Saving World's Surf Breaks: Science Behind It

From the lecture theatre to the lineup, the message is clear: protecting the world's surf breaks requires evidence-based research, community advocacy and collective action.

Located just 400 metres from North Kirra Beach, within the iconic Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve , Southern Cross University's Gold Coast campus sits at the heart of one of the world's most celebrated surfing ecosystems.

The reserve stretches 16 kilometres from Burleigh Point to north of Snapper Rocks and is globally renowned for its world-class point breaks attracting millions of visitors each year.

For Southern Cross University students, it means they can drop into a barrel at 8am and then be in a lecture theatre at 9am analysing the very ecosystem they just experienced first-hand.

But this surf break, along with many others around the world, is changing. Rising sea temperatures, overfishing, pollution, coastal development, and overtourism are reshaping these fragile marine environments.

Protecting these surf breaks requires evidence-based research, community advocacy and collective action.

Southern Cross University's proximity to the Gold Coast's iconic coastline positions it as a natural leader to deliver coastal research with real-world application.

From reef to catchment, the health of a surf break is shaped by a complex web of environmental and human factors, and protecting these places depends on how effectively science, communities and decision-makers work together.

"When surfers, scientists, Traditional Owners and coastal communities work together, magic happens," said Ben Roche Southern Cross University's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Education Impact) .

"You can have all the scientific data in the world, but if no one is willing to fight for these places, to organise communities, to hold governments accountable and say this matters, then nothing changes.

"Healthy surf breaks depend on healthy reefs, which depend on healthy water quality, which depends on healthy catchments. Everything is connected."

It's an approach already taking shape across Southern Cross University's coastal research programs.

Through the Reefs and Oceans impact cluster , researchers are working on practical responses to some of the marine environment's most urgent pressures – from coral bleaching and marine pollution to sustainable fisheries and climate resilience – in partnership with Traditional Owners, industry and coastal communities.

But the work doesn't stop at the shoreline.

Within the University's Catchments, Coasts and Communities research cluster , teams are working alongside citizen scientists to better understand how land-based activities influence water quality – a critical factor in the long-term health of reefs, coastlines and surf breaks.

The research spans carbon storage, methane cycling in trees and fertiliser mitigation strategies, all aimed at supporting healthier landscapes, cleaner waterways and more resilient coastal communities.

It was exactly this kind of cross-sector momentum that converged on the Gold Coast in February, when Southern Cross University hosted the 2026 World Surfing Conservation Conference.

For four days, the coastline became a meeting point for surfers, scientists, Traditional Owners, policymakers and environmental leaders, all focused on the future of the world's surf ecosystems.

Among the headline speakers were seven-time world surfing champion Layne Beachley AO, big-wave pioneer Tom Carroll, and 2024 ISA World Junior Champion Ziggy Mackenzie — athletes who see firsthand how quickly ocean conditions are changing.

From the stage, Ms Beachley delivered a clear call to action for the global surf community.

"It is our playground, our church, our therapy and we have to fight for it," she said.

"Be proactive. Use your voice. Show up and lobby. Small changes now can create long-term impact for the future."