Torquay and the Surf Coast: Where the Great Ocean Road Begins

Torquay, 20 minutes south of Geelong, is the birthplace of Australian surf culture and the home of Rip Curl and Quiksilver, the two brands that defined global surf apparel from their origins in a town that had the surf, the surfers, and the entrepreneurial ambition to create an industry from a lifestyle. The surf industry legacy is visible in the Surfworld Museum, Australia's national surfing museum, and in the concentration of surf retail and brand presence that makes Torquay the pilgrim destination for surf culture enthusiasts from around the world.

Bells Beach, a short drive from Torquay, hosts the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, one of the longest running professional surfing events in the world and a fixture on the WSL Championship Tour calendar. The event's location at Bells, a powerful right-hand reef break that rewards aggressive committed surfing, provides television footage that has communicated the Surf Coast landscape globally for decades and established Torquay and Geelong in the surfing world's geographic consciousness.

The Great Ocean Road, which begins at Torquay with the distinctive archway dedicated to the World War I servicemen who built it, provides access to one of the world's most spectacular coastal drives and the suite of visitor destinations that have made the Surf Coast and the southwest coast internationally recognised tourist destinations. The proximity of the Great Ocean Road's beginning to Geelong makes the full drive accessible as a day trip from the city.

The residential property market along the Surf Coast, driven by Melbourne buyers seeking the lifestyle that Torquay, Anglesea, and Aireys Inlet provide within commuting distance of the city, has reached price levels that have effectively excluded local workers and younger buyers from the market. The affordability crisis on the Surf Coast has generated community debate about who can afford to live in the communities that make the coast attractive.

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