Torquay & Bells Beach

Torquay marks the official start of the Great Ocean Road, about 100 km and roughly an hour and fifteen minutes from Melbourne, and it has a genuine claim as Australia’s surf capital rather than a marketing label — several of the country’s (and the world’s) best-known surf brands, including Rip Curl and Quiksilver’s Australian operations, were founded here and remain headquartered in the town, and the surrounding coastline includes Bells Beach, one of the most famous and consistent surf breaks in the world.

The honest expectation to set: most visitors driving the Great Ocean Road pass through Torquay quickly on the way to more dramatic coastal scenery further along at Lorne, Apollo Bay and the Twelve Apostles, and Torquay itself is a fairly ordinary beach town rather than a dramatic sightseeing stop. Its real value is specific — surf culture, the Memorial Arch photo, and a stop at Surf World — rather than broad scenic appeal, which arrives further down the road.

The Memorial Arch

At the edge of Torquay, a wooden arch spans the road marking the official beginning of the Great Ocean Road proper, echoing the memorial arches originally built along the route by the returned servicemen who constructed it in the 1920s and 30s. It’s a standard, near-obligatory photo stop for anyone starting the drive, taking only a few minutes, and a useful marker for understanding that everything before this point (from Melbourne through Geelong) is approach road rather than the Great Ocean Road itself.

Bells Beach

Bells Beach, a short drive south of Torquay, has hosted the Rip Curl Pro since 1973, making it the world’s longest continuously run surfing competition and cementing the beach’s status in global surf culture — it was heritage-listed in 1973 specifically in recognition of its surfing significance, one of the first sites in the world protected on those grounds. The break itself is powerful and best suited to experienced surfers, particularly during the larger swells of autumn and winter; casual visitors more commonly view it from the clifftop lookout rather than paddling out, given the serious skill level the break demands.

The Easter-period Rip Curl Pro draws international crowds and is worth timing a visit around if you’re a surf fan and the dates align.

Learning to surf

For visitors wanting to try surfing rather than just watch it, Torquay’s calmer town beaches (rather than Bells itself) are where most surf schools operate lessons, offering a genuinely more forgiving learning environment than the serious swells further along the coast. Multiple operators run beginner lessons with board and wetsuit hire included, typically running two to three hours.

Surf World Museum

Surf World, Torquay’s dedicated surfing museum, traces the history of Australian and international surf culture from early 20th-century beginnings through the sport’s explosion in popularity from the 1960s onward, including memorabilia tied directly to the surf brands founded in the town. It’s a well-regarded niche museum, particularly worthwhile if you have any interest in surf culture or the brands themselves, and a sensible indoor stop if the weather isn’t cooperating for the beach.

Surf brand outlets

Because Rip Curl and other major surf brands are headquartered in Torquay, the town has a small but genuine factory-outlet shopping scene for surf and beachwear, generally offering better prices than equivalent retail in Melbourne or tourist-marked-up beach towns further along the coast.

How Torquay became a surf town

Torquay’s surf identity took shape from the 1960s and 70s, as Australia’s broader postwar surf culture boom coincided with the founding of Rip Curl (1969) and Quiksilver (1969, though the brand’s global operations later diverged) in the town, drawn by proximity to Bells Beach and a growing community of board shapers and surfers. What began as a small, specialised local industry grew into genuinely global surf brands headquartered in what remained, for decades, a modest beach town rather than a corporate hub — a mismatch that still shows up today in Torquay’s relatively low-key main street compared with the scale of the businesses based there.

The town’s population and tourism infrastructure have grown substantially since, partly driven by its role as the Great Ocean Road’s starting point, but the surf-industry heritage remains its most distinctive economic and cultural feature.

Jan Juc and Point Danger

Jan Juc, a smaller beach immediately south of Torquay’s main town beach, offers a quieter, still surf-active alternative to both Torquae’s main beach and Bells further along, popular with local surfers wanting to avoid the more crowded main breaks. Point Danger, at Torquay’s southern edge, is a small nature reserve with clifftop views and a little penguin colony of its own — considerably smaller and less visited than St Kilda’s or Phillip Island’s, but a pleasant, quick stop for wildlife-minded visitors already in the area.

Getting there

By car, Torquay is about 100 km from Melbourne via the Princes Freeway and the Surf Coast Highway, taking roughly an hour and fifteen minutes — the most common approach for both self-drivers and guided tours starting the Great Ocean Road proper. There is no direct train to Torquay; the nearest station is Geelong, about 20 minutes further by connecting bus or taxi.

Budget for a Torquay stop

The Memorial Arch photo and Bells Beach clifftop lookout are free. Surf World Museum entry runs in the 10–15 AUD range for adults. A beginner surf lesson with equipment hire typically runs 60–90 AUD for a group session. Surf brand outlet shopping varies by store but generally offers genuine savings versus standard retail pricing.

Frequently asked questions about Torquay and Bells Beach

Where does the Great Ocean Road officially start?

At Torquay, marked by a wooden Memorial Arch spanning the road — everything from Melbourne to this point is approach road rather than the Great Ocean Road itself.

Can beginners surf at Bells Beach?

Not recommended — Bells is a powerful, internationally renowned break best suited to experienced surfers. Beginners should use Torquay’s calmer town beaches, where most surf schools operate.

When is the Rip Curl Pro held?

Usually around Easter each year, at Bells Beach — it’s the world’s longest continuously run surfing competition, dating to 1973.

How far is Torquay from Melbourne?

About 100 km, roughly an hour and fifteen minutes by car via the Princes Freeway and Surf Coast Highway.

Is Torquay worth stopping at if I’m short on time for the Great Ocean Road?

If time is very tight, a brief stop at the Memorial Arch and, if possible, the Bells Beach lookout covers the essentials in under an hour; Surf World and a surf lesson are worthwhile additions if you have more time or a specific interest in surf culture.

Can I get to Torquay by public transport?

Not directly by train — the nearest station is Geelong, from which a connecting bus or taxi covers the remaining distance; most visitors reach Torquay by car or guided tour.

Why are so many surf brands based in a small town like Torquay?

Rip Curl and other surf companies were founded here from the late 1960s, drawn by proximity to Bells Beach and a growing local surfboard-shaping and surfing community — the brands grew into global businesses while remaining headquartered in what stayed, for decades, a relatively small beach town.

Is there wildlife to see around Torquay?

Point Danger, at the southern edge of town, has a small little penguin colony and clifftop nature reserve — modest compared with St Kilda or Phillip Island, but a worthwhile quick stop if you’re in the area.