Surf spot

Point Cartwright, the rock

Forecast conditions and map view for Point Cartwright, the rock in Australia, QLD, Sunshine Coast. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Australia, QLD, Sunshine Coast
Coordinates: -26.6793, 153.1374

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)	1	1	1	1	0.9	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.7	1.3	1.1	1	0.9	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.9	1.1	1.1	1	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7
Wave direction	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	ESE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE
Wave period (s)	5	5	5	5	5.3	5	4.5	4.7	4.7	4.7	4.6	5	5	4.9	4.7	4.7	4.7	4.7	4.7	4.7	4.6	4.5	4.6	4.7	4.8	4.8	4.9	5.2	5	5	5.2	5.3	5	5	5	5	5.5	5.3	5.9	6.8	7.1	7.3	7	7	7.4	7	8.2	7	6.4	6	6	6.2	5.9	6.7	7.3	7.3
Wave energy (kJ)	47	49	47	48	48	46	35	33	34	27	26	30	38	37	36	34	41	42	38	37	33	29	26	22	23	22	21	19	22	21	22	23	22	20	20	19	19	23	13	49	160	132	99	76	42	33	45	88	106	94	69	56	47	47	55	52
Wind speed (km/h)	8.7	10.1	8.2	13.6	16.7	11.5	6.8	5.4	6.3	8	9.4	14.4	14.6	12.5	6.8	5.5	5.8	6.1	5.3	9.2	11.4	9.4	4	2.4	5.1	5.8	3.7	7.9	13.4	11.2	7.1	6.4	7.3	6.7	6	15	21.6	23.2	24.5	22.1	19.1	12.1	8.5	17.7	21.5	22.4	20.3	16.2	14.4	13	9.7	14	11.8	10.5	3.5	4
Wind direction	SOffshore	SOffshore	SSWOffshore	SECross-off	ESECross-off	ESECross-off	SSEOffshore	SOffshore	SSWOffshore	SSWOffshore	SOffshore	SSECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SSEOffshore	SOffshore	SSWCross-off	SWCross-off	SSWOffshore	SECross-off	ESECross-off	ECross	EGlassy	NNWGlassy	WCross	WCross	WGlassy	NECross-on	ENECross-on	NECross-on	NNWOnshore	NWCross-on	NNWCross-on	NWCross-on	WNWCross-on	SSEOffshore	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SOffshore	SSWOffshore	SSWOffshore	SSEOffshore	SECross-off	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SOffshore	SOffshore	SOffshore	SSWOffshore	SSEOffshore	SECross-off	ESECross-off	SSEGlassy	WSWGlassy

Point Cartwright is a well-known surf spot on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, sitting beside the rocky headland at Mooloolaba / Kawana. It’s one of the more exposed pointbreak-style waves in the area and gets attention from surfers when the swell lines up well.

Quick description

Type of wave: Rock/point break with reef influence
Best swell: East to southeast swells
Wind: Offshore to light west or southwest winds are best
Characteristics: Fast, punchy, and can be hollow when it’s on
Crowds: Can be busy, especially when conditions are good

What it’s like

Point Cartwright can produce clean, wrapping rights and some short, powerful sections depending on the sand and swell direction. Because it’s a rocky headland, the wave can have a more consistent shape than open beach breaks when the swell is filling in properly. It’s often considered a spot that can get really fun on the right tide and size, but it can also be tricky and less forgiving than nearby beachies.

Hazards / things to know

Rocks and shallow sections
Strong currents at times
Can be inconsistent if swell angle or tide isn’t right
Best for surfers who are comfortable reading conditions

Vibe

It has a classic Sunshine Coast local surf feel: scenic headland, clear water on better days, and a mix of experienced locals and visiting surfers chasing the best window of swell.