Nobbys Beach runs south from Nobbys Head, the lighthouse headland at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour. The headland and breakwall give it shelter that the rest of Newcastle's beaches don't have.
When Nobbys is the call
Nobbys is protected from north and north-east winds and swell by the headland. That makes it the place to check on a north-easterly day, when the other beaches are blown out. On a south swell it's more exposed, and the banks along the beach set up peaks.
On small days it's a friendly beach for learning. On bigger swells, it gets powerful and the rip near the breakwall picks up.
Worth knowing
- Ships use the harbour entrance. Stay well clear of the channel.
- The beach is patrolled in season; surf outside the flags.
- Newcastle Beach, just to the south, has its own peaks and an ocean pool.
Our alert for Nobbys is tuned to this break alone, so a swell that's perfect for the beach next door won't set it off. When the swell, wind and tide line up together, you get a text.
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: Bar Beach Surf Guide and Onshore vs. Offshore Wind.
Closest spot guides
- Bar Beach, Newcastle, about 3 km away
- Merewether, about 3 km away
- Terrigal, about 65 km away
- Avoca, about 70 km away
Or browse every break we cover in our Australian surf spot guides by region.