On the beaches in the West, a quiet shift is taking place.
In Perth, more women are taking to the waves, not only to surf but also to build confidence, find community, and make their presence felt – and seen.
Surfing has traditionally been dominated by men, whether that’s down to unequal prize money, women having fewer slots in competitions or disparities in commercial opportunities.
Tackling inequality
The World Surf League has made significant efforts to tackle these issues.
In the 2026 competition, the size of the women’s CT field will increase from 18 to 24.
While this is still significantly less than the men’s field of 36, it is a step in the right direction.
A study by the NSW Government’s Office of Sport, Her Sport Her Way, highlighted the significant barriers that continue to hinder women’s full participation and advancement in sport.
The study found that not only do women in the sport face challenges commercially and within progression in the sport compared to men, but systematic barriers also play a huge role.
It also found female athletes have to face juggling education and work more than their male counterparts.
A 2022 AusPlay survey revealed that an estimated 196,000 Australians of ages 15 and older had taken up the sport since 2019, with more than 60 per cent of these being women.
While that’s a positive sign, surfing in Australia remains male-dominated, with men making up 72 per cent of participants.
Perth’s beaches reflect this imbalance to some extent — many local lineups are still dominated by men — but a growing number of women are showing up, building communities, and shifting the local dynamic.
Building community
Loretto Ocariz is the founder of the group Surfs Up WA Chicks and Swell Getaways – female-only surf camps which run across the West Coast, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
She says when she first started surfing, she was scared of all the men, scared of what they thought.
On reflection, she believes that came more from what she had heard and more so from the old era of surfing.
“For me personally it took time for me to feel comfortable around the males – that’s why I would only ever go out with a group of female friends.
But from starting that way, she began to surf regularly at a local break and got to recognise the regulars.
“Now I have so many male friends out in the lineup; I rock up on my own, not needing my female support crew with me.”
She mentions there is still a small minority of men who are “miserable”, but not as many as there used to be.
Loretto’s online group now has over four thousand women, and they meet up for social surf camps, trips and meals out.
“I spend all my time with surfer women and moving forward I would like to see that all competitions, all prizes, everything to do with surfing should be equal amongst men and women.”
Amber Meadmore, head coach at Surfing WA Surf School and a judge for local competitions, says surfing has been life-changing for her mental health. She loves seeing more women embrace the sport.
“Over the years I’ve seen so many beautiful surf communities grow, especially related to female clubs such as Club Shakas, Beyond Waves and so many more.”
Amber says she would like to see more girls in the local community to be more confident in themselves, not to be scared and to realise it’s never too late for girls to start taking over the line-ups.
New competitions and programs for women
Change may be gradual, but its already visible along Perth’s coastline.
Competitions like She Shreds, a women’s-only surf event held at Trigg beach, are giving female surfers a space to connect, compete and celebrate their skills in a space designed to be inclusive and supportive.
It is one of several initiatives aiming to level the playing field and normalise women’s presence in the water.
Surfing WA has also launched targeted programs to encourage greater female participation, offering coaching clinics, school partnerships, and community surf days designed to build confidence and reduce barriers.
These efforts are helping to reshape the local surf scene — not just through numbers, but through culture.
Through these initiatives women in Perth are proving that they don’t just belong in surfing — they’re helping define its future.
