Day Trippers: Tom Morat
Photography by Parken Besson
Welcome to Day Trippers - a series of travel guides brought to you by Sun Bum. In this series, we get a local’s perspective from some of the raddest people in action sports about their home towns - from Noosa Australia to Salt Lake City USA.
‘NOOOOOOOOOSAAAAAAAA!!!’
was yelled into my ear through my phone speaker by a friend and Noosa native when I asked for help on this introduction for surfer/shaper/taco-eater/marg-drinker Tom Morat’s installment of Day Trippers. My friend, Ivy (that’s not her real name and I’m not protecting her privacy, more I’m not giving her the satisfaction of fame after she made my eardrums bleed) is from the Sunshine Coast which includes Noosa, and she is enthusiastic about that.
‘NOOOSA GETS LOOOOOSAAAA’ she yelled, which I took to mean, ‘Noosa gets looser,’ a jubilant assertion.
If Noosa inspires such joy in its locals, its no wonder multi-hyphenate wunderkind Tom Morat hails from its sunny shores. Tom, a Monster Children Bright Young Things veteran, only gets brighter as the years go by. He’s a joyful young man, a creative force to be reckoned with, and a shaper making boards that are likely too good for you (and us). He’s sort of difficult to explain. A legend. A burgeoning polymath. A kid. A traveler. A guy who provided so much info about each place on the list that I need not explain much more. A man on the town, getting loosa in Noosa.
Ivy was no help explaining why Noosa is great, but she did help encapsulate the vibe, and with that strong vibe established, Tom Morat’s list of favorite places helps to build out the physical greatness of the Sunshine Coast’s one and only, Noosa.
SOMETHING YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN?
It’s quite small, it’s really pretty and it’s easy to get shit done.
SOMETHING YOU DON’T LOVE ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN?
It’s pretty vanilla, Beautiful but not much culture really.
spice girl
‘My friends Griffin and Lani opened this Mexican bar/restaurant towards the end of 2023 and this is now my favourite.’
I’m impressed by how in every town, there are Mexican restaurants, and of those restaurant, each person has their Mexican restaurant. Tom’s is the new and hip Spice Girl. Tacos, margaritas, and vibes. What more can we say?
sunshine skatepark
‘Sunshine skate park! Blood sweat and tears, I pretty much lived here for a moment. I guess I got really into skating transition during High School and the park happened to be just down the road from my house. I’m so grateful for my skaterat years, it’s the most character building sport for teenagers. You’re either getting bullied by concrete or your friends haha.’
Thomas surfboards
‘I started working for Thomas and Jake at the old factory when I was 15 years old until I made a move to San Diego a few years ago. They’ve been a huge part of my life and they’ve helped me get to where I am today. Love coming here to have a yarn and get in the way whenever I’m back in Noosa :)’
( &) sipsop’s barbershop
‘If you’re looking for a board, haircut or coffee, it’s the right place!’
Alright so admittedly, Thomas Surfboards and Sipsop are the same business, but look, they do coffee and haircuts, too. We can’t disagree with Tom being economical about his favorite cafe, barber, and surf store! It’s not ours or his fault if the best happens to be all in one place. Stop in to Thomas and say hey, check out the boards, get a fade, and sip something nice.
teatree
‘Teatree is bread and butter! I moved to Noosa when i was about twelve and got pretty into longboarding. I used to come here to surf before school with my familly almost everyday. Although the sport has gotten popular over the last few years and I sometimes get frustrated trying to surf the points, this place is pretty special to me.’
The differentiation between long board spots and short board spots is crucial. All too often, surfer guides fail to make that distinction, and you show up with the wrong gear. You shouldn’t paddle out at Pipe with a nine footer, but how would you know that if you weren’t told? Well, maybe Pipe is a bad example, but for the lesser known spots of Noosa, it is important to note the difference and specificity in spots. Thanks, Tom.
DOUBLE ISLAND POINT
‘Double Island Point hasn’t been a secret for a while, so I don’t feel too bad for talking about it. It’s a ferry crossing and a 40 minute 4wd drive up the beach from Noosa Heads.
Probably one of the most beautiful beaches in Australia and if you’re lucky enough to see it working properly you might catch the longest waves of your life. It’s a 2km long sand point that love north east swell. Love this place so much, just not on public holiday haha.’
As mentioned above, when at Double Island, bring a short board, and prepare to ride it out for up to minutes of your life in one smooth long perfect push. Good swell, good sunsets. Enjoy.
HOME
‘Noosa always feels like home to me, I get bored relatively quickly if I stick around too long but it's so nice to come back to.
I'm really grateful that I got to grow up here, especially for my high school years, my friends, the pub and the cute shore breaks on the open beaches :))’
What is a hometown without a home? You probably shouldn’t go to Tom’s house, that’d be weird of you, but you can find a home of your own in Noosa; a home to love, to relax into, and to get ‘loosa’ in.
MORAT’S HONORABLE MENTION(S):
BEST CAFE (THAT ISN’T SIPSOP’S):
‘Jam cafe in sunshine beach for sure!’
BEST BAR:
‘Sunshine surfy. Even if the renos are a bit posh, you can’t beat the pub.’
BEST PLACE TO STAY:
‘Depends on the budget I guess, but I heard the backpackers are pretty nice haha’
