The Surf Coast: Geelong's Lifestyle Hinterland on the Ocean

The Surf Coast Shire, the local government area that extends along the Great Ocean Road from Torquay in the north to Lorne in the south, provides the coastal lifestyle geography that complements Geelong's urban amenity with the beaches, the great surf, and the village character of the Surf Coast towns that make the broader Geelong region one of the most complete lifestyle environments in Australia. The combination of the urban centre's employment and services and the coastal lifestyle within 30-45 minutes' drive creates the regional lifestyle proposition that has driven the consistent population growth and the property price premium that the Surf Coast sustains relative to comparable coastal areas without the Geelong employment base behind them.

Torquay, the Surf Coast's northern gateway and the surf industry's spiritual home in Australia, provides the beach community that the Rip Curl and Quiksilver origin story has given a global identity disproportionate to its population. The town's combination of the Surf City retail strip, the beaches at both the main Torquay front and the more sheltered Spring Creek surf spot, and the Surfworld Museum that tells the story of surfing's development in Australia creates the surf tourism destination that the Rip Curl Pro's annual presence at Bells Beach consolidates.

Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, the coastal villages between Torquay and Lorne, provide the smaller scale coastal community experiences that the families and the lifestyle seekers who want a step back from even Torquay's busier character choose. The Anglesea Golf Course kangaroos, the walking trails of the Angahook Forest, and the Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet provide the specific attractions that give each village its identity within the Surf Coast sequence.

Lorne, the southernmost and most established of the Surf Coast's resort towns, has been a Melbourne holiday destination since the 1870s and retains the character of the Victorian seaside resort that its heritage buildings and the settled community of repeat visitors sustain. The falls walking tracks behind Lorne, including the Erskine Falls and the Phantom Falls, provide the inland dimension that makes Lorne a complete destination rather than purely a beach resort.

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