The Farm

The Farm is a point break generating consistent right and left-handers that peel over a reef-sand seabed, particularly responsive to southeast swell paired with west-northwest wind at mid to high tide. Waves hold at all sizes from 1 foot upward, with a characteristically gentle roll that mellows as tide rises and wind stays offshore. The break works year-round but shows strongest energy in winter, especially July, while summer typically flattens out. Difficulty scales from beginner to advanced depending on swell size and tide state.

The Farm's history traces back at least to the 1960s, when early surfers would trespass across an adjacent working farm's fences to access the beach—the name itself derives from this farm gateway. By the early 1970s, East Coast traveling surfers had established it as a regular stop on their roaming circuits. Recognition of its cultural standing in Australian surfing culminated in the site's designation as a National Surfing Reserve in June 2009, alongside the adjacent Mystics break.

Located within the 250-hectare Killalea Regional Park near Shellharbour, approximately 30 minutes south of Wollongong, The Farm occupies a pocket-shaped cove between two headlands with southeastern exposure. Its southerly face captures swell when neighboring beaches lie flat. The reserve provides parking and changing facilities. Hazards include rip currents, abrupt depth changes, rock outcrops along the western perimeter, and sharks—standard risks for the region. The beach remains unpatrolled.