The Best Beaches for Surfing in Victoria, Australia

Local salty surfers and international wax heads have been competing for Victorian breaks since the 1960s, but with so many excellent beaches there’s enough ocean for everyone. Victoria also boasts the longest continuously running surfing competition in the world—the Rip Curl Pro. Wax your board and say “cowabunga dude” as Culture Trip presents the best surfing beaches in the state.
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Bells Beach

Renowned for its mighty swells Bells Beach is a world-famous surfing location which has hosted the Rip Curl Pro competition since 1962. With two right-hand breaks, exposed reefs and waves of up to five metres, Bells Beach is a haven for experienced surfers, especially between March and October. Bells Beach is located near Torquay on Great Ocean Road.
Gunnamatta Beach
Located on Mornington Peninsula between Cape Schanck and Point Nepean, Gunnamatta Beach stretches for three kilometres and offers consistent conditions for experienced surfers. High swells thrash out from Bass Strait, and the surf is riddled with strong rips. Moderate swells and north-easterly winds provide the best conditions.
Fairhaven Beach
At six kilometres long Fairhaven Beach is the longest beach on Great Ocean Road. Located west of Aireys Inlet, the beach is patrolled by the Fairhaven Surf Life Saving Club on the eastern end and has numerous breaks. The most popular surfing spots include the mouth of Moggs Creek, The Spot – just left of the Surf Life Saving Club and Spouts Creek. Best conditions are found amidst northerly winds.
Thirteenth Beach
Thirteenth Beach is a 4.5 kilometre section between Barwon Heads and Black Rock which is bordered by a single bar. The beach welcomes low to moderate swells and numerous beach breaks, with waves averaging 1.5 metres. The most popular spot area is known as The Beacon and is found in front of the shipping beacon.
Johanna Beach
Having hosted the World Surfing Championships in 1970, Johanna Beach is known as having the best surfing conditions west of Cape Otway. Famous for its left and right breaks, Johanna Beach has swells of up to five metres and offers superb barrels and peaks. Johanna is a sandy bottomed beach with deep rip channels and is best tackled only by experienced surfers.
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meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


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Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.