Surfing Waves

I am moving down to Southern Australia, or Northern New Zealand for at least 6 months. I have never surfed a day in my life. I just want to get out of the situation I am in, I was just wondering how warm the water was in these spots, and if it is seasonal and what not. Do you have any recommendations on cheap nice places to stay, I am coming with two beautiful girls if that is a factor haha. Thanks, I honestly have not a clue what I am doing, I have never been out of north America sadly, and I really don't like it here.

I am a skier at heart, and my home is in the mountains. Each waking moment my mind is on skiing, each penny I save, is saved for skiing purposes, but I think this trip would be a great expierience and one I would not soon forget.

North NZ is hot in summer, rains a lot, warmish in winter. There's some great waves - Shipwreck Bay for starters. There would be loads of good places to learn to surf, and you would get a lot of time in the water over a 6 month period if you made the effort. You would definitely need a car though.

Damn, I was hoping to avoid a car by living right near the ocean. Thanks, so it's not like in the movies when you can go surfing everyday year round if you live in the right place?