rapidly. The Cove offers barelling peaks that run about 80 yards before transitioning to the Point, where longer walls form 5 to 10-second spinning tubes under favorable conditions. Rockbreak, the innermost section, is a shorter, steeper wave that works best at high tide over basalt boulders, favored on small-swell days when the main Point is capping rather than funneling. On ideal southeast swell with southwest wind and proper sand configuration, these sections can link into a continuous high-speed barrel run.

Burleigh Heads became instrumental in shaping professional surfing's competitive structure. The Stubbies Open Surf Classic, first held in March 1977, was the inaugural pro tour event to introduce the man-on-man contest format that became universal in competitive surfing. Michael Peterson won that opening event against Mark Richards in the final. The Stubbies ran annually at Burleigh Heads through the 1980s, providing the stage for multiple world champions including Wayne Bartholomew and Mark Richards to establish their legacies.

Access is straightforward from the Gold Coast town of Burleigh Heads, with over 430 free parking spaces available along the beachfront between First and Kelly avenues (with a three-hour maximum), plus free parking at Justins Park Carpark. The break works across all tides and remains consistently crowded, particularly when a southeast swell combines with offshore southwest winds during the winter months.