ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-10-11 · by Abbey Halter and Zara Margolis
Caio Ibelli, a 32-year-old Brazilian professional surfer, recently moved with his family from coastal areas to the outback town of Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, Australia. Known for his early start in surfing and nine-year career on the World Surf League tour, Ibelli now lives about 1,000 kilometers inland where he is adjusting to high temperatures and raising his one-year-old son away from the ocean. Despite the challenges, including limited access to surfing, he expresses happiness with life in Mount Isa due to its community and lifestyle.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Brazilian professional surfer Caio Ibelli, age 32, recently moved from California to Mount Isa, a city in north-west Queensland, Australia. After retiring from competitive surfing at 23 and qualifying for the World Surf League tour where he competed professionally for nine years, Ibelli decided to focus on raising his family. His wife's career opportunity prompted their relocation despite the extreme heat, which can reach up to 46 degrees Celsius. Ibelli is now adapting to life in the outback, appreciating the unique environment and community of Mount Isa, while embracing local sports culture alongside tennis star Pat Rafter, golfer Greg Norman, and AFL player Charlie Cameron who were all born there.
Written for “Surfer Moves to Outback” on 2026-10-11,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Last month, Brazilian professional surfer Caio Ibelli was riding barrelling waves at the Surfing Champions Trophy in the Maldives.
asserted
Ibelli → rid → Maldives
The 32-year-old is one of Mount Isa's newest residents, swapping surf and sand for the red dirt plains of north-west Queensland.
asserted
old → swap → Queensland
"After living in so many different places, this is the best place in the world to live,"Ibelli said.
asserted
this → live → world
Originally from Brazil, Ibelli moved to Australia after a stint in California.
asserted
Ibelli → move → California
First picking up a surfboard when he was three years old, he said by the time he was seven, his talent was being noticed.
asserted
talent → pick → time
By 23, Ibelli had qualified for the World Surf League tour, kicking off a nine-year professional career.
"After that, I kind of retired …
asserted
I → qualify → that
I wanted to have kids and a family," he said.
asserted
he → want → kids
Ibelli said although a move to the outback wasn't always planned, he was proud to be raising his son in the city, despite knowing little about what to expect.
asserted
he → say → what
"It is getting a little bit too hot.
asserted
It → get → ?
It's about 38 degrees right now, and I heard it goes all the way to 46 …
asserted
it → hear → 46
I've never felt that in my life," he said.
asserted
he → feel → life
It was his wife's career that brought the family, including their one-year-old son, Thomas, to the region after completing her medical degree.
asserted
that → bring → degree
"Every time I speak with my friends in the hospital and say that my husband is a professional surfer, everybody has the same reaction…
asserted
everybody → speak → reaction
'Oh, how?'" Talie Ibelli laughed.
asserted
Ibelli → laugh → ?
"We actually love it here.
asserted
We → love → it
We love the community, and it's a great opportunity for my son to be raised here … this is the real Australia."
asserted
this → love → community
The family have only been to the beach about six times since moving to the bush, which makes his recent win in the Maldives all the more impressive.
asserted
win → move → Maldives
"I was playing with my son and then my phone rang and I'm like, 'What? Go to the Maldives in 10 days?
asserted
I → play → days
I'm smelling the dirt here right now,'"he said.
asserted
I → smell → dirt
He said muscle memory along with his new-found "outback attitude" helped him snag the overall win.
asserted
him → say → win
Winning it was amazing, it was awesome," he said.
asserted
he → win → it
"Seeing my son playing on the blue water, watching the sharks all day, it was just super special."
Mount Isa has its fair share of athletic prowess, with tennis star Pat Rafter, golfer Greg Norman and AFL player Charlie Cameron all born in the city.
asserted
Rafter → see → city
Ibelli said it was a privilege to be among the mining city's claims to fame, including perhaps being its most famous surfer.
uncertain
it → say → fame
"After I won the contest in the Maldives, coming back to Mount Isa, I've been going around in places, and people are like, 'Are you the surfer?'
asserted
you → win → places
And I'm like, 'Yeah', and people are kind of tripping," he said.
asserted
he → trip → ?
"I feel so fortunate to be here, Australia is such a good place, and Mount Isa is amazing."
asserted
Isa → feel → ?
Even with the positives, he admits it is tough to be a surfer with no surf.
asserted
it → admit → surf
"I'm really missing some kind of water, so sometimes I go to swim, or I'm just hoping Mount Isa Council will build us a wave pool sometime soon," he laughed.
asserted
he → miss → pool
Ibelli's next dream is teaching bush kids how to surf.
asserted
dream → teach → kids
"I'm so grateful for being here with my family, and I feel like the least I could do is like giving back, and I would love to some day take local people to the beach and surf," he said.
"
uncertain
he → feel → beach
Who knows, like one day we can bring like a Mount Isa Surf Club on a competition."
asserted
we → know → competition
The Aporia