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Australia🇦🇺 | beachesBells BeachRight-hander, clifftop lookout, timber stairs, Winki Pop | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Bells Beach
👍 Recommendedbeach ranked #12
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 15, 2026

The Rip Curl Pro trophy is a Bells Beach tradition, and the break is best known for it: a winning surfer is handed a ceremonial bell. The beach sits southwest of Torquay on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, in Australia. It is a small, cliff-backed bay with a steep staircase, a clean shoreline and crowds that thicken fast on swell days. Parking is free but the lot fills. I once paddled out in a size I had no business trying, misread the rip beside the point, and learned that watching from the lookout for twenty minutes is not wasted time. Swimming is risky and snorkeling is poor. Unlike busy Torquay Front Beach, Bells is about power, not paddling.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #12 beach in AustraliaThe unique appeal for travelers

Backpackers stop here for the wave, even if they never paddle out. Bells Beach is one of surfing’s most famous breaks, and watching experienced surfers work the right-hand point from the clifftop lookout is free and absorbing. The second reason is the location. Bells sits on the road between Torquay and Anglesea, so it works as an easy pause on a Great Ocean Road trip, with cheap bakery and takeaway food in Torquay a short drive away. Add the Surf Coast Walk, which passes along these cliffs, and you get a day that mixes sport-watching, bushland and ocean without spending much. The vibe is quiet and respectful. People talk about swell, wind and tide, and happily share what they know if you ask.

💡 HighlightsWhat this place is best known for

  1. Bells Beach Lookout: The main viewing platform above the break gives a clear line down the right-hander. It is the spot to watch the swell stack up and the surfers peel along the point. Entry is free.
  2. The Bells Beach Stairs: A timber staircase drops to the sand. The sound of the surf grows with every step, and the steep cliffs frame the bay well.
  3. Surf Watching: Bells works best with a solid southwest swell and light offshore wind. Even on smaller days, longboarders and learners share the inside sections, and watching how they read the lineup is a lesson in itself.
  4. Surf Coast Walk: This long-distance coastal trail crosses the headland here. A short stretch through coastal heath gives sweeping views back to the bay and east along the cliffs.
  5. Winki Pop and Southside: Neighboring breaks just around
… read more 👉
  1. Bells Beach Lookout: The main viewing platform above the break gives a clear line down the right-hander. It is the spot to watch the swell stack up and the surfers peel along the point. Entry is free.
  2. The Bells Beach Stairs: A timber staircase drops to the sand. The sound of the surf grows with every step, and the steep cliffs frame the bay well.
  3. Surf Watching: Bells works best with a solid southwest swell and light offshore wind. Even on smaller days, longboarders and learners share the inside sections, and watching how they read the lineup is a lesson in itself.
  4. Surf Coast Walk: This long-distance coastal trail crosses the headland here. A short stretch through coastal heath gives sweeping views back to the bay and east along the cliffs.
  5. Winki Pop and Southside: Neighboring breaks just around the point are easier to watch from the clifftops. They offer a different angle on the same swell and often draw crowds of experienced surfers.
Allow one to two hours for the lookout, stairs and a short walk, or half a day if you add the coastal trail and a long surf session watching.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do near Bells Beach

Hot Air Balloon Flights Geelong (The Great Ocean) + Breakfast

Hot Air Balloon Flights Geelong (The Great Ocean) + Breakfast

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Hop On Hop Off Bellarine Bellarine Peninsula

Hop On Hop Off Bellarine Bellarine Peninsula

4.7(15)
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per personViator
Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour of the Great Ocean Road, Australia

Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour of the Great Ocean Road, Australia

4.8(11)
From €15.39
per personViator
Geelong - Melbourne Airport Transfers

Geelong - Melbourne Airport Transfers

0.0(0)
From €327
per personViator
Melbourne Private Taxi Airport Transfers and Day Trips

Melbourne Private Taxi Airport Transfers and Day Trips

0.0(0)
From €76
per personViator
Private Shore Tour: Bellarine Peninsula Wine Experience

Private Shore Tour: Bellarine Peninsula Wine Experience

0.0(0) 7h
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per personViator
AVV Airport to Melbourne City/CBD/Southbank

AVV Airport to Melbourne City/CBD/Southbank

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🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

  • Autumn (March to May): Swell builds, water sits around 15 to 18°C (59 to 64°F), air reaches 15 to 22°C (59 to 72°F), and the Rip Curl Pro at Easter draws big crowds and high bed prices.
  • Winter (June to August): The most consistent surf, with air at 9 to 15°C (48 to 59°F), sea near 13 to 14°C (55 to 57°F) and daylight of roughly 9.5 hours. Crowds thin out and rooms get cheaper.
  • Spring (September to November): Milder, 11 to 20°C (52 to 68°F), with wildflowers on the cliffs and fickle wind.
  • Summer (December to February): Warmest at 17 to 26°C (63 to 79°F), with 14.5 hours of light, but the swell is small and Great Ocean Road holiday traffic pushes prices up.
Book Easter accommodation months ahead, or visit in a winter weekday week for empty lineups and low rates.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: excellent for travelingFEBFebruary: excellent for travelingMARMarch: highly recommended for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: good for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: fair for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: excellent for traveling
when-to-go

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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas to stay in Australia

Torquay is the base to pick, about 10 minutes by car northeast of the beach, and it holds the densest cluster of budget beds, surf schools and cheap food near Bells. Hostels, caravan parks and shared rentals here suit solo travelers because the town is compact, the surf culture is social, and you meet people over board hire and at the Front Beach. Expect roughly A$35 to 60 for a dorm bed and A$40 to 70 for a campsite or cabin share, with peaks at Easter and January. Jan Juc, the next suburb along, is quieter and has a good beach, with fewer budget options but easy access to the Surf Coast Walk. … read more 👉
Torquay is the base to pick, about 10 minutes by car northeast of the beach, and it holds the densest cluster of budget beds, surf schools and cheap food near Bells. Hostels, caravan parks and shared rentals here suit solo travelers because the town is compact, the surf culture is social, and you meet people over board hire and at the Front Beach. Expect roughly A$35 to 60 for a dorm bed and A$40 to 70 for a campsite or cabin share, with peaks at Easter and January. Jan Juc, the next suburb along, is quieter and has a good beach, with fewer budget options but easy access to the Surf Coast Walk. Anglesea, about 20 minutes further southwest, is a calmer alternative with camping by the river. Torquay also has a bus link to Geelong, while Bells itself has no accommodation, only a lookout and car park.
Best hostels in Australia


Best quality hotels in Australia

🛡️ SafetyTraveler Safety Guide

Bells is a powerful open-ocean surf break, and most visitors stay on the cliff-top lookout and stairs to watch rather than swim. There are no lifeguards on the beach, and the cold water, heavy swell, rips along the point and rocky reef make it a surfers-only spot unless the waves are very small. Beginners do better at patrolled Torquay Front Beach, where flags mark the safe zone in summer. Sharks are present in Victorian waters but encounters are rare. Wear a 3/2 to 4/3 wetsuit year-round, and use sunscreen even on cool days. Weather changes fast. Lock valuables out of sight in the car park, as break-ins from parked cars do happen.
Check Country Safety

FAQFrequently asked questions about Bells Beach

Torquay is the closest hub, and Bells Beach is a 10 to 15 minute drive (about 7 km) southwest along Great Ocean Road. From Melbourne it is roughly 1.5 hours by car (about 100 km), or you can take the V/Line train to Geelong and then a bus to Torquay (around 2 to 2.5 hours total). There is no public transport to the beach itself, so budget for a taxi or rideshare of roughly A$20 to 30 from Torquay, or cycle the coastal route.
It is excellent for surfing and poor for swimming or snorkeling. Bells is a world-famous right-hand point break that works best in winter swell of 1 to 3 meters, but it suits intermediate to advanced surfers rather than beginners. Water temperatures of 13 to 18°C, strong rips and no lifeguards make casual swimming unwise. Torquay Front Beach, 10 minutes away, has lessons from about A$60 to 90 and patrolled summer swimming.
Yes, the beach, the lookout platform and the car park cost nothing to use. There is no entry fee or parking charge, and the stairs down to the sand are open year-round during daylight. Costs come from lessons, board hire (roughly A$30 to 50 a day) or wetsuit rental, usually arranged in Torquay. Surf events such as the Rip Curl Pro at Easter may include ticketed or restricted viewing areas.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Australian beaches near Bells Beach

Explore more nearby:

  • Tathra Beach—Heritage timber wharf, beginner waves, humpback watching, headland rock pools| 537 km away
  • Wineglass Bay—curved bay, granite peaks, Freycinet National Park| 544 km away
  • Four Mile Beach—Wallaga Lake entrance, unpatrolled surf, Camel Rock, Blue Pool| 557 km away

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We 💚 feedbackFinal thoughts on visiting Bells Beach

Give Bells a half day, no more. That is enough for the lookout, the stairs and a slow walk along the cliffs. If the swell is up, I would stay a bit longer and just watch. If it is flat, move on to Torquay.

✈️ When did I visit Australia?
On my trip to New Zealand in 1993, I had a short stop in Australia as well.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Australia, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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