Surf spot

South Wall Mackay Harbour

Forecast conditions and map view for South Wall Mackay Harbour in Australia, QLD, Central-Queensland. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Australia, QLD, Central-Queensland
Coordinates: -21.1166, 149.2249

Metric
Metric	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00
Wave height (m)	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.4
Wave direction	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	ESE	ESE
Wave period (s)	4	4	4	4.7	4.8	4.5	4.7	4.3	4.3	4.2	4.3	4.2	4.5	4.5	4.1	4.1	3.9	3.4	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.8	3.3	3.3	2.9	2.7	2.6	2.5	2.6	2.2	2.1	2	2.1	2.3	2.5	3.3	4.8	5.7	6	6.4	6	5.7	5.7	6.3	6.7	5.7	5.8	5.5	5.3	5	5.2	6.2	5.5	4.7	4.3	3.8
Wave energy (kJ)	2	2	3	1	0	1	2	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	2	2	4	2	2	1	1	3	2	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	3	3	1	1	2	1	1	3	3	3	2	0	1	1	3	4
Wind speed (km/h)	5.4	4.7	7.5	19.7	20.6	19.1	11.9	8.4	5.8	5.8	6.2	21.6	21.7	18.7	7.4	4.9	4.9	3.8	4.6	18.3	20.2	15.9	6.6	3.4	3.9	6.2	6.1	10.3	18	12.6	4.4	4.3	4.8	5.8	11.7	26.3	26.1	22.1	18.5	20	20.1	22.8	19.3	25.5	22.6	20.8	12.7	8.7	7.4	3.4	5.1	18	19.3	16.2	6.2	4.2
Wind direction	SCross	SGlassy	SSECross-on	SECross-on	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SCross	SCross	SCross	ESECross-on	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SSEGlassy	SSWGlassy	SSWGlassy	SSWGlassy	ESECross-on	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	SSWGlassy	SWGlassy	WOffshore	WSWOffshore	SECross-on	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	NGlassy	WGlassy	SSWGlassy	SSWCross-off	SECross-on	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESECross-on	SECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEGlassy	SECross-on	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SSWGlassy

South Wall, Mackay Harbour (QLD, Central Queensland) is a break on the harbour wall / rock groyne at the entrance to Mackay Harbour. It’s one of the more exposed surfable spots in the Mackay area, and it tends to work best when there’s enough swell wrapping in from the east or southeast.

What it’s like

Type: Rockwall / groyne break
Wave quality: Can be fun, but usually pretty inconsistent compared with better-known surf zones
Best swell: E–SE swell
Best wind: Usually light offshore to cross-offshore conditions
Tide: Often better on a mid tide; too high can make it fat, too low can expose too much rock

Wave character

Often produces short, punchy, fast waves
Can handle a bit of size, but the takeoff zone is usually tight and bumpy
Breaks can be shifty because of the wall and the harbour structure
At its best, it can offer clean corners and some workable walls for shortboard surfing

Hazards / things to know

Rock wall and submerged rocks make it a spot for experienced surfers only
Conditions can be affected by harbour traffic, currents, and boat wake
Entry and exit can be awkward, especially if the swell is up
Not ideal for beginners due to the shallow, rocky bottom

Crowds / atmosphere

Usually low to moderate crowds
More of a local knowledge spot than a regular high-traffic surf beach
Best checked in person because it can look surfable from a distance but be poor or hazardous up close

Overall

South Wall Mackay Harbour is a niche, local wind-and-swell dependent spot that can deliver fun waves when everything lines up, but it’s not a dependable everyday surf break. It’s best suited to surfers comfortable with rocky-bottom conditions and reading a wave that changes quickly.