There’s no better way to chase waves than a slow drive down the Great Ocean Road, with a board in the back and no fixed plan. From Torquay’s beginner-friendly banks to the heavy reef setups near Johanna, this stretch of Victorian coastline packs more variety into 200km than almost anywhere else in the country. Here are five stops worth building a trip around.
1. Torquay: The Gateway
Every Surf Coast trip starts here. Torquay is home to the Surfworld Museum, Bells Beach’s closest town, and a stack of surf shops where you can pick up wax, a rental board, or last-minute reef boots before heading further down the coast. Jan Juc, just around the point, is a solid warm-up wave with a punchy left and right depending on the swell direction.
2. Bells Beach: The Icon
You can’t drive the Great Ocean Road without stopping at Bells. Even on a flat day it’s worth the short walk down to Rincon lookout just to see the amphitheatre of cliffs that has hosted the world’s longest-running surf competition since 1961. On a solid swell, it’s one of the most powerful and photogenic right-handers in Australia.
3. Anglesea and Aireys Inlet
These two low-key towns are perfect for a lunch stop and a look at the points. Anglesea’s river mouth can produce a fun, forgiving wave for less experienced surfers, while Aireys Inlet, home to the Split Point Lighthouse, offers a scenic detour even when the surf is small.
🏖️ Road Trip Pick: LEUS Eco Towels
Sand-free, quick-dry and packed down small enough for the glovebox. LEUS towels are made from recycled bottles and built for exactly this kind of trip.
4. Lorne to Wye River
This is the postcard section of the drive: cliffs on one side, ocean on the other, and a handful of beach breaks worth pulling over for if the wind is behaving. Lorne itself gets busy in summer, but the town has good coffee and a relaxed pace that makes it worth an overnight stop.
5. Johanna Beach
The furthest and wildest stop on this list. Johanna is an exposed, wide-open beach break that picks up more swell than the sheltered points closer to Torquay, and on its day it’s one of the best beach breaks in the state. There’s a campground right behind the dunes, making it a natural place to end a few days on the road.
Whichever stops make the final cut, the golden rule of a Great Ocean Road surf trip is the same as always: check the forecast, leave room in the schedule, and be willing to keep driving if the first spot isn’t working.
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