What is NSR?

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National Surfing Reserves are ‘iconic’ places of intrinsic environmental, heritage, sporting and cultural value to a nation. NSR embrace all peoples to enjoy, understand and protect special coastal environments of universal value to the surfing world. A Surfing Reserve does not attempt to exclude any user group.

World Surfing Reserve Essential Criteria

  1. The quality and consistency of the waves (i.e. a world class or world renown surfing break/site; e.g. Pipeline, Jeffreys Bay);
  2. A place considered sacred by the international surfing community (e.g. Waikiki);
  3. Long-term usage of the beach and wave environment by local and international surfing community (e.g. Makaha)

There are presently five WSR’s in Europe, North and South America and Manly-Freshwater in Australia.

National Surfing Reserve Essential Criteria

  1. Quality of the waves (i.e. a national class surfing break) (e.g. North Narrabeen, Snapper Rocks, Margaret River);
  2. A place considered sacred by the local and national surfing community (e.g. Angourie, Crescent Head)
  3. Long term usage of the beach and wave environment by local and national surfing community, e.g. long term surf lifesaving club and/or boardriders club with significant history (e.g. Manly, Killalea)

There are presently nine NSR’s in NSW, three in Queensland, one in Victoria, two in South Australia and three in Western Australia.

Regional Surfing Reserve Essential Criteria

  1. Reasonable quality of the waves (i.e. a regional-class surfing break) (most Sydney surf beaches)
  2. A place considered special by the local surfing community (all beaches with local boardriders club)
  3. Long term usage of the beach and wave environment by local surfing community, e.g. long term SLSC and/or boardriders club with significant history

Using these criteria there could potentially be more than 100+ RSR’s in Australia, though they would only be dedicated if there were strong community support. One RSR is presently under consideration in South Australia

We’re working with the government

Crown land along the NSW coast has some of the best surfing breaks in the world. The Land and Property Management Authority has formed a winning partnership with the NSR movement in NSW, promoting the initiative as a way to work with local communities to promote the importance of Crown land to the history and culture of Australian surfing.