Victoria, Australia

Bells Beach

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Whether you are a sightseer or surfer, Bells Beach along The Great Ocean Road is just for you! Located close to Torquay along the southern coastline of Victoria, Bells Beach is a place not to be missed. Acclaimed as being one of the best surf spots in the world as well as hosting the annual Rip Curl Surfing Competition each year, Bells Beach is a mecca for surfies. It is a stretch of beach that provides fantastic right-hand breaks over an exposed reef with the waves not for the faint-hearted! Waves here are at their best during autumn and winter as the big surfing competition is held here during the Easter break.

Over Easter people come to Bells Beach to watch the best of the best surf the waves and attain the championship prize. Lining the cliff faces and filling the beach area, huge crowds watch the pros battle it out for the ultimate title! But it wasn’t until the 1960’s that Bells Beach was actually able to be accessed by the public because up until this point, it was only able to be reached by a small few. It was Olympic wrestler Joe Sweeney and the surfers of Torquay who bulldozed a track to Bells Beach and then laid concrete clearing the way for others. He charged one pound per surfer to cover the expenses and this track is still here today making part of the walking track from Torquay to Anglesea.

Bells Beach is mainly known for its world-class surfing but you can also visit Bells Beach along The Great Ocean Road for some other natural wonders while you are holidaying in the area. With the stunning limestone cliff faces in the backdrop you can explore the fringing National Parks, walkways, tracks, and coastal walks that all offer some amazing sights along the way. Perfect for all fitness levels you can explore and discover what this part of the Victorian coastline has installed for you. Located some 100km southwest of Melbourne and around 1.5 hours of drive time from the city, Bells Beach is located between Torquay and Anglesea and was originally named after John Calvert Bell who took up a pastoral run here during the 1840s.

Bells Beach has been featured in a number of films such as Point Break and The Endless Summer for it is a place that holds an abundance of natural beauty. You can walk the surf walking track, take to the waves, enjoy the scenic coastline from the water’s edge, see the underwater world that lies beneath on a diving or snorkeling charter for the day, or just take in the views from one of the many vantage points along the coastline. Imagine skydiving over Bells Beach, doing a coastal cruise for the day taking in the sights, visiting nearby Torquay to see the Surfworld Museum, or perhaps basing your trip here around the Billabong Pro Junior Competition that is held here each October.

There are a number of highlights for you to enjoy while visiting Bells Beach along The Great Ocean Road and being so close to Melbourne, just 71 kilometres away, it is more than accessible. Make this one of your stops during your touring holiday of The Great Ocean Road to discover Bells Beach for yourself.