spots in your area. Remember that you are a beginner, so you should look for a place with small waves that preferably will break in the deeper water. Forget reef breaks, places where the waves break over rocks, coral, etc. Instead look for a beach with an easy, spilling, mushy break wave in the 2-4ft range, this way you will be safer in case of a fall off the surfboard. Always try to hit up a patrolled beach, in the case of an emergency, a lifeguard is there to help. To find the patrolled beaches around Australia, you can look on the beach safe website. It's always better to learn at a non-crowded beach, the less people, the less change you have of getting into an accident. Always remember to go with other friends when you are starting out so you can keep an eye out for each other, and, of course, it's always fun to hit the waves with a decent crew! Don't be afraid to ask your friends for surfing tips, they might be able to help you improve your surfing technique (technique is important to make sure you are preserving as much energy as possible so you can keep getting those waves). Remember to check the weather and swell forecast before you go, this will help you make an educated decision on which beach to hit up and will give you an idea of the wave size and wind. There are many websites and apps that give accurate forecasts and cameras where you can watch the beach.
The coastalwatch website contains good array of beaches in Australia with a diary report and online cameras. Once you start getting out there more frequently, this will all become second nature!