Surf spot

Shipstern

Forecast conditions and map view for Shipstern in Australia, TAS, Hobart. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Australia, TAS, Hobart
Coordinates: -43.2088, 147.7539

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)	2.1	2	1.9	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.1	1.1	1	1	1	1.2	1.2	1.6	2	2.2	2.3	2.2	1.8	1.5	2.1	2	2.1	2.2	2.9	3.2	3.2	3.2	3.3	3.1	3	2.9	2.8	2.7	2.7	2.6	2.5	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.3	2.3	2.1	2	2	1.7	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.5	1.4	1.2
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW
Wave period (s)	9.7	9.6	9.6	9.8	9.8	9.9	9.9	9.8	9.8	9.7	9.7	9.4	9.3	8.5	7.5	8.3	8.3	8.8	9.3	9.4	9.4	10	11.5	9.6	9.2	9.8	12.2	10.8	10.8	10.9	10.7	10	9.9	9.5	9.3	9.3	9.3	9.1	8.9	9	9.3	9.3	9.8	10.1	10.3	10.8	11.1	10.7	11.1	10.9	11.3	10.7	10.2	10.3	10.3	10.5
Wave energy (kJ)	799	723	665	576	509	477	406	348	298	242	225	186	159	150	157	188	366	607	868	912	855	662	564	774	670	889	1441	2035	2308	2395	2352	2152	1884	1668	1459	1318	1266	1159	1066	996	1013	969	1095	1106	1131	1029	947	926	706	687	544	529	427	448	424	339
Wind speed (km/h)	11.7	13	14.2	17.3	13.8	11.7	21.6	21.8	18.3	18	16.7	19.3	17.3	28.8	15.9	26.3	33.9	29.9	30.2	29.5	30	36.6	42.1	39.8	40	36.3	38.2	28.6	32.1	31.1	23.9	26.9	29.1	27.2	24	21.8	12	8	0.5	17	16.8	17.7	18.9	22	25.1	21	17.1	26.2	17.6	23.6	22.7	18.4	9	10.4	13.4	17.9
Wind direction	NNWOffshore	NNWCross-off	NCross-off	NNWOffshore	NCross-off	NCross-off	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NCross-off	NNECross-off	NNWOffshore	WNWOffshore	WCross-off	NNWOffshore	WCross-off	WCross-off	WCross-off	WCross-off	WCross-off	WSWCross-off	WSWBlown out	WSWBlown out	SWBlown out	SWBlown out	SWBlown out	SSWBlown out	SWCross	SWCross	SWCross	WSWCross-off	WSWCross-off	WSWCross-off	WCross-off	WCross-off	WSWCross-off	SWCross	SCross-on	SEGlassy	WCross-off	WNWOffshore	NWOffshore	NWOffshore	WNWOffshore	WNWOffshore	NWOffshore	NWOffshore	NWOffshore	NWOffshore	WNWCross-off	WNWOffshore	WNWOffshore	WNWOffshore	NNWCross-off	NCross-off	NNWCross-off

Shipstern Bluff is one of Australia’s most famous big-wave surf spots, located on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania, south of Hobart.

Quick overview

Location: Near Cape Raoul / Port Arthur area, Tasmania
Type of break: Heavy reef break
Wave character: Extremely powerful, hollow, and often multi-lipped or “step” waves
Best for: Advanced to expert surfers only
Access: Remote and difficult; often reached by boat or long, exposed hikes

What it’s known for

Shipstern Bluff is legendary for its huge, ledging slabs and a unique wave shape where the lip can throw over in multiple sections. This makes it both exciting and very dangerous. It’s considered one of the most intimidating waves in the world.

Conditions

Needs a large south or southwest swell
Prefers offshore winds
Best in cold, stormy Tasmanian winter conditions
The wave can be very shallow and unforgiving

Hazards

Heavy wipeouts
Shallow reef
Strong currents
Remote location and cold water
Often requires safety support and experienced local knowledge

Atmosphere

The spot sits in a dramatic, wild coastline setting, with cliffs and open ocean exposure that add to its reputation. It’s a bucket-list wave for big-wave surfers and one of Tasmania’s iconic surf destinations.