Guests who stay with us at The Rocks Resort keep praising the same handful of spots around Currumbin point, all within a short walk or a five-minute drive of our front door. Here are five that come up again and again: the Alley, Elephant Rock, the surf club, Elephant Rock Café and the Wildlife Sanctuary.
Why do surfers rate the point at Currumbin Alley?
Distance: About a five-minute walk south from our front door.
Directions: Step onto Pacific Parade, turn south along the sand toward the creek mouth, and the Alley opens up where Currumbin Creek meets the sea.
Hours: Open water all day. Best on a rising tide, with patrol flags nearby in season.
The Alley is the long, forgiving right-hander that peels off the sandbar at the creek mouth, and it is the reason so many people learn to surf here. Reviewers who take a lesson keep mentioning how gentle and long the waves are, which is why nippers, longboarders and first-timers share the lineup on the same morning. The creek side stays calm and shallow, so it doubles as a safe paddle for children while someone else surfs. Early is best. Guests note the wind stays offshore and glassy until mid-morning, before the sea breeze fills in.
What makes Elephant Rock a sunrise favourite?
Distance: A three to four-minute walk north along the beach.
Directions: Step onto the sand and walk north. The dark boulders sitting on the beach in front of the surf club are Elephant Rock.
Hours: Open all day, with sunrise the drawcard.
Elephant Rock is the cluster of volcanic boulders that gives the southern end of Currumbin Beach its shape. Guests keep mentioning sunrise here, when the light comes up straight over the water behind the rock and the sand is almost empty. It is also the site of the Currumbin RSL Dawn Service each ANZAC Day, one of the largest on the Gold Coast, held right on the beach. The rest of the year it is simply the best short walk we can point you to: five minutes from your room to a headland outlook over the whole bay.
Is the surf club worth it for a meal with a view?
Distance: About a five-minute walk north.
Directions: Follow Pacific Parade north past Elephant Rock. The club sits at 741 Pacific Parade, right on the beachfront.
Hours: Bistro breakfast 7:30am to 10:30am weekdays (to 11am weekends), lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm weekdays (from noon on weekends), café 7:30am to 8pm daily.
The Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club is the local we point most guests toward for a relaxed meal. Reviewers regularly single out the view from the dining room over the beach, the ocean and the Gold Coast skyline, and the kitchen keeps things simple with bistro favourites alongside a few more contemporary Australian plates. It is family-friendly and licensed, and because the same club patrols the beach out front, you can watch the flags from your table. Book ahead for a window seat on weekends, when locals and visitors fill the place from mid-morning.
What do reviewers order at Elephant Rock Café?
Distance: A one to two-minute walk, basically next door at 776 Pacific Parade.
Directions: Turn north out of the resort and it is the first beachfront café you reach.
Hours: 7am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, 7am to 5pm Sunday. Dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm.
Elephant Rock Café holds a 4.4 rating across more than 500 reviews, and two things come up over and over: the coffee and the view out over Currumbin Beach. The avocado toast gets named more than any single dish, and the modern Australian menu leans on local produce for breakfast and lunch before the kitchen moves into dinner service later in the week. It is the closest café to us, so it tends to be where guests land for a first-morning flat white without moving the car.
Is Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary a hit with families?
Distance: About a five-minute drive, or a longer walk across the Currumbin Creek bridge.
Directions: Head south over the creek via the Gold Coast Highway bridge to 28 Tomewin Street.
Hours: 9am to 4pm daily, last entry 3:30pm. Closed ANZAC Day and Christmas Day.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the day out guests mention most once the beach days need a change of pace. The free-flying lorikeet feeding at 8am and 4pm is the moment reviewers describe again and again, along with hand-feeding kangaroos and the koala photo opportunities. There is a working wildlife hospital you can watch through a viewing window, plus shows through the day. Entry is ticketed and buying online saves queueing at the gate, so we usually suggest booking the night before over a wine on the balcony.
FAQs
Is Currumbin Beach patrolled?
Yes. Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club patrols the beach between the flags during patrol season, a short walk north of the resort. Always swim between the red and yellow flags, especially near the creek mouth where the current shifts with the tide.
Can you swim at Currumbin Alley with kids?
Yes. The creek side of the Alley stays calm and shallow, which is why families gather there, while the ocean side draws the surfers. Keep little ones on the creek side and watch the outgoing tide, which pulls toward the sea.
How far is Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary from The Rocks Resort?
About a five-minute drive south across the Currumbin Creek bridge, or a longer walk. It opens 9am to 4pm daily with last entry at 3:30pm. Buying tickets online saves time at the gate.
Where is the best sunrise spot near Currumbin?
Elephant Rock, a three to four-minute walk north along the sand. The sun comes up over the water behind the boulders and it stays quiet early. It is also the site of the ANZAC Day Dawn Service each 25 April.
Everything our guests rave about around Currumbin point sits within a few minutes of the sand, which is exactly why the position matters so much. Book a beachfront apartment and you can be at the Alley, the surf club and Elephant Rock before breakfast, then back for a swim off our own stretch of beach. Have a look at our Currumbin beachfront accommodation, or map out your days first with our guide to things to do in Currumbin.
Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland