Noosa’s surf turned it on as a result of Cyclone Gita, which battered Tonga and other Pacific Islands last week, reminding everyone what a drawcard Noosa surf can be.
The big swells led to the closure of some beaches to swimmers but drew in hundreds of surfers.
At Noosa Heads 19 swimmers were rescued on Sunday and beaches closed, and another nine on Monday.
Car parks were few and far between at Noosa National Park and around Hastings Street even before dawn on Sunday as surfers and onlookers jostled for space.
The Noosa Malibu Club set up on Main Beach with surfers at First Point delighted their monthly competition coincided with the big swells.
“It’s the gap between the waves and the waves coming through consistently that makes it so good,” club spokesman Glenn Martin (Mardo) said.
Mardo said the club’s identifying orange rashie was a benefit in the heavily congested area with other surfers giving them a bit of space. For more on the surf see Phil Jarratt’s Life of Brine on Page 36.
