Stormrider Guide to surfing Great Ocean Road

Victoria, AUSTRALIA

Bell's Beach, Steve Ryan

Summary

+ Consistent swell	- Unpredictable weather
+ Dominant offshore winds	- Cool water year-round
+ Big-wave right points	- Summer flat spells
+ Spectacular scenery	- Crowded breaks

Victoria is the southern extent of the Australian mainland, hemmed in by the angry waters of Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea, but perfectly situated to receive the mountainous swells from the Southern Ocean. The Great Ocean Rd twists torturously atop cliffs overlooking an eroded coast of limestone cliffs, sea stacks and caves, where a plethora of beach, reef and pointbreaks unload in a pristine and uncrowded environment. Since the early 60’s, Torquay and Bells Beach have become a surfing epicentre, being home to leading surfwear manufacturers, Quiksilver and Rip Curl, plus the site of the longest running contest and the only Surfing Recreation Reserve on the planet. Victoria has many other quality surfing locations like Wilsons Promontory, Philip Island and the Mornington Peninsula, but it is the Great Ocean Road that is the focus of attention. This 340km (210mi) scenic drive W of Melbourne, is a surfers dream as it passes the many right point breaks that line both sides of Cape Otway.

When to Go

The southwest-facing coast can get huge, with S-W swells up to 15ft-20ft possible, which then wrap around Cape Otway to the SE-facing coastline, where the swells become much cleaner and orderly. While they lose some size, places like Bells will still regularly get triple overhead and bigger. Dominant SW-W winds will be cross/offshore on this side blowing into plenty of 2-15ft swells. Tasmania blocks Victoria from SE groundswells. Due S swells tend to be better for a lot of the SE-facing spots. Westerly winds dominate, tending more SW in summer and NW in winter. Tidal range is usually around 1.8m and the pushing tide can increase the wave size and quality.

Surf Spots

The western side of Cape Otway picks up all the available swell so if itÕs small then the powerful beachbreaks of Johanna will be working. The sand is anchored by various bits of reef and thereÕs a decent left at the eastern headland. Crowded in summer with the Torquay crew, it can be a punishing paddle-out and has a habit of dramatically increasing in size without warning. On the east side of Cape Otway is Apollo Bay, where there is a right off the harbour breakwall and outside jetty that can handle moderate size and will line up a bit better with some E in the swell at lower tides. There are also some nicely protected beachies perfect for beginners and escaping large, stormy conditions. Around the headland, Marengo offers a brace of more exposed reefs, a righthand point and some changeable, small swell beachbreak. Kennett River will have clean rivermouth peaks in S swells, which favour the rights running up the beach. Kennett Point is reliably fun in smaller swells at lower tides, offering a mixture of easy walls and peeling sections for most abilities. Wye River also has both some average rivermouth beachies and an option of a righthand point called Baldy, that relies on transient sand and lower tides to make it a glorious peeler for hundreds of meters. When the SW wind is howling and the swell is pumping, most surfers head for the protection of Lorne Point and hope they luck into one of the rare, magical days when the rights are hissing and barrelling for anything up to 500m all the way into the crumbly beachbreaks. Prefers a major SE swell, any W in the wind and low tide. Cathedral Rock needs a big SW or straight S swell to kick-start the sought after rights that speed down the knobbly reef. After the jacking take-off it stutters through barrel sections then fatter walls as it draws breath, before rifling off again along the reef. Experienced surfers only since getting caught inside is no fun and thereÕs a local pecking order. Fairhaven offers due south-facing beachbreaks that scoop up the swell onto vastly varying sandbanks, that usually favour beginner-friendly, crumbling walls, but can occasionally throw up much better. Needs some angle in the swell to triangulate. Anglesea is a typical coastal town that has some decent beachbreaks at Main Beach for the hordes of groms and fun rights at Point Roadnight for the mellow mal-riding dads. Needs a huge S-SE to be any good since it is nestled behind a long rocky finger, allowing the sand to build up on the lee side and providing protection from SW-W winds. Both right and lefthanders break off the scraggly reef at Point Addis with the lefthanders getting the nod if the SE swell is strong enough to produce some barrels. Otherwise it is a fairly tame affair offering lumbering walls and little else for the intermediates avoiding the gladiatorial line-ups up the road. Bells Beach is VictoriaÕs most famous surf spot Ð classic and consistent right point that breaks on almost any tide, any wind and any decent swell from SE-SW. ItÕs usually broken into 3 sections, starting outside at Rincon, leading into Bells Bowl and finishing in the beachbreak. Power is always associated with this wave and few escape the flogging of an outside set on the head and gruelling paddle-outs as it grows beyond double overhead. When small it is playful and ripable, offering endless carve and cutback corners along a lengthy platform reef that is prone to some long, unmakeable sections. Best in wrapping SW swell and NW winds, but will still have takers in ugly onshore conditions. If the crazy crowd is too much, on the headland to the south there are less intimidating rights at Centreside plus some real decent lefts in SE swells and higher tides at Southside. Next door is Winkipop, a long, fast and hollow pointbreak that can handle solid swells over the shallow reef. Higher tides, 6-8ft and NW winds will create warp speed walls with impossibly long, makeable barrel sections that the locals hunt and slay with consummate ease. It breaks up into sections along the 400-odd-meters of rocky shelf and paddling against the constant sweep of the rip is a given. Boobs has a rare, tubey left off the peak if the wind isnÕt getting into it. ItÕs a long walk round the cliffs from the car parks, keeping crowds down a bit. Steps has a few moods and once the rapid drop take-off is negotiated, it will wall and quite often stay overfed till the channel. This makes it a favourite with cruisers, while further out is the more challenging EvoÕs, which shifts across the shallow shelf at speed, squeezing off the odd barrel, or check the inside reef Sparrows, another potential barrel-ride in small to medium SW swells and N winds. All three breaks need mid to high tides to make them break and or safe. Bird Rock is a short, sucky, right reef, revered by the dedicated locals that dominate the tiny take-off zone. It jacks up quickly and rifles off fast so only the skilled will get a wave off the pack that is guaranteed when a clean, moderate SW swell hits. Jan Juc, a decent, but permanently crowded beachbreak, is best avoided at high tide. Packs coagulate around the car parks so walking can help, but it is the busiest spot on the coast. When the sand triangulates, it provides some tasty lips and ramps to launch from. Torquay is VictoriaÕs surfing capital and Backbeach tames the SW swell and orders it into nice, easy rollinÕ rides for the hordes of beginners, longboarders and every other type of craft. S wind protection is afforded at Fishos during major swells or Point Impossible has further cruisey rights over flat reefs. Bancoora's offshore reef occasionally sees quality rights on a humping SE swell and N wind combo. 13th Beach stretches for over 6kms and faces into the SW swell stream. Furthest west is Turd Rock, a righthand point close to the sewage pumping station that most people think is shit. Next is Beacons which holds proper A-frames that hiss over the sandbars when itÕs on during a SW swell, N wind day. The peaks then stretch all the way up to Barwon Heads where The Hole is a rocky set of reefs and Raffs is a gentle beachbreak made for beginners, loggers, SUPÕers and those of a laid-back disposition. Point Lonsdale, an all-round beachbreak, completes the picture.

Statistics

dominant swell

S -SW

swell size (ft)

4-5

5-6

6-7

5-6

consistency (%)

dominant wind

S -W

W -N

SW -NW

S -W

average force

F4-F5

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

3/2

4/3

3/2

Travel Information

Weather
South Victoria has the coolest weather in mainland Australia, but not the wettest, with only 680mm. The weather is very changeable. Avoid June-Aug, if youÕre not into a cold trip. The changeover seasons can be pleasant, even though you still have to be prepared for cooler spells and gusty winds. Summers, (Dec to Feb), are fairly dry and warm, averaging 22¡C (72¡F). Summer water temps rarely get over 20¡C (68¡F) and winters dip down to 13¡C (55¡F). A 4/3 mm steamer for winter and a 3/2mm or springy for summer.

Lodging and Food
Plenty of cheap backpacker accommodation at around $25-50/p/n (Bells Beach and Anglesea Backpackers). Motels start from $75/p/n. Peppers The Sands resort in Torquay from 140/p/n. A good basic meal is $25.

Nature and Culture
Visit the Twelve Apostles and the Cape Otway National Park, plus the Australian National Surf Museum in Torquay. Go hiking around Point Addis. The Tower Hill Wildlife Sanctuary or Anglesea Golf Course are great for kangaroo spotting. The pub is a way of life in Oz, and Victoria is home to the countryÕs favourite beers.