Surfing Australia
Surfing Australia is the national governing body for surfing in Australia, administering grassroots participation, accreditation, competitive events, and high-performance athlete development through a federated network of six state associations, 235+ Boardrider Clubs, and 145+ Surf Schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersPalm Beach, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM type—
- OfferingServices
What Surfing Australia does
Surfing Australia is the national governing body for the sport of surfing in Australia, founded in 1963 and incorporated as a not-for-profit (ACN 168 162 865). It operates a federated model comprising six state associations (NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania) and a grassroots network of more than 235 Boardrider Clubs and 145 accredited Surf Schools, serving recreational participants, elite athletes, adaptive surfers, and school-age competitors. The organization runs a multi-tiered portfolio including the NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle, the Australian Interschools Surfing Championships, the Surfing Australia Junior Series, the NRMA Insurance Seas The Day women's surf festival, the Buildcare Australian Para Surfing Titles and BrightSky Australian Pro Adaptive Surfing Championships, the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles, and the Surfing Australia High Performance Program anchored at the High Performance Centre (HPC) at Casuarina, NSW.
The company's core technology stack is conventional rather than proprietary: the JustGo Membership Surf Portal for membership and event registration, the My Learning Centre LMS for coach/judge/official education, and mySURF.tv for video streaming of events and athlete content. Memberships, event entry fees, accredited surf-school affiliations, coaching and officiating course registrations, Marsh Insurance commissions, and corporate partnerships (NRMA Insurance as Naming Rights, Ford Australia, Southern Cross University, Breaka, Babybel, Rip Curl) form the revenue base, alongside government funding via the Australian Institute of Sport, Sport Australia, and state institutes (NSWIS, QAS). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging the federated club network, school programs (SurfGroms, Sporting Schools), and flagship national events to drive participation, sponsorship, and athlete development from grassroots to Olympic and World Championship Tour level.
Surfing Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Surfing Australia
- Legal name
- Surfing Australia
- Website
- https://surfingaustralia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Surfing Australia is the national governing body for surfing in Australia, administering grassroots participation, accreditation, competitive events, and high-performance athlete development through a federated network of six state associations, 235+ Boardrider Clubs, and 145+ Surf Schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Surfing Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- National Sporting Organization / Surfing Governance
- NAICS
- Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)
Keywords
Where Surfing Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palm Beach
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Surfing Australia business model
Business model- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Memberships: Surfing Australia and state associations generate revenue through club affiliations, individual memberships, and the JustGo Surf Portal. The organization offers tiered affiliation packages for clubs with benefits including insurance and products/services.
- Event Entry Fees: Revenue from entry fees for national competitions including Australian Boardriders Battle, Australian Junior Series, Australian Surfing Awards, Australian Interschools Championships, and various discipline-specific titles.
- Course Registrations: Revenue from coaching courses, officiating programs, and education renewals through the My Learning Centre platform. Entry fees for competitions and courses are generally non-refundable per policy.
- Surf School Affiliations: Surfing Australia has 145 Surf Schools in their network. Schools affiliate to gain accreditation, insurance access, and association with the national governing body.
- Insurance Services: Partnership with Marsh Insurance provides comprehensive insurance for affiliated clubs and members as part of tiered affiliation packages.
- Corporate Partnerships: Major partners including NRMA Insurance, Ford Australia, Southern Cross University, Breaka, Babybel, and numerous other brands support events and programs in exchange for marketing rights and association with the surfing lifestyle.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Surfing Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Surfing Australia is the national sporting organization founded in 1963 that governs, promotes, and develops the sport of surfing in Australia. It runs a federated network of six state associations, 235+ Boardrider Clubs, and 145+ affiliated Surf Schools, and operates national competition series, learn-to-surf programs, and a High Performance Program supporting elite athletes toward WSL, ISA, and Olympic competition.
Product overview
Surfing Australia operates as a national sporting organization with a multi-layered portfolio of products and services organized into distinct pillars. The core membership and participation infrastructure includes the JustGo Membership Surf Portal for digital membership management, over 145 accredited Surf Schools, 235 Boardrider Clubs in the grassroots network, and the SurfGroms learn-to-surf program for children aged 5-12. The competitive events portfolio features flagship properties including the NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) club competition series, the Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka (school competition), the Surfing Australia Junior Series with Taj's Small Fries as the premier 10,000-point event, the NRMA Insurance Seas The Day women's festival, the Buildcare Australian Para Surfing Titles and BrightSky Australian Pro Adaptive Surfing Championships for para athletes, and the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles. The High Performance division encompasses the HPC training facility at Casuarina, the Academy for elite development, the Boys National Junior Development Squad, and the Talent UNLSHD program for female talent development. The Irukandjis represents the national adaptive surfing team. Supporting infrastructure includes mySURF.tv for video streaming, Surfing Australia Studios for film production, the My Learning Centre for education, and comprehensive insurance programs. The organization also runs NRMA Insurance RISE for women's participation and ParaSurf for adaptive surfing inclusion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB)
- SurfGroms
- JustGo Membership Surf Portal
- mySURF.tv
- Talent UNLSHD
- The Irukandjis
- NRMA Insurance Seas The Day Women's Surf Festival
- Buildcare Australian Para Surfing Titles
- BrightSky Australian Pro Adaptive Surfing Championships
- Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka
- Surfing Australia Junior Series
- Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC)
- Surfing Australia High Performance Program
- Surfing Australia Academy
- Boys National Junior Development Squad
- ParaSurf
- Surf Schools Network
- Boardrider Clubs Network
- NRMA Insurance RISE
- Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles
- My Learning Centre
- Surfing Australia Insurance
Quantifiable outcome
- Australia dominates world surfing with 2025 World Champion (Molly Picklum) and 2025 WSL World Junior Champions (Isla Huppatz, Dane Henry)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Surfing Australia
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Surfing Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Surfing Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered major partner - official university partner, major partner - official auto partner, presenting partner, official healthy snacking partner, apparel partner, preferred governance provider, naming rights partner, government partner, regional partner, institute partner, cause partner and insurance partner.
- Southern Cross Universitymajor partner - official university partnerSurfing Australia announced Southern Cross University as Official University Partner and Major Partner. Southern Cross University will support and activate across eleven of Surfing Australia's major events including Australian Boardriders Battle series, women's surf festivals, junior and high school pathways, and Australian Surfing Awards. The partnership includes student placements and internships across key departments in marketing, events, high performance and commercial operations.
- Ford Australiamajor partner - official auto partnerFord Australia became Official Auto Partner and Major Partner of Surfing Australia, supporting the sport from grassroots participation through to elite performance. Ford will support and activate across the national event calendar, become Official Major Partner of the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC), and feature Olympian Jack Robinson as ambassador. Ford vehicles support athlete development through strike missions, performance camps, athlete transport and beach access.
- Breaka Flavoured Milkpresenting partnerSurfing Australia extended partnership with Breaka, an iconic Queensland milk brand, for two more years. Breaka returns as presenting partner of the Australian Interschools Surf Championships, Australia's largest and most prestigious school surfing competition. Breaka also partners with Surfing Queensland supporting the Parko Junior Pro and three Junior and Grom QLD State Titles.
- Babybelofficial healthy snacking partnerBabybel partnered as Official Healthy Snacking Partner for 2026. Babybel will feature across major Surfing Australia events in QLD, NSW and WA including NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final and Australian Junior Surfing Titles. Babybel will support the NRMA Insurance SurfGroms Learn to Surf program with activation zones and sampling at multi-day events.
- Ministry of Shirtsapparel partnerMinistry of Shirts formalized partnership for Boardrider Clubs, Surf Schools and State branches. Provides seamless ordering portal for quality printed club apparel at 25% off standard merchandise packages starting from $15 for full colour prints.
- CPR Grouppreferred governance providerCPR Group is Surfing Australia's preferred provider for governance support to affiliated Boardrider clubs. Provides tailored webinars, on-call governance advice and mentoring, AGM support, constitution reviews, strategic planning, conflict resolution, and workshops. CPR Group has worked with Boardrider clubs for over 25 years.
- NRMA Insurancenaming rights partnerNRMA Insurance is Naming Rights Partner of the Australian Boardriders Battle, supporting the event with further investment and elevated boardriders club competition nationwide. Also supports NRMA Insurance RISE program for women's surfing initiatives and NRMA Insurance SurfGroms program.
- Rip Curlpresenting partnerRip Curl is presenting partner of the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles, supporting this event for Indigenous surfers across Australia.
- SiblingsCarepresenting partnerSiblingsCare presents the Buildcare Australian Para Surfing Titles, supporting adaptive surfing in Australia and the pathway to The Irukandjis national team.
- Forward Ability Supportpresenting partnerForward Ability Support presents the BrightSky Australian Pro Adaptive Surfing Championships, supporting elite adaptive surfing competition.
- BrightSkypresenting partnerBrightSky presents the Australian Pro Adaptive Surfing Championships with live webcast coverage.
- Tourism and Events Queenslandgovernment partnerTourism and Events Queensland supports the NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final on the Gold Coast.
- Experience Gold Coastregional partnerExperience Gold Coast supports Surfing Australia events on the Gold Coast including Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final and Australian Interschools Championships.
- Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)government partnerThe Australian Institute of Sport supports the Australian national surfing team (The Irukandjis) and High Performance Program as part of Win Well investment.
- Australian Olympic Committee (AOC)government partnerAustralian Olympic Committee supports Olympic surfing team and Surfing Australia's pathway toward Olympic Games.
- Sport Australia (ASC)government partnerAustralian Sports Commission/Sport Australia supports Surfing Australia through funding and governance frameworks including National Integrity Framework.
- NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS)institute partnerNSW Institute of Sport is a program partner enabling Surfing Australia to create athlete development opportunities.
- Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS)institute partnerQueensland Academy of Sport provides support services including Glen Workman (Lead Physical Preparation), Dr John Ward (Chief Medical Officer), Kerry O'Bryan (Sports Dietitian), and Tom Greer-Smith (Pathway Psychologist).
- Surfers for Climatecause partnerSurfers for Climate Partnership supports environmental sustainability initiatives within Australian surfing community.
- Marsh Insuranceinsurance partnerMarsh Insurance provides comprehensive insurance for affiliated clubs and members as part of Surfing Australia's tiered affiliation packages.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Surfing Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- World Surf League (WSL): Commercial operator of professional surfing tours including the Championship Tour and Challenger Series. Comparable in athlete/competition focus (talent pathways, broadcast, sponsors) but commercial rather than governance-based.
- International Surfing Association (ISA): Global governing body for surfing recognized by the IOC. Comparable in mission (sanctioning world championships, pathways to Olympics/ISA Games, national federation oversight) but operates one level above national NSOs like Surfing Australia.
- Athlete Development Australia (national sport orgs comparables): Sport Australia / Australian Sports Commission is the umbrella funding body that supports Surfing Australia alongside other national sporting organisations. Indirectly comparable as the institutional layer that constrains/governs NSO funding and frameworks.
Direct peers
- Surfing Queensland: Queensland state association under the Surfing Australia federated model. Comparable peer handling club affiliations, state titles, and surf school coordination in Australia's largest surfing state.
- USA Surfing: National governing body for surfing in the United States. Direct functional peer running a national team, high performance program, club/school network, and Olympic pathway for American surfers.
- Surfing NSW: State-level member of the Surfing Australia federation delivering the same club, school, and event programming in NSW. Directly comparable as a federated national body providing grassroots-to-elite pathways and competitions in a single Australian state.
- Confederação Brasileira de Surf (CBSurf): Brazilian national surfing federation governing the largest competitive surfing nation. Direct peer as a national federation with high performance program, national team, and Olympic pipeline competing directly against Surfing Australia's athletes.
- Surfing New Zealand: National sporting organization for surfing in New Zealand. Peer across governance, team selection, and grassroots development with a smaller scale footprint than Surfing Australia.
- Surfing England: National governing body for surfing in England aligned with the ISA. Operates club affiliation, talent pathways, and national events at a smaller scale than Surfing Australia, providing a comparable NSO structure.
Emerging players
- Rip Curl Pro / Hurley Pro event organizers: Rip Curl is both a surf brand partner (presenting partner of Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles) and operator of major surfing events. Relevant as a commercial adjacent peer combining brand sponsorship, event IP, and athlete ambassadorship that competes for surf media/dollar share.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Surfing Australia social profiles
Digital presenceSurfing Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Surfing Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
Surfing Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Surfing Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Surfing Australia
What does Surfing Australia do?
Surfing Australia is the national sporting organization founded in 1963 that governs, promotes, and develops the sport of surfing in Australia. It runs a federated network of six state associations, 235+ Boardrider Clubs, and 145+ affiliated Surf Schools, and operates national competition series, learn-to-surf programs, and a High Performance Program supporting elite athletes toward WSL, ISA, and Olympic competition.
Is Surfing Australia a public or private company?
Surfing Australia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Surfing Australia founded?
Surfing Australia was founded in 1963. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Surfing Australia based?
Surfing Australia is headquartered in Palm Beach, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Surfing Australia make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Memberships are the primary driver. The others are event Entry Fees, course Registrations, surf School Affiliations, insurance Services and corporate Partnerships.
Who are Surfing Australia's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are World Surf League (WSL), International Surfing Association (ISA) and Athlete Development Australia (national sport orgs comparables). Direct peers are Surfing Queensland, USA Surfing, Surfing NSW, Confederação Brasileira de Surf (CBSurf), Surfing New Zealand and Surfing England. Rip Curl Pro / Hurley Pro event organizers is listed as an emerging player.
Does Surfing Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Surfing Australia.
What industry is Surfing Australia in?
Surfing Australia's product category is National Sporting Organization / Surfing Governance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAH, Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing), with a secondary code of THAAAKAC, Surf Schools & Surf Camps. Its NAICS code is 713910 and its SIC code is 7997.