Swimming in the Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road has some of Australia’s best beaches. Kilometres of clean, golden sand and gentle waves can be found all along the coast and are a major drawcard for the region.

Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula
Geelong's historic Eastern Beach Swimming Enclosure with its slides and diving platforms into the sheltered waters of Corio Bay, has long been a favourite with locals and visitors. The sandy bayside beaches on the Bellarine Peninsula all offer shallow tranquil water that is ideal for a relaxing swim or just beyond The Rip, around Point Lonsdale, bay calm surrenders to the untamed waves of Bass Strait. The swell is at its strongest on the Point Lonsdale back beach and Thirteenth Beach near Barwon Heads but the waves tend to mellow before they break on Ocean Grove shores.

Around Torquay and Anglesea
Some of the best swimming beaches along the Great Ocean Road include Torquay’s beautiful Norfolk Pine-lined front beach which offers a quiet protected foreshore and the nearby Fishermans Beach. Anglesea’s main beach is a wide sandy expanse beside the Anglesea River and attracts both swimmers and surfers, and just around the bay is the long sweeping arc of Point Roadknight beach. The shallow, protected waters are safe for children, making it another popular spot with families.

Lorne to Apollo Bay
The sheltered two kilometre beach at Lorne is safer than most on the coast and is bordered by lawns, gum trees and picnic and barbecue facilities. At Wye River there is another beautiful sandy beach at the mouth of the river with a lush forest backdrop and at Apollo Bay the wide, crescent-shaped sandy beach with its protected waters provides another safe and popular swimming beach.

Lifeguards
Lifeguards and lifesavers patrol beaches during peak holiday times and you should only swim between the red and yellow flags put out by the lifeguards. For further information on patrolled beaches contact the local Visitor Information Centre.