A cyclone swell lured thousands of surfers and sightseers to the Sunshine Coast’s protected points, creating a hectic jostle for waves and car parks.
Global surfing star Julian Wilson said the surf was probably the best he had seen at Noosa, while powerful waves from Cyclone Seth also attracted boardriders to points at Alexandra Headland, Moffat Beach and Coolum Beach.
Local photographers were in their element and sensational photos were taken by talented regular contributors to the Sunshine Coast News Photo of the Day Gallery, including Damian Watts (The Salty Pixel), David Cook (Nifty Shotzz) and Lance Hunt (FreeLance Photography).
Noosa’s famous Main Beach and First Point were packed with locals and holidaymakers, who were keen to savour the surf. You can see how many people were at the beach by the below photos.
The tourist hotspot was so congested that surfers slept in their cars overnight to secure carparks and caught waves from dawn.
The usually drive from Noosa National Park to Noosa Junction took some surfers an hour-and-a-half on Sunday, with traffic at a near-standstill.
Globetrotting surfing champ Wilson was among those to hit the surf and he relished catching world-class waves at home.
“What an incredible couple of days we just had, welcoming the new year with what might have been the best swell the Noosa points have seen,” the former world No.2 said via social media on Tuesday morning.
The swell reached 4m+ at times along the Sunshine Coast. It has since dropped.
