The Alley is the right-hand point at the mouth of Currumbin Creek, and for many Gold Coast surfers it's where they learned. On a small day it's soft and long. On a bigger swell it lines up into a proper point wave, and the creek mouth starts to matter.
Two different waves
Small days at the Alley are about long, easy rides that suit longboards and surf schools. The wave breaks gently over sand at the creek mouth, sheltered from much of the south swell that hits the open beaches.
When a solid east or south-east swell arrives with a south-west wind, the Alley gets faster and more lined up. It's still friendlier than Kirra or Burleigh, but the crowd jumps and the take-off gets more competitive.
The creek rip
The current running out of Currumbin Creek is strong, especially on a dropping tide. It's useful for getting out to the line-up, but it can carry newer surfers out further than they expected. Stay out of the channel if you're not confident, and read rip currents explained before your first session.
Who it suits
- Beginners and longboarders on small, clean days.
- Intermediates who want a point wave without the heavy crowd and power of the famous spots.
- Anyone, as long as they respect the creek current.
Every spot we watch has its own setup: which swell directions reach it, what size and period it needs to come alive, which winds blow offshore, and which tides suit the bank or reef. We check Currumbin Alley against all of that through the day, and you get one text when it all lines up. Never in the dark.
Want to see what real alerts look like? Our firing board shows the spots that have actually turned on recently, with the swell and wind at the time.
Related reading: The Best Waves for Beginner Surfers and Burleigh Heads Surf Guide.
Closest spot guides
- Burleigh Heads, about 6 km away
- Kirra, about 6 km away
- D-Bah, about 7 km away
- Snapper Rocks, about 7 km away
Or browse every break we cover in our Australian surf spot guides by region.
Small and clean, or lined up and fun.
We text you when the Alley actually turns on.
Get alerts for Currumbin Alley