Surfing on the Great Ocean Road is a dream come true for any surfing enthusiast. Whether you are a professional surfer or less-experienced, there’s something for everyone. You can have an exhilarating experience at the surf beaches at any time of the year.

The best time to visit this place is from March to May, the autumn months and June to August, the winter months. But, the summer season from mid-December to mid-January is the most popular season due to the school holidays.

Here are some of the must-visit surf beaches on the Great Ocean Road:

1. Bells Beach – Want to experience competitive surfing at its best? The Bells Beach at Torquay is where all the action happens. It is home to Australia’s oldest and most professional surf competition. The famous Rip Curl Pro Surfing Competition that is held here over the Easter weekend attracts surfing enthusiasts from around the world. The beach is an exposed reef and point break with excellent right-hand breaks.

   The place is also popular for having a great collection of surf gear and accessories that you can shop for. A visit to the Surf World Surfing Museum and Surf Coast Walk will make your exciting surfing holiday so much more fun. If you get atop the cliff nearby, you will love the view of the vantage points, it’s just picture perfect.

2. Gibson Steps – The 87 steps carved in rock is the pathway to a beautiful beach and the massive limestone cliffs, the Twelve Apostles. A large number of tourists visit this place for its spectacular view and historic stories. But did you know that Gibson Steps is also an amazing surfing beach?

 

Nothing can beat the experience of surfing in the middle of the sea overlooking the scenic view.  Glide like a dream through the A-frame waves. This beach doesn’t have stationed lifeguards and safety equipment and so it is a strict no-no for inexperienced surfers. Professionals will love it, though. 

3. Johanna Beach – Just 35 kilometers to the west of the picturesque Apollo Bay at the foothills of the Otway Ranges lies the beautiful Johanna beach. It boasts of large surf swells and rapid jump in size making it an ideal destination for surfing. It has both left and right breaks on the steeply sloping ocean floor as well as Castle Cove and also a rich variety of reefs.

   When the conditions are not suitable for conducting the Rip Curl at Bell’s Beach, Johanna Beach is often used as a backup venue. While this beach is great for surfing, it is not too safe for swimming. If you’re a seafood lover, you will enjoy fishing and relish on fish here, particularly for salmon.

4. Warrnambool Beach – The conditions at a lot of the beaches are more suited to professional surfing. But Warrnambool is one of the beaches that are safe and enjoyable for less-experienced surfers as well. You will particularly find lifesavers in summer.

The beach boasts of a range of beach breaks at Japs, The Flume, Levy's Beach and Port Fairy. Of these Lady Bay is the most popular for swimming, surfing and sailing because of excellent conditions and proximity to the city center. The beach-break waves flow in both directions and the waves don't get very big or powerful.