Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GREAT OCEAN ROAD
TOP OF CHAPTER
Torquay
POP 15,700
In the 1960s and '70s Torquay was just another sleepy seaside town. Back then surfing in
Australia was a decidedly countercultural pursuit, its devotees crusty hippie drop-outs liv-
ing in clapped-out Kombis, smoking pot and making off with your daughters. Since then
it's become unabashedly mainstream and a huge transglobal business. Torquay's rise and
rise directly parallels the boom of the surfing industry (and especially the surf-apparel in-
dustry). The town's proximity to world-famous Bells Beach and status as home of two
iconic surf brands - Rip Curl and Quicksilver, both initially wetsuit makers - ensured Tor-
quay's place as the undisputed capital of the Australian surf industry.
Other than the beach, Torquay's not a particularly attractive town, due to its suburban
sprawl and housing estates.
ORGANISED TOURS
It's highly recommended you take your time along the Great Ocean Road (ideally a couple of nights to one week),
but for those short on time the following tours depart from Melbourne and often cover it in one whirlwind day.
Go West Tours
( 1300 736 551;
www.gowest.com.au
; tours $120) Full-day tours visit Bells Beach, koalas in
the Otways, Port Campbell and back to Melbourne. Free wi-fi on bus.
Otway Discovery Tour
(
03-9629 5844;
www.greatoceanroadtour.com.au
; tours $95) Very affordable one-day
Great Ocean Road tours.
Ride Tours
(
1800 605 120;
www.ridetours.com.au
;
tours $195) Two-day, one-night trips along the Great
Ocean Road.
Sights & Activities
Torquay's beaches lure everyone from kids in floaties to backpacker surf-school pupils.
Fisherman's Beach
, protected from ocean swells, is the family favourite. Ringed by shady
pines and sloping lawns, the
Front Beach
beckons lazy bums, while surf lifesavers patrol the
