Homegrown and (Occasionally) Topless On Australia’s East Coast

Queensland, Australia is unlike most surf destinations in that it receives its very best swells in non-winter months. During summer and early autumn, tropical systems are birthed in the eastern Pacific and deliver days, sometimes weeks of swell to Australia’s northeastern quadrant. Due to the typical E-to-NE angles of these swells, Queensland’s north-facing points light up like the coolest childhood shoes. 

With scorching air temps and oceans near 30 degrees, the only way to enjoy the season is in your favorite pair of boardies. And the best part about summer is that there’s no reason to change after you surf. Some, like the guys from Billabong’s Australian team, rock the same pair of trunks while in the surf, at the pub, and on the job.

Granted, those three things are one and the same when you’re a professional surfer.