Forster is all about two right-hand reef waves breaking over uneven reef and sand. Main Beach Forster offers some shelter when southeast winds blow out the more exposed beaches nearby, but the real draw sits around the rocks. Hayden Reef explodes over a first rock shelf before ploughing down toward the pool and the beach shorebreak, while around the corner at Pebbly Beach another quality right skirts the rocks in the same conditions.
When It Works
Both reefs need serious northeast power to come to life, and northeast (NE) is the swell direction to look for. The break draws swell from northeast through east-southeast to south (NE-ESE-S), and works from 0.3 m / 1 ft to 4.6 m / 15 ft. It can be somewhat inconsistent, so the trick is catching it when a solid northeast swell is really pushing through.
Wind and Tide
Look for a south (S) offshore wind to clean it up. The reef can work across low, mid, and high tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
This is an expert-level wave. The suck-out at the Hayden Reef take-off is heavy and demands real experience before you paddle out. Expect a busy lineup when it's on.
Access
Parking is easy to sort, with a car park offering free parking alongside paid and roadside options.
