St Andrews Beach

St Andrews Beach is an exposed beach break on the Mornington Peninsula facing Bass Strait. The surf is generally more consistent in winter than in summer, when conditions can be mostly flat. Across the beach, expect a powerful, raw setup with multiple peaks along a long stretch of coast, and strong natural features that can create heavy, fast sections when it’s on. Conditions are strongly influenced by southwest cold fronts, while summer can bring afternoon sea-breeze winds that may often blow out the surf. Wind can make a noticeable difference: North and Northeast winds are described as offshore (tending to groom waves into cleaner barrels), while West and Southwest winds are heavily onshore and can create messy, less organized surf. Safety is a major priority here. The beach is unpatrolled and notably dangerous for swimming due to strong, persistent rip currents, and there are also reported shark hazards. When it’s working, it can draw more surfers than usual, but the environment remains intense—watch for rips, check sandbar conditions before committing to the lineup, and avoid surfing alone because of the isolation. Water temperatures are consistently cool, with wetsuits typically needed across most of the year. In terms of seasonality, spring/autumn and winter months are commonly highlighted for surf conditions, with the best overall surfing described around autumn/autumn-to-winter and specific months that include April, May, September, and October.