News

The 33rd Noosa Festival of Surfing (NFOS) will be held from 8-17 March 2024 (inclusive). For the third consecutive year, the presenting partner for the 2024 Festival is GemLife Resorts. NFOS has grown from humble beginnings to become the largest surf gathering in the world. Pre-covid, the Festival attracted significant participation from international and interstate...

There she goes again, ladies and gentlemen! Another year, another amazing Festival of Surfing doing the Noosa community proud. A big thank you to World Surfaris for organising another epic edition of this highly reputable festival. This event takes several months for our small but powerful team to pull off. We are already planning 2024...

Three years ago we introduced a retro twin fin division to the Festival. When asked if they would like to support the event and the division, Head honcho of Vissla, Mr John Mossop jumped straight at the opportunity. The first year was an awesome success with an array of retro, pre-85 twin fins lined up...

The Solbar beach bar is a true highlight of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Check out the 2023 Solbar beach bar gig guide:

They're back again! The Deus Noosa team are bringing their much-loved energy to the Noosa Festival of Surfing and they're not here to f**k spiders! With a schedule we are excited to see, kicking off on Sunday the 5th March with Film Premier - "The Long Road to Grajagan" featuring team riders, Jared Mell, Tom...

For the third year running, the Noosa Festival of Surfing and SurfAid will open the Festival in style. Raising money for people in need down at the Solbar beach bar on Friday 3rd March, 4-8pm. This year, CEO Doug Lees and his team of SurfAid minions have decided to strip things right back and make...

In 2022, the Noosa Festival of Surfing collaborated with Sunshine Coast gin distillery - Sunshine & Sons to create a traditional dry gin that sends the taste buds tingling. Laguna Bay, spanning from Noosa Main Beach to Granite Bay, is world-renowned for beauty that never disappoints - just like the taste of our limited edition...

Regretfully the Noosa Festival of Surfing wishes to announce that the High Performance Freestyle Championship (HPFC) has had some major setbacks this past week!  Unfortunately, our presenting partner of this division has withdrawn their sponsorship which we are absolutely shattered about! Their decision to withdraw has nothing to do with the Festival/Event which they support...

After catching a glimpse of what the Festival was all about in 2022, Varuna Surfboards is proudly joining the 2023 Noosa Festival of Surfing as a major partner.  Founded from a recognition of the need for sustainability within the surfboard industry, Varuna is the brainchild in part of founder Damien Cole. Son of legendary Victorian...

From the earliest days of modern surfing, there have been those striving to capture it on film. First in photography, then later on film, surfing has captivated image makers almost as much as it has its participants. Documenting the lifestyles and culture of generations of surfers as much as the waveriding itself, iconic movies encapsulated...

Every year, the upper echelons of the world’s longboarders vie for the lofty esteem of being crowned world champion. But this isn’t a one-competition decider, and underdogs and newcomers have toppled even the biggest names in longboarding. Though there are those who gain seeded entry into the World Surf League (WSL) Longboard Tour, many have...

Noosa Festival of Surfing – Official Photography 2023 For the 10th year running, official Noosa Festival of Surfing photographer Dave Gleeson of Sunny Coast Photos (formerly Surfshots Noosa) will be back to capture epic action shots of competitors at this years Noosa Festival of Surfing which is being held 3-12 March 2023. Dave offers surf photo...

As we zero in on another Noosa Festival of Surfing, competitors are reminded to respect our policies and procedures around cancellations and refunds. If you are unable to compete for whatever reason, please respect that our event team is extremely busy entering the final weeks before the event to ensure those that are still attending...

Every year, a stellar lineup of some of the world’s best longboarders flocks to the shores of Laguna Bay for the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Celebrating its 32nd anniversary in 2023, the Noosa Festival will benefit this year from open borders and the free international travel regained since the pandemic. With competitors flocking in from...

Noosa Festival of Surfing is Australia's largest surfing event and you could win a stay for two on the Sunshine Coast worth over $2,600* to celebrate.Hang 10 with: A 2-night stay for two at Peppers Resort Noosa in a 2-bedroom apartment from 3 to 5 March 2023 (plus a 10% off promo code if you want to...

We are excited to announce entries for the Noosa Longboard Pro are now open! After a couple of tough years, the Noosa Longboard Pro returns to Noosa Heads presented by Allpress Espresso. Last time the WSL were in town, a then 43 year old Joel Tudor hoisted the Noosa trophy along with his third world...

The best seat in the house just got better with exclusive bookings now available for the Noosa Festival of Surfing’s Beach Bar Gazebo. Noosa’s First Point is often heralded as ‘the best seat in the house’, its natural amphitheater offering exceptional views of all the action with the stunning Laguna Bay as its picturesque backdrop....

It's nearly time to party in Noosa for the 2023 Noosa Festival of Surfing presented by GemLife. Every year since 1992, Noosa Malibu Club have showcased their coveted event on the beautiful shores of Laguna Bay. As is a common trait of the event, new and exciting additions have been made to the Festival and...

Proudly presented by Allpress Espresso WSL PRESS RELEASE: COOLANGATTA, Queensland /Australia (Wednesday, December 14, 2022) - The World Surf League (WSL) Asia Pacific (APAC) is excited to announce two 2023 Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) competitions. The Noosa Longboard Pro and the Manly Classic will run in the first half of the year and help decide the...

Author - PHIL JARRATT Noosa’s longboard superstar Harrison Roach has seemed destined to win a world title since his teen years. At 31, he may have started to think the dream would never be realised, but no victory ever tastes as sweet as one you’ve had to wait for. And Harrison’s World Surf League Longboard...

9 days of pure stoke has ended for the 31st instalment of the Noosa Festival of Surfing! Check out all the action from this years memorable festival. https://youtu.be/o_JXx89_618?list=PLa8PxE-L99AuEkNX720Y72K0arTc-NHeG The Noosa Festival of Surfing team would like to thank the following people: Josh Allen John Finlay Thomas Alexander Glen and Darlene Gower Rick Espiner Naomi Waite...

On Sunday the 13th March, 2022 history was made at the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Hawaiin-born Aussie, partner of Zye Norris, and local Noosa shredder Sierra Lerback beat a field of 80% men to claim the prestigious Old Mal in fun waves at First Point on Finals Day of the Festival. Sierra by no means...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing team is very proud of the initiatives we have developed around sustainability and giving back over the years. 2022 was possibly our best year so far with over $65,000 raised between our two supporting charities. The Board Meeting & SurfAid. SURFAID; An organisation that supports women and children in remote...

It was an amazing Surfing Festival with our strong 368 competitors taking it up a notch in some very entertaining surfing. With 6 of the 9 days competition held at First Point, competitors across 23 divisions made the most of the conditions. Here is our 2022 finalists and division champions. Congratulations to all participants, see...

As thalassophiles - that is, ocean lovers - we are all too familiar with the power of the sun. Whether it’s simply that satisfying salty-crispy feeling on our skin or the aggravating sting on the back of legs and neck, the sun has touched us all at some point.  Fortunately, we have learned of its...

Barons are coming! But they won’t be wearing chain mail or riding steeds, nor will they be wheeling barrows of stolen cash or towing boatloads of drugs. The “barons” of the ABC-TV drama series of the same name, about to hit our screens in prime time all over Australia in April, are the barons of...

NEW and exciting in 2022 are our Beach Bar Gazebos complete with lounge suite and table service supported by LUXICO. Groups can book two-hour time slots giving them a VIP experience with up to 10 people. Imagine kicking back with your best friends in your own private area with the best views in the house,...

From Granite to the Rivermouth, Laguna Bay has treated beach-goers, especially surfers to a playground of world-class, sand-bottom point breaks for as long as we care to remember. It's hard to imagine another place in the world consisting of such beauty, not to mention four world-class points in walking distance of each other and backing...

It's the headline that needs no creativity and no second thought for the organisers of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Approaching its 31st year, the Festival prides itself on leading the way in three key areas; Sustainability and environmental awareness Providing competitors a world class event to enjoyGender equality and equal prize money "We would...

Mark Mathews is a world-renowned speaker and big wave surfer who is obsessed with the topic of 'fear'. A Red Bull Athlete and in-demand public speaker, Mathews has paved a successful career in the two things he is most fearful of. Big waves and Public Speaking, the latter being the biggest. Mathews will deliver his...

The 2022 Festival of Surfing is nearly here. So, with that being said....don't forget to organise your event photographer. Dave Gleeson is one of the Sunshine Coasts and most in demand photographers shooting many major events in Noosa and Queensland in general. Dave will be taking on a very limited number of surfers who wish...

There may be some good news for all our international competitors desperate to get back to Australia and compete in the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Charles Nowak from Nowak Migration who has been assisting the Festival on immigration advice since late 2021 has provided some useful insights for any international surfers wishing to participate in...

By Thomas Alexander The Noosa Festival of Surfing has many familiar names and faces; surfers who return year after year to compete, commune, and carouse.  For more than a handful, ‘returning’ means simply donning a contest rashie and paddling out at their home break, as Noosa has spawned more than its share of expert surfers...

The time is 1971, When Albert Falzon’s breakthrough surf film, Morning of the Earth documented the amazing surf sojourns of household names like Terry Fitzgerald, Gerry Lopez, Michael Peterson, Stephen Cooney, Rusty Miller, Baddy Treloar, Nat Young and Chris Brock. At the time these surfers had only just touched the sides of what the future...

AN AVID SURFER FOR OVER 50 YEARS, SURFING HAS BEEN A DEFINING FORCE OF GEMLIFEDIRECTOR GREGG PIERCY’S LIFE, AND TODAY HE CREDITS THE SPORT FOR HIS DRIVE TOSTAY FIT AND TRAVEL. Growing up between the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, Gregg was immersed in surf culture from a young age, taking up surfing from around...

By Thomas Alexander A new year has welcomed plenty of change and growth for the Noosa Festival of Surfing, proudly presented in 2022 by GemLife. Though South-East Queensland was decimated by the recent visit of tropical cyclone Seth, the region’s surfers revelled in incredible waves up and down the coast. Kirra, on the Gold Coast,...

Wow!  Was the word on everyone’s lips these last couple of days as Tropical Cyclone Seth provided the Sunshine Coast with an unforgettable session at Noosa’s famous points.  Our home was cooking and everyone was invited to feast upon the best conditions Noosa has seen since ex-tropical cyclone Oma which landed in February 2019!  Julian...

#surfingdogchampionships Arguably the most entertaining event on the Queensland events calendar, if not Australias. The VetShopAustralia Surfing Dog Championships are hosted at the Noosa Festival of Surfing and co-presented by Simparica Trio. Before we meet our Surfing Dogs for 2022. Let's check out the action from 2021. https://youtu.be/lV5AzUJV8o0 2021 Dog Surfing sponsored by VetShopAustralia &...

The celebrated Noosa Solbar will return to the sands of Noosa’s Main Beach in 2022, with a collaborative lineup of liquid refreshments. Presenting next year’s beach bar, Solbar will feature a range of taste-bud tingling delights with the intention of creating more consumer choice than ever before whilst showcasing and supporting a complete Sunshine Coast...

At the Noosa Festival of Surfing, we have seen one philosophy reflected again and again over our 30-year history: Great things happen when mates get together. This has rarely been as perfectly illustrated as with four local mates, bound by a love of the ocean, the Sunshine Coast environs, and fine, premium spirits. The four...

After the unprecedented success of this year’s inaugural twin fin division, the event will be returning in 2022, proudly presented by Vissla. Twin fins are, in some regards, a missing link between traditional longboarding and modern-day short boarding, forming one aspect of the dramatic shortboard revolution of the 1970s. This pivotal era was a time...

The ever-popular Beach Bar will be returning to the sands of Noosa’s Main Beach in 2022, with a host of live entertainment, activities, and events. Presented once more by Solbar, the much-loved pop-up venue will take on a beach club vibe next year, providing a relaxing location to while away the summer afternoons and wind...

Standing as a bastion of surf culture across the planet, Deus ex Machina will be aligning with the Noosa Festival of Surfing in 2022. Though their presence has been felt for many years and the brand has previously presented the Deus Whomp Comp bodysurfing division, this will mark their first attendance as a major division...

Over the years, the Noosa Beach Bar has evolved into a local favorite and a popular watering hole for those on holidays or in Noosa at the right place, right time. With a growing craft brewery network on the Sunshine Coast, event organisers have supported local suppliers more than ever. 2022 will be no different...

On Monday the 8th November, the Noosa Festival of Surfing announced internationally recognised big wave surfer and public speaking extraordinaire, Mark Mathews will be joining us in 2022 for his Life Beyond Fear presentation. Event Organisers, World Surfaris attempted to bring Mark to the Festival in 2021 but Covid restrictions made it extremely difficult to...

Pic by @surfshots Noosa While all divisions attract a wealth of talent across age divisions and disciplines, each year the Logger Pro raises the benchmark of what is expected of contemporary longboarding. Competitors have travelled from across the planet from dozens of countries and regions to take part in this, the premier division of the...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing is pleased to announce that GemLife are the presenting partner of the 2022 event. Josh Allen (Event Manager) said, "2022 is hopefully the year where the world bounces back from the challenges of Covid-19. Despite a very successful 2021 Festival, the team and I are looking forward to planning with...

Organisers of the 2021 Noosa Festival of Surfing have hailed the event as a great success. 2021 was truly a landmark year for the Noosa Festival of Surfing, celebrating 30 years of this great event loved all over the world. We appreciate the collaboration and assistance we received from local businesses, media, surfers, volunteers, artists,...

Join us on Thursday the 20th of May, for our inaugural Surf Film and Photography night. Hosted at the Noosa Surf Museum (3 Hilton Tce, Noosaville). Get a peek behind the lens and into the world of surf photography and be inspired by international surf and travel photographer Chris Peel. Chris has curated a stunning...

Established in 2016, Noosa Flow's Claire Toone and co will be taking morning yoga classes on each weekend of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Classes will operate out of the Noosa Solbar (in front of the Noosa Surf Club) from 6am - 7am & 7am - 8am. It is highly recommended to book your sessions...

Can you believe it!? 30 years of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. In that time we have seen over 13,000 surfing competitors, about 300,000 competitive heats, 500 division champions and over 100 surfing dogs... Numbers aside, we think this year is pretty special. Especially after the year we have had it's exciting that we can...

It’s going to be a different kind of Noosa Festival of Surfing in 2021. Not only are we switching months and seasons, but this will also be a year of ‘locals only’. With the COVID pandemic all but closing our borders, this year will be an all-Australian affair… well, mostly! Despite this limitation on entries,...

Pic by @surfshots Noosa While all divisions attract a wealth of talent across age divisions and disciplines, each year the Logger Pro raises the benchmark of what is expected of contemporary longboarding. Competitors have travelled from across the planet from dozens of countries and regions to take part in this, the premier division of the...

For generations, there has been a healthy rivalry in the waves between longboarders, shortboarders and surf club members. Rarely does it boil over into anything more than a little friendly jibing, but the differences, and the boundaries, remain. Several years ago, Noosa surfer Dane Wilson noticed this distinct segregation and searched for a way to...

Local Skateboard Coach Presents Land-Based Event With most of the action taking place in the waves at Noosa’s First Point, a new land-based event will offer fresh opportunities for spectators at this year’s Noosa Festival of Surfing. Mat ‘Chiggy’ Chigwidden will be hosting Chiggy’s Skate Fest – nine days of skateboarding action set in the...

In November 2020, when event organisers, World Surfaris decided the Noosa Festival of Surfing would go ahead for it's 30th year, it was uncertain just how many competitors would sign up. With a reduction of between 20-30% in international competitors, there were fears the event would see less than 300 surfers competing for the first...

The 30 year history of The Noosa Festival of Surfing will be available for all to see on action/adventure sports TV platform Fuel TV. The streaming service and the Festival have agreed to stream our live broadcast AND feature a 2 part TV show at the conclusion of the 2021 event for the next 12...

We are excited to announce that Melbourne surf park, URBNSURF will be partnering with the Noosa Festival of Surfing in 2021. https://youtu.be/IiqeCWdy-y4?list=PLa8PxE-L99AuEkNX720Y72K0arTc-NHeG URBNSURF is located a couple of minutes from Tullamarine Airport (Melbourne's major airport). After your short drive to the surf park, you are greeted with perfect peeling right and left handers that run...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing is delighted to acknowledge the support of the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland’s QDEP Round 17 funding program. TEQ has been a long term supporter of the Noosa Festival, which has grown to be the largest longboard festival in the world. The 2021 Noosa Festival will the 30th...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing is feeling energised after announcing that Red Bull will be supporting the event in 2021. The team at Red Bull are thrilled to partner with the festival for its 30th addition of this magnificent event. Event sponsors have come and gone over the years, but Red Bull have no intention...

If you are thinking about coming to Noosa this year for the Noosa Festival of Surfing you should consider booking early. Our accommodation partners listed HERE have released special deals for competitors and longer stays. Due to the increase in domestic tourism, it is a very good idea to think about your accommodation earlier than...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing has always implemented successful sustainability practices. In 2019 we ran the first completely plastic free event utilising plastic alternatives and biodegrade-able materials wherever possible. This year we will be taking it up a notch by partnering with global sustainability partner, Seatrees (Sustainable Surf). Seatrees are a non-for-profit organisation who's simple...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing has developed a reputation for bringing people together. Sure, the surfing competition can often be fierce, where friends become foes albeit for a short 20 min heat. But at the end of the day competitors, spectators and the general public all love to enjoy the 10 day pop-up beach bar...

GemLife announced as Noosa Festival of Surfing Senior Divisions Partner Queensland-based international active resorts developer GemLife became the major supporter of Noosa World Surfing Reserve early in 2020, and in 2021 joins forces with NWSR as major sponsors of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Director and CEO of GemLife Adrian Puljich said he was excited...

Share | Respect | Preserve The Noosa Festival of Surfing wouldn't be a celebration of surfing without the inclusion of the Noosa World Surfing Reserve. The NWSR is an association put together by surfers and passionate environmentalists who's aim it is to proactively identify, designate and preserve outstanding waves, surf zones and surrounding environments around...

It wouldn't be a Noosa Festival of Surfing without giving back. Since the very beginning, way back in 1992, the festival has endeavored to encourage and inspire goodwill, give back and to assist those in need. 2021 is no different as we partner with globally recognised surf charity, SURFAID. SURFAID'S MISSION "SURFAID'S CORE MISSION IT...

The Noosa Festival of Surfing are pleased to announce that Heads of Noosa Brewing Co will be the presenting partner of the 2021 event. Josh Allen (Head of Sponsorship & Marketing) said, "2021 marks 30 years of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. In November 2020, when we decided the festival would go ahead. Our team...

The Noosa Festival of surfing brings the spirit, culture and the joys of surfing to the shores of Noosa Heads in 2021 for it’s 30th year!For such a momentous occasion we want to offer your brand the unique opportunity to partner with Australia’s largest surfing event and the only one of its kind in the...

The Noosa Malibu Club and World Surfaris are pleased to announce that the dates for the 30th anniversary of the Noosa Festival of Surfing (NFOS) are from May 15-23, 2021 (inclusive). Usually held in late Feb/early March each year, the covid-19 pandemic has forced the postponement of the 2021 Festival. NFOS has grown from humble...