Craig Brokensha

We're only a few days away from the start of the Easter long weekend, and its time to start making final surf plans. Aside from a tricky outlook for south-eastern Australia, there should be windows of fun waves across nearly the whole country at some stage during the long weekend.

Queensland and Northern NSW: Probably the pick of the country, with fun levels of E'ly trade-swell to kick off the weekend, coming in at 3-4ft Friday morning north of the border, easing slowly over the following days but remaining fun at open beaches. Northern NSW will be a touch smaller, and the Mid North Coast, smaller again.

Winds are looking to be variable early Friday morning and then offshore every morning onwards from the SW (becoming fresh from the SE through the day), favouring protected bays and points.

Sydney and surrounds: Friday will start off poor with a moderate sized and easing S'ly swell (from 3-5ft at south facing beaches) but with fresh onshore S/SE winds across most locations. The Northern Beaches may see an early S/SW breeze favouring semi-protected spots.

A stronger S/SE groundswell is due to fill in Saturday afternoon from a low stalling east of Tasmania, building to 3-5ft across south facing beaches, but winds will remain onshore from the E/SE across most locations.

Sunday and Monday look much better with a mix of easing S/SE groundswell and small building E/NE swell from a deepening Tasman Low.

South facing beaches are expected to ease from 3ft+ Sunday morning, down to 2-3ft during the afternoon and smaller again Monday. The E/NE swell should however build Sunday afternoon to 1-2ft and further Monday afternoon to 2-3ft.

Winds should improve Sunday and swing SW through the morning and SE into the afternoon, while Monday looks to see fresher SW tending S/SE winds.

Victoria: Friday will be poor with an average mix of swells along with fresh and gusty S/SE winds. A good but inconsistent SW groundswell is due on Saturday, coming in at 3ft on the Surf Coast and 5-6ft on the Mornington Peninsula but winds will only be favourable for locations east of Melbourne with a morning E/NE breeze.

Sunday morning will be good across both regions with a secondary pulse of inconsistent SW groundswell building to 3ft to occasionally 4ft on the Surf Coast and 5-6ft+ on the Mornington Peninsula under a N/NE wind. Conditions will deteriorate after lunch with a sea breeze.

Monday should also be clean through the morning with variable winds and easing 3ft+ of swell across the Surf Coast and 5-6ft sets on the Mornington Peninsula.

South Australia: Friday is looking average with tiny clean waves across the Mid, and a weak easing SE windswell across the South Coast under morning E/NE winds, creating peaky conditions.

A new inconsistent S/SW swell should build through Saturday ahead of a stronger pulse Sunday and light winds each morning should create lumpy but fun surf. Middleton is expected to peak Sunday to 3-4ft with 4-5ft sets at Waitpinga and Parsons for experienced surfers. The Mid Coast will remain tiny.

Good waves should also be seen across rural areas as well Saturday and early Sunday with favourable winds and good amounts of swell.

Monday should see the S/SW groundswell dropping away under offshore NW winds ahead of a mid-afternoon SW change.

Western Australia: The surf will be near flat around Perth Friday morning, but the Margaret River region should offer clean 3ft waves under early E/NE winds.

A fun new SW groundswell should build through Saturday but it will fail to offer any real size in Perth, reaching 1-1.5ft into the late afternoon as sea breezes kick in. The South West should build to a better 4-5ft though the afternoon but S/SE winds will limit the best conditions to protected breaks.

A drop in size is due Sunday from 3-4ft+ around Margaret River but with strong and tricky SE winds, with smaller surf Monday under better but still strong E/SE offshores.

Tasmania: A small easing windswell is due across the South Arm Friday morning with early W/NW winds, ahead of a late arriving SW groundswell that should peak Saturday to an inconsistent 2ft.

A couple of slightly better SW groundswell pulses are then due Sunday and Monday morning to 2ft+ under favourable offshore winds each morning.

The East Coast should offer a fun mix of easing S'ly swell Friday morning, and new S/SE groundswell for the afternoon, coming in at 3-4ft through the morning across south swell magnets, pulsing to 3-5ft later in the day. Winds should be offshore from the W/SW ahead of afternoon sea breezes.

The S/SE groundswell should ease away through Saturday from 3-5ft across south facing beaches under morning offshore winds, dropping further from 2-3ft out of the SE Sunday morning with early light NW winds.

Monday should see building levels of NE windswell with NW tending fresh NE winds.

Good luck in the search of waves over the weekend, and have a happy and safe Easter.