Go Ride a Wave

What Go Ride a Wave does

Go Ride a Wave is a privately held Australian surf school and outdoor recreation operator founded in 1987 in Anglesea, Victoria, by Peter Fidler, operating under the legal name Go Ride a Wave. It is self-described as Australia's first professional surf school and largest learn-to-surf operator, with 11 beachfront locations across Victoria's Great Ocean Road (Anglesea, Torquay, Ocean Grove, Lorne, Wye River, Apollo Bay, Breamlea) and Queensland (Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Coolangatta, Noosa Heads), supported by warehouses in Anglesea and Burleigh Heads. The company reports serving 50,000+ customers annually and over 1 million cumulative surfers taught since inception.

The core product set spans two-hour group surf lessons ($84 per person), three-lesson progressive surf courses ($205), private 1:1 lessons ($205-$230), multi-day all-inclusive Noosa Surf Retreats ($1,350-$1,400), SurfGroms children's programs delivered under the Woolworths partnership ($240-$270), night kayaking experiences on the Anglesea River ($84), stand-up paddleboard lessons, equipment hire (boards, wetsuits, SUPs, kayaks), corporate team-building events, and gift vouchers. The principal proprietary technology is the G Boards soft surfboard line, polyethylene boards developed in Australia specifically for surf school use. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the FareHarbor online booking platform, phone (1300 132 441), and walk-in retail at beachfront shops, plus dedicated group and school enquiry channels.

The business operates as a wholly company-owned entity (not a franchise), is headquartered at 143B Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, and maintains wholly-owned sub-brands Over the Edge (corporate/conference division, est. 1992) and Go Paddling (kayaking division, est. 1994), along with retained acquired brands at Kirra, Broadbeach/Kurrawa, Coolangatta/Walking Water, and Kayak Noosa. Key revenue mechanics are unit-priced pay-as-you-go bookings across locations with seasonal Queensland/Victorian pricing, group discounts via direct enquiry, and multi-day retreat packages with deposit/balance billing.

Name

Go Ride a Wave

Legal name

Go Ride a Wave

Website

https://gorideawave.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Go Ride a Wave is Australia's first professional surf school, founded in 1987, operating 11 beachfront locations across Victoria and Queensland. It serves tourists, families, schools, and corporate groups with surf lessons, equipment hire, kayaking, retreats, and children's programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf School and Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Coastal Tours (THAAAIAF), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Surf school
• Learn to surf
• Surf lessons
• Equipment hire
• Outdoor recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Anglesea

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Surf Lessons: 2-hour surf experience lessons, multi-lesson surf courses, and private 1:1 lessons offered across all locations. Core revenue stream providing instruction for beginners to intermediate surfers.
2. Equipment Hire: Surfboard, bodyboard, wetsuit, SUP, and kayak hire services available at all locations. Hourly and daily rental pricing with seasonal variations.
3. Surf Retreats: Multi-day all-inclusive surf retreat experiences in Noosa (4 days) including lessons, accommodation at Halse Lodge, meals, kayak experience, and professional coaching. Pricing per person with shared accommodation options.
4. Night Kayaking: Twilight and night kayaking experiences on the Anglesea River and Aireys Inlet. Includes guided tours with wildlife spotting, hot drinks, and equipment.
5. Corporate Team Building: Team building activities including The Amazing Race, Bridge Building Challenge, Beach Olympics, and various water/land-based activities for corporate groups, schools, and organizations.
6. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers sold for surf lessons, private lessons, beach hire, and SUP lessons across Victoria and Queensland locations.
7. SurfGroms Programs: Children's surf programs (ages 5-12) run in partnership with Woolworths SurfGroms, including weekly term programs and intensive school holiday programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Go Ride A Wave delivers beginner-to-intermediate surf instruction, multi-day surf retreats, and equipment hire (surfboards, bodyboards, wetsuits, SUPs, kayaks) across 11 coastal locations in Victoria and Queensland. Complementary offerings include night kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, schools and corporate group programs, and the Woolworths SurfGroms children's surf program. All activities are delivered in-person by qualified instructors at the company's own beachfront retail shops and lessons are held in waist-deep water with all equipment supplied.

Product overview

Go Ride A Wave is a multi-location outdoor recreation and surf school operator offering a unified portfolio of water-based and land-based activities. The core offering consists of surf lessons (individual/group/private and multi-session courses), surf and beach equipment hire, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and night kayaking adventures. Supporting products include the Woolworths SurfGroms children's program, Noosa Surf Retreats (multi-day all-inclusive packages), corporate team building activities (The Amazing Race, Bridge Challenge, Giant SUP), schools and groups programs, gift vouchers, and community outreach. The company operates sub-brands including Over the Edge (corporate/conference) and Go Paddling (kayaking), and has expanded through acquisitions of surf schools at Kirra Point (2016), Broadbeach/Kurrawa (2019), Coolangatta/Greenmount (Walking Water, 2022), and Kayak Noosa (2023). Activities are delivered across 11 coastal locations in Victoria (Anglesea, Torquay, Ocean Grove, Lorne, Wye River, Apollo Bay, Breamlea) and Queensland (Noosa Heads, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Coolangatta), supported by retail shops and beach hire operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surf Experience (2-hour Surf Lessons) Two-hour introductory group surf lesson for all ages and skill levels, covering ocean awareness, board control, wave catching, and standing up; all equipment provided.
• Surf Course (3-lesson progressive course) Three-lesson progressive surf course with online surf theory modules, taking participants from complete beginner to intermediate level.
• Private Surf Lessons 1.5-hour one-on-one personalised surf instruction for all skill levels, focused on rapid improvement and targeted skill development.
• Noosa Surf Retreats Four-day all-inclusive surf retreat in Noosa, Queensland for women-only and mixed groups, including surf lessons, kayak experiences, meals, accommodation at Halse Lodge, professional coaching, and drone footage.
• Night Kayaking Twilight and night kayaking experiences on the Anglesea River and Aireys Inlet, including guided tours with wildlife spotting, stargazing, hot drinks, and snacks; no kayaking experience required.
• Surf and Beach Equipment Hire Equipment rental across Victoria and Queensland locations including surfboards (soft G Boards and hard/epoxy boards), bodyboards, wetsuits, stand-up paddleboards, and kayaks on hourly and daily rates.
• SurfGroms Children's Program Woolworths SurfGroms structured children's surf program for ages 6-12, consisting of 4 progressive 1.5-hour lessons focused on ocean awareness, surf survival, rescue techniques, and fundamental beach safety.
• Kids Only Surf Lessons 90-minute school holiday surf sessions for children aged 5-14, introducing young beginner surfers to the ocean in a fun and safe environment.
• Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) River-based stand-up paddleboard lessons, journeys, and skills sessions on the Anglesea River, with options including Sunrise SUP summer sessions, river explorations, and skills sessions for families and younger paddlers.
• Schools and Groups Activities Group programs including surfing, bodyboarding, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, surf safety, surf carnival, beach olympics, and team building activities for schools, corporates, and community groups. Go Ride A Wave is a registered provider for Sporting Schools programs.
• Corporate Team Building Corporate team building events including The Amazing Race (Geelong Waterfront interactive challenges), The Great Bridge Challenge (bridge building competition), and Giant Stand Up Paddle Board team activities.
• Gift Vouchers Gift cards available for purchase online for Victoria (surf lessons, private lessons, beach hire, SUP lessons), Sunshine Coast (kayak lessons), and Gold Coast (surf lessons and surf hire).

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ customers taught to surf each year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Go PaddlingminorOthers · 1 January 1994Kayaking division established in 1994, later expanded to include Night Kayaking experiences and acquisition of Kayak Noosa brand (July 2023).
• Over the EdgeminorOthers · 1 January 1992Corporate and conference market division established in 1992 to specifically cater for the corporate and conference market.
• Surfing AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo Ride A Wave is a leading surf school member of Surfing Australia, the national governing body for surfing. Peter Fidler served as founding member and President of the Surf Schools Association of Australia for 5 years (1998-2002). Company contributed content to Adventure Activity Standards Working Party and invested in development of first soft G Boards.
• Woolworths SurfGromscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo Ride A Wave proudly runs the Woolworths SurfGroms program at multiple locations across Victoria and Queensland. SurfGroms teaches children ages 5-12 core surfing skills, ocean awareness, and beach safety through fun, structured programs.
• Surf Life Saving AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo Ride A Wave provides surf lessons for Surf Life Saving Australia's Little Nippers program in partnered areas. Proud supporter of local Surf Life Saving Clubs through volunteering, financial memberships, and monetary and in-kind donations.
• Sporting SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGo Ride A Wave is a registered provider for programs supported by Sporting Schools, delivering surf and water safety programs to school students.
• ATC Insurance SolutionscoreOthersGo Ride A Wave has $20 Million Public Liability Insurance cover through ATC Insurance Solutions as part of a National Policy with Surfing Australia. Covers all shops and activity locations nationwide.
• G BoardscoreTechnology or IntegrationGo Ride A Wave invested in development of proprietary G Boards - soft surfboards manufactured in Australia specifically for use in surf schools. Made from polyethylene, these boards are available for hire at all locations.
• Australian Textile Recyclers and Rip CurlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in environmental initiative to collect and recycle wearable items including wetsuits, rashvests, and staff uniforms.
• Local Football Clubs (Anglesea, Torquay, Lorne)minorOthersProud sponsor of Anglesea Football Club, Torquay Football Club and Lorne Football Club as part of community support.
• Take 3 for the SeaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo Ride A Wave embraces the Take 3 for the Sea movement, carrying reusable rubbish bags to all lessons and participating in beach cleanup activities.
• Halse Lodge (Noosa)minorOthersAccommodation partner for Noosa Surf Retreats. Guests stay at Halse Lodge, a 10-minute walk from the beach, nestled amidst dense rainforest.
• Noosa Paddle SportsminorOthersPartnership for kayaking and paddle sports experiences at Noosa. Referenced as 'friends at Noosa Paddle Sports' for paddling lessons and hires.
• 50+ Community OrganizationsminorOthersGo Ride A Wave proudly supports and donates to 50+ organisations and initiatives within the community each year through their community program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Experience Oz: Australian tours and experiences aggregator offering booking access to surf lessons, kayaking, and coastal activities across Australia. Comparable as a broad distribution platform competing for tourist surf school bookings and intermediating the customer relationship.
• Adrenaline: Australian adventure and experience booking platform covering surf lessons, kayaking, skydiving, and outdoor activities nationwide. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the Australian adventure tourism distribution market and a channel for surf school bookings.
• Rip Curl: Major Australian-founded surf brand headquartered in Torquay (same town as Go Ride A Wave's Torquay shop). Comparable as a broad incumbent in Australian surf culture and lifestyle with overlapping target customer base and beachfront brand presence.
• RedBalloon: Australia's largest experience gift and activity marketplace, distributing surf lessons and similar recreational experiences through gift vouchers and corporate gifting. Comparable as a broad incumbent aggregating surf school bookings and competing for the gift voucher and experience-day customer.

Direct peers

• Let's Go Surfing: Sydney/Bondi-based surf school operating since the 1990s offering learn-to-surf lessons, multi-lesson courses, and equipment hire. Directly comparable as an Australian surf school competing for the same tourist and beginner segments in a major Australian tourism market.
• Mojo Surf: Gold Coast-based surf school offering group lessons, progressive courses, and equipment hire at Queensland beaches. Directly comparable as an Australian surf school competing for the same tourist learner segments within the company's core Queensland geography.
• Walkabout Surf Adventures: Gold Coast surf school offering learn-to-surf experiences, multi-day courses, and tours targeting tourists. Comparable as a direct competitor in the same Queensland surf school market the company operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gorideawave2331
• Facebookfacebook.com/gorideawave
• Instagraminstagram.com/gorideawave
• Xx.com/gorideawave

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Go Ride a Wave