The dedication of a surfing site as a National Surfing Reserve (NSR) is a community and government recognit on of the contribution surfing makes to the Australian lifestyle and the significance that surfing sites have made to the development of surfing in Australia.

National Surfing Reserves are “iconic” places of intrinsic environmental, heritage, sporting and cultural value to a nation. NSR embrace all people to enjoy, understand and protect unique coastal environments of universal value to the surfing world. A Surfing Reserve does not attempt to exclude any user group.

New South Wales’s National Surfing Reserves are recognised under the Crown Lands Act, offering legal protection to the National Surfing Reserve Declaration and highlighting the significance of the Crown Estate in the surfing culture and Australian lifestyle.

Three specific criteria must be satisfied to have an area declared a National Surfing Reserve:
1. Quality of the waves.
2. A place considered sacred by the local surfing community.
3. Long term usage of the beach and wave environment by the local and national surfing community.

A National Surfing Reserve aims to protect the surf breaks, fragile coastline, and dunes. There are a lot of other elements to these breaks. As well as the geophysical and biological components, consideration is given to the socio-economic features and the people whose well-being, culture, and economic status depend on the breaks. They also complement and are inclusive of all other water sports.

A National Surfing Reserve creates another voice in the Community to unite and protect sensitive surfing resources. That voice is not the NSR but the community members. The power of a National Surfing Reserve also comes from creating awareness of surfing assets and the ability to influence people and governments to protect these assets. It could also come from working with Central Coast Council to be included in their Coastal Management plan. What is good for surfing – Protecting dunes and water quality is good for all water sports. The stewardship component of a Surfing Reserve encourages the Community to continually monitor the surfing environment and its land and seascapes to address situations before it is too late.