Avalon Beach has been dubbed a “sea-change” beach. And it’s for good reason – the nearby village has all the charm of a small regional town (cafes, surf shops, wholefood stores and homeware boutiques abound) while still being very much a part of Sydney.

But with so many people sea-changing at once, there tends to be a disparity in skill among the local board-riding community. Luckily, the conditions here are accommodating to all proficiencies. Fun and easy waves roll in at the south end and – if Kelly Slater’s 15 year residency is anything to go by – more advanced conditions barrel in to the north.

For those would-be surfers who bailed on their boards long ago, there’s “Little Av” – a 25 metre rockpool beneath a tower sandstone cliff at the south end.