WorldAustralia › New South Wales › Shallows

Shallows 62.0

#2978 of 5756 surf spots in the world · 🇦🇺 Australia · New South Wales · near Kiama

Works almost every day, wind is the enemy here, no off season.

Works all yearIntermediate
Shallows, Australia
Photo: Phil Whitehouse from London, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0 · source
Surf score62.0 /100
Surfable days98% of the year
Clean days10% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell15% period 11 s+
Typical size1.6 m 5.2 ft median
Water20°C a 2 mm shorty

Best time to surf Shallows

The best time to surf Shallows is April, May, July. It rarely works. In April the water sits around 22°C, so pack a rash vest or 2 mm, and the typical wave is 1.4 m. The nearest airport is SYD (77 km) and the nearest town is Kiama (14 km).

MonthSurfableCleanSizeWaterSuit
Jan99%5%1.5 m22°C2mm
Feb99%5%1.8 m23°Cvest
Mar98%5%1.8 m24°Cvest
Apr99%21%1.4 m22°Cvest
May94%18%1.6 m21°C2mm
Jun97%15%1.6 m19°C3/2
Jul99%17%1.7 m18°C3/2
Aug97%16%1.6 m18°C3/2
Sep99%9%1.6 m19°C2mm
Oct99%9%1.7 m20°C2mm
Nov100%5%1.5 m20°C2mm
Dec100%3%1.5 m22°C2mm

Why 62.0

Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and multiplied by its weight; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world scores 100. Wave quality and what the spot does on its best days carry more than half of it, which is what separates this from a ranking of where the water is warm.

Wave quality 34.7%
14.8
Best days 22.4%
13.3
Clean days 18.4%
4.2
Consistency 10.2%
10.2
Season spread 4.1%
4.1
Water comfort 6.1%
3.3
Access 4.1%
3.7

The detail

Faces 105° with 53% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 66% of days. Mean peak period 9.1 s. Days over 3 m: 5%. On its best tenth of days it reaches 2.5 m, with a peak period of 11 s. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 17%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -34.590, 150.879 (OpenStreetMap).

What it costs to be here

Living here
€1,990/ month
typically €1,750 – €2,230
Rent, one bedroom€1,050
Groceries€416
Eating out€238
Getting around€140
Phone + internet€151
Renting by the month, cooking most days, local transport.
One month here
€3,890/ month
typically €3,420 – €4,360
Somewhere to stay€2,290
Eating out€815
Car, transfers, fuel€529
Data + extras€248
Short stays, eating out, a car or transfers.
49% cheaper if you live here instead of visiting

Airport and town on the doorstep, so the local estimate is 8% above the country average. Estimate: World Bank PPP price level for Australia (2025, United States = 1.00) applied to a fixed surfer basket, then adjusted for how remote the spot is. Your own number moves with the season and how you live.

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Spots nearby

Crackington Haven🇬🇧 United Kingdom · score 64.6Oléron - Les huttes🇫🇷 France · score 64.7Antigues Cape🇫🇷 France · score 65.0Karek hir🇫🇷 France · score 65.1
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