Why is the Noosa paddle trip so good?

You do everything you usually do on a holiday relax, eat, drink, sleep and as a bonus, your days will involve exciting wave catching moments and chasing ocean runners with other like minded paddlers. The Noosa and Mooloolaba areas are some of the most beautiful places in Australia and June is a great time to leave Sydney and visit sunny Queensland.

For wave catching on the surf ski, the Noosa river mouth offers two waves to catch, one super small and one slightly bigger. Your Coach Luke Horder will show you where to paddle out, when to catch the wave, the correct line to hold and when to pull off.

There will also be a paddle out to Hells Gate. Don't be scared by the name, Luke will take you out there and have a small taste of the ocean curvatures. You will look back towards Noosa and see how beautiful the place is from the water.

As confidence and wave catching skills build dramatically each day, you will find as the week progresses, we are all catching the same waves together and having a great time. 

The amount of waves and runners you catch in one week in Noosa, should equal the amount you catch in a whole year, in Sydney.

This trip is suited to someone who is looking to build ocean confidence while enjoying a week of fun paddling and lunch and evening restaurant hangouts. You will learn all the technical aspects of the paddle stroke and how to use and operate safety equipment out on the ocean. 

 

What is involved?

Stroke analysis is provided in the Noosa flat water. For this, Coach Luke Horder will film your stroke from a speedboat. Later that day Luke will sit with each paddler and break their stroke down frame by frame, providing plenty of tips for you to work on for the rest of the paddle week.

Mooloolaba wave catching is off Port Cartwright for the bigger waves and inside at Mooloolaba Beach for the smaller wave. Start with the smaller wave and build up to the bigger waves. Coach Luke will also put you in the right sport for wave catching and direct you on the right line to stay on the sandbank. 

Moffats Ocean Run is the grand finale, a chance to finish the week on a high with a 16km ocean run from Moffats Beach to Mooloolaba Boat ramp. This ocean run will only happen if conditions are safe and you always have the choice to not do it if you wish.

Coach Luke will always put you in the best spot based on the swell direction, wind direction and tide height. Luke will show you where to take off and what to aim for when your on the wave. Luke will paddle next to you showing when to paddle faster or surf the wave and have fun.

Coach Luke will capture plenty of cool footage of everyone on waves and an end of week a fun video “mash up” to sum up the amazing trip.

 

Dates

The 2025 Noosa/Mooloolaba Paddle trip will start in Noosa Monday 9th June 2025 and end in Mooloolaba on Saturday 14th June 2025, so plan your travel and accommodation around these dates. Why not fly into Noosa and have a day or two to relax before the paddle trip begins. The paddling days on the trip will be first paddle Monday 9th June 8am in Noosa and last paddle Saturday morning (7am - 10am) 14th June. 

Costs

Payable to Sydney Harbour Surf Club: $1,400 AUD

No refunds will be given after 30/03/2025.

This covers the following and ensures we can lock in the trip logistics.

We supply:

• The Epic Surf Ski of your choice for the paddle trip dates
• Paddle and PFD (let us know if you prefer to BYO either or both of these)
• Expert coaching on “wave catching” and “ocean runners”
• Filming of your stroke and frame by frame break down of your stroke in person
• Our trailer/vehicle will get you and your Epic surf ski to all the paddle locations each day

We arrange:

We will book amazing restaurants for the group to come together, however meal and beverage costs at these venues are your own cost with split bills available.

You arrange:

• Flights / travel - Flights – fly Sydney to Sunshine Coast airport 
• Your accommodation – please see map locations below to find your own place within the red circle
• Team dinners – we will arrange venues for three evening team dinners, other evenings can be arranged amongst the group of paddlers or yourself.
• Transit to / from Sunshine Coast airport to/from accommodation
• Transit between Noosa and Mooloolaba – Thursday 12th June (12pm) we all transit/drive in rental cars/taxi/ubers from Noosa to Mooloolaba together. 

Accommodation: (Note two locations to book)

You need to arrange your own accommodation. Booking.com or Wotif.com are great resources to check out accommodation options.

• Accommodation in Noosa for check in Sunday 8th June and Check out Thursday 12th June.  

Please look for accommodation inside the red circle

Noosa Map

 

Mooloolaba Map

• Accommodation in Mooloolaba for check in Thursday 12th June and Check out Saturday 14th June 

Please look for accommodation inside the red circle

 

General Trip Logistics

What gear will I need?

We will provide you with a detailed recommended packing list of things to take closer to the time.

 As an overview, you will require:

• normal paddling gear (recommend at least 3 sets of paddle clothing, preferably high vis. Hi-Vis orange is the most visible colour out in the ocean and makes it easier to spot each other)
• your paddle & PFD (note we can provide these, just let Luke know when booking)
• leg leash (take spares, every year several leg leashes break),
• your phone case for safe storage, for SafeTrx + the all important photo taking
• VHF radio (optional but highly recommended for on the water communications)
• Your caps/visors, sunglasses, and GoPro - will all need ties.

You can take your own paddle on the plane, it is classified as its own bag, so you need to have purchased extra luggage for it. If you have a suitable paddle bag, place your paddle in and place all your paddle clothes around it to protect it. If you have a paddle soft cover, please wrap it extensively in bubble wrap and place fragile stickers on it. The airport baggage handlers through your paddle and sometimes it ends up underneath other heavier suitcases, so the more protection the better. You can also place your paddle and PFD in the trailer before it leaves Sydney. 

  

Itinerary

DAY	TYPE	SESSION	LOCATION	COACH
Sunday 8th June – Arrive in Noosa		Restaurant - Team Dinner @ Bistro C 6:30pm	Bistro C - 49 Hastings St, Noosa
Monday 9th June 7:30am - 11:30am - Meet 7:30am Rusell St, Noosa	Surf Ski Paddling and Yoga	On the Beach Coach Luke will talk through all the components of the correct paddle stroke. Then we paddle on the water with Coach Luke filming your stroke for 1 min from the side and 1 min from the rear. Once your filming has finished then please join Coach Robyn for a paddle around the canals of Noosa. Once all the filming is finished we will then paddle out to Noosa River Mouth to learn all the skills of wave catching together with a video taken of you on a wave. Finish with a warm down paddle to the boat ramp and finish with yoga by Robyn Flow	Russell St, Boat Ramp	Luke Horder and Robyn Flow
Monday 9th June - 2:30pm - 5pm  - Meet at Seahaven Apartments, Hasting st	Video Analysis	We will all sit in front of the TV screen and Coach Luke will review each persons video. There will be simliar traits with everyone so its very useful to see everyones video. We keep this session fun and relaxed with positive vibes as we help break down your stroke.	Seahaven Apartmenrs - Hastings St	Luke Horder
Monday 9th June		Restaurant - Team Dinner @ Zacharys Pizza 6:30pm	Zacharys Pizza - Hastings St, Noosa
Tuesday 10th June (7:30am – 11:30am)	Surf Ski Paddling and Yoga	Hells Gate ins & outs – Paddle from boat ramp out to Noosa River mouth and then onto Hells Gate, working on getting the weight down on the stroke. Ins and Outs from Hells Gate, then smaller waves at Blackrock before returning to Noosa River Mouth.	Russell St, Boat Ramp	Luke Horder and Robyn Flow
Tuesday 10th June - Afternoon	Relax/Sightsee	This is your time to do whatever you want. Join others in the group for whatever activities you desire.
Tuesday 10th June		Restaurant - Team Dinner @ Noosa SLSC 6:30pm	Noosa SLSC - Hastings St, Noosa
Wednesday 11th June (7:30am – 11:30am)	Surf Ski Paddling and Yoga	Noosa River Mouth - Paddle from boat ramp out to Noosa River Mouth warm up. Learn all the skills of wave catching together with a video taken of you on a wave. Finish with a warm down paddle to the boat ramp.	Russell St, Boat Ramp	Luke Horder and Robyn Flow
Thursday 12th June (7:30am – 11:30am) 12pm - 1pm Travelling to Mooloolaba	Surf Ski Paddling and Yoga followed by the 1 hr drive to Mooloolaba	We recommend checking out of your hotel early that morning and joining us for the full morning of paddling and yoga. If you wish to get off the water by 9am and head back to your hotel to shower and check out you can do that too. Lets all be at Russell St Boat ramp 11:30am with our suitcases ready to head to Mooloolaba.	Russell St, Boat Ramp
Thursday 12th June - 2pm - 3pm		Check in to your hotel in Mooloolaba
Thursday 12th June - 2pm onwards	Relax/Sightsee	This is your time to do whatever you want. Join others in the group for whatever activities you desire.	Mooloolaba Boat Ramp	Luke Horder
Thursday 12th June		Restaurant - Team Dinner @ Moololaba SLSC 6:30pm	Mooloolaba SLSC
Friday 13th June  (7:30am – 10am)	Surf Ski Paddling	16km Ocean Paddle from Moffats Beach to Mooloolaba. If conditions allow us and if you are up for the challenge then finished the week with the ocean run challenge. We will buddy paddlers up and we recommend you have a VHF radio, mobile phone, whistle	Mooloolaba Boat Ramp	Luke Horder
Friday 13th June		Restaurant - Team Dinner @ Pier 33 6:30pm	Pier 33
Saturday 14th June - 7am - 10am	Surf Ski Paddling	7am - 10am  - Paddle from Mooloolaba boat ramp out to Port Cartwright warm up, and practice wave catching. Finish with a warm down paddle to the boat ramp.		Luke Horder
Saturday 14th June		Fly home to Sydney

 

Q&A's

How many coaches will there be? We have two coaches on the trip Luke and Robyn 

Will there be different groups for different levels or just one group? Our technique work is done on the flatwater of Noosa River, our wave catching is at the river mouths and our ocean runners are out off the beach. We will have two coaches on the water managing different level of paddlers. 

Will there be an option to paddle on my own (not in the group) in a safe place? Certainly, the Noosa River and the Mooloolaba River are very flat areas to paddle and extremely safe. If you are not liking the wave catching from the river mouths, then you can let the coach know and we can organise skills for you to work on in the flatter rivers.

Will there be 2 paddles every day? Please see our updated itinerary for what we are doing each day. We encourage you to take part in it all, but you can choose what you do, it’s your holiday 

Do we post our SafeTRX when going in the ocean on the 2025 Noosa what’s app group? Yes, when we paddle out past the river mouths or do the 16km ocean run on Friday 13th we would like you to send your safetrx link to the Noosa chat group so we can all monitor each other. 

How do I use Safetrx? You can download from the App store and there are plenty of videos online of how to use it, otherwise on the trip there will be plenty of people that can help you. 

Can I take my own surf ski? Yes, you can bring your own ski and of course paddle and lifejacket. The trailer will be leaving Friday 6th June from Sydney so the items will need to be loading in the trailer beforehand. During that week Luke will be at the Mosman and Rose Bay clubhouses where you can leave your items for him to collect.

What surf ski type to use? Please, please, please go as stable as you can. I run so many trips and the only downfall on trips is when people are trying to catch waves and ocean runners and can’t get on them because they choose the flatwater ski they are used to in Sydney Harbour. Please see that whatever ski you paddle in Sydney Harbour that you must come back 1 or 2 ski types for this trip. On the spreadsheet Luke will add a ski type column for you to list so he knows what skis to load for the trip. 

How many leg leashes should I bring? As many as you have. When you are wave catching you tend to fall off and the surf ski gets pulled on you so it’s likely leg leashes will be snapping on this trip. 

Can I take my paddle on the plane? Yes, you can. It’s classified as a bag and it an oversized bag, so it gets dropped off in the oversize area at the airport. Please bubble your paddle as much as you can. Bunnings and the Post office sell bubble wrap and tape. 

I am coming solo and don’t know anyone on the trip? Great, most are and after the first night’s team dinner at Bistro C we will all know each and you will see what an amazing group of people we have on the trip. 

I am embarrassed with the video analysis that everyone will see my video? We are all embarrassed, but remember we are all there to support each other to become better paddlers, that’s why we are on the paddle trip. It’s a fun session and we all learn a lot with video filming of one’s stroke. 

What safety equipment should I bring? Well hopefully you can bring it all (leg leashes, VHF radio, whistle, PFD, mobile phone in case and safetrx). If you don’t have all of these items, it won’t prevent you from doing anything, but you just might not feel as safe as when you have these items. 

How many paddle tops and shorts should I bring? Well depends how fast you can wash; I don’t like to wash so I bring enough clothes for every paddle of the trip. 

Where do we meet each day for the paddles? In Noosa we meet on Russell St next to the Noosa River Holiday Park. We meet at 7:30am, no need to arrive earlier 7:30am is a perfect arrival. Please walk or uber there, to give you an indication it’s a 20min walk from Hastings St. We will unload the surf skis and place them on the beach. Your belongings can be stored and locked inside the trailer. We will do technique demonstrations on the beach and by 8am we will be ready to launch onto the water.  

How do we get to Mooloolaba from Noosa? On Thursday 12^th June after our paddle and yoga session we will call maxi taxis and load everyone for the trip to Mooloolaba. The cost of the trip is divided by the amount of people, so it works out cheap. If you wish to go with your own group or get there yourself, please let Luke know of your alternative plans. 

Do I have to do the 16km ocean paddle on Friday 13th? We will only do this ocean run if conditions allow us to and even then, you need to decide if you are up for it. We will do our best to buddy people up similar paddling speed, and you will be in contact with your buddy the whole paddle. 

Do I have to do the evening team dinners? Well, you’re mad if you don’t, they are a lot of fun and it is what makes our paddle trips so much fun. 

Do the restaurants do split bills? Most do but if they don’t Luke can pay for the dinner, and everyone can write down their amount and we can deduct that amount from your card on the SHSC App.  

 

SHSC Paddle Trip Cancellation Policy