South Coast road trip

Entrepreneur, Audi ambassador and the mastermind behind HaydenShapes, Hayden Cox is one of those driven people who lives and breathes his work. And while much of his time is spent in his Northern Beaches manufacturing facility or working on new designs and materials for his award-winning surfboards, he also spends as much time as possible in the water, testing and refining the products that have taken the surfing world by storm since he first started designing boards at the tender age of 15.

One of his favourite areas for testing surfboards or just getting in some therapeutic R&R is along New South Wales’ South Coast, a spectacular stretch of rugged coastline that is home to any number of hidden coves and rewarding breaks dotted amongst the coastal townships from Kiama to Tarthra.

Audi Magazine caught up with Hayden on a recent road trip to ‘the coast’ where he shared some of his local knowledge on area that’s been a favourite since he was a kid.

Audi Magazine: What is it about the NSW South Coast that makes it one of your favourite road trip destinations?
Hayden Cox: The vast number of waves draws me to the area – from points, to short and long reef breaks and some bombies too. It's a great place to test out any boards I’m designing.

AM: What are some of your four favourite spots down south?
HC: Bendalong is one of my favourite beach breaks down there. It can be great throughout winter picking up any southern swell, and in summer it's protected from the north winds. You can bring your dog down on the beach too. I also really enjoy the walks through Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay. Not only are the waves great but the bird life down there is amazing. I actually learnt to surf at Caves Beach – one of the protected bays down there – when I was four, so I have great memories of many camping holidays in the area. After a good morning surf, it's always worth the drive to Hayden's Pies at Ulladulla (not a bad name, too). Pigeon House Mountain Didthul walking track is one of the best walks on the south coast as well. The view once you make it right up the top, with the help of a few ropes and ladders, is stunning. It’s a good one for a sunrise or sunset. You can actually see the mountain from many surf spots around the area.

AM: How often do you drive there?
HC: As much as I can. If anything, 2020 has been a reminder to not only support our local business and tourism but that here in Australia we have the best beaches and waves in the world. The south coast is actually the backdrop for most of the Haydenshapes’ brand and team content – the water is crystal clear and the waves are so consistent.

AM: What’s your favourite time of the year to go?
HC: I’ve always been a fan of visiting off-peak and I’m fortunate that I’ve got a good work-related excuse to take time out to go. There are less crowds, but it’s also a great opportunity to help support local business when it’s a little quieter.

AM: When you’re heading on a road trip to the South Coast, what goes in the back of your Audi?
HC: Always new boards to test. I’ll typically bring at least three new samples to try, but always some staple shapes like the Hypto Krypto, Holy Grail and performance shapes like a Darkside or White Noiz. If the waves are pumping, you don’t want to get caught out without your go-to boards so options are good. The beauty of say a Q7, is that it's a dream car for road trips – especially if you’re on the road with your family and have lots of gear. I rarely need to use roof racks.

AM: Travel is obviously quite restricted at the moment. But where else is on your road trip wishlist for the remainder of 2020 if the stars align?
HC: We’re about to head to Boomerang Beach at the end of the month. I just booked Aquabumps photographer, Uge and his wife Deb’s place right on the beach. You can take dogs to Boomers and there are good waves there. I took our Haydenshapes team there for our Holy Grail shoot and it was awesome – stoked to be going back.