Torquay, Australia Summary

photo by gusto

TORQUAY is the centre of surf culture on Victoria’s “surf coast”, which extends from Point Lonsdale, on the Bellarine Peninsula, to Lorne; two local beaches, Jan Juc and Bells Beach, are solidly entrenched in Australian surfing mythology. If you’re not here for the surf, then there’s not really a lot happening: in hot weather the place is boisterously alive, but out of season it’s somnolent and low-key. The big event here is the Rip Curl Pro & Sun Smart Classic, held at Bells Beach in Easter, which draws national and international contestants and thousands of spectators (call Surf Victoria on 03/5261 2907 or see www.ripcurlpro.com.au for details). Local buses run between Geelong and Torquay via Jan Juc – call Bellarine Transit (tel 03/5223 2111) for the latest information.