Food
I moved to the Surf Coast (along the Great Ocean Road from Torquay to Lorne) in 2013. It is the traditional home of the Wadawurrung, Gulidjan and Gadubanud people. Being Victorian and close to Melbourne (Torquay is 100km south west of the city) we are all a bit snobbish about the food and coffee but you would be surprised how much it has improved. 10 years ago it wouldn’t have had much to recommend it!
Two places in Torquay make top-quality sandwiches. Mortadeli makes a meatball sandwich that you can easily share. Gooleys makes a shredded chicken breast roll with lettuce, chips and aioli. Both are close to the Esplanade, so you can walk down to look out over the ocean with your delicious sandwich.
There are two excellent contemporary Australian restaurants in Torquay. Kyn does great cocktails and a tasting menu costs around $70. If you can’t finish it, there are also takeaway containers. Try not to overdo it on the fresh focaccia as a starter, so you can enjoy Turkish “beef ravioli” (manti) and cured ocean trout. It’s always crowded; it’s hectic, but they can fit you into a booth for a date.
Samesyn is a more intimate, food-focused experience that reflects your mood. It’s low-waste and the tasting menu is under $100.
Green areas
The Surf Coast walk is 44km and starts at Point Impossible and finishes at Fairhaven beach. I love the 6.5km return walk from Jan Juc to Bells beach. There are lots of lookouts, interesting vegetation and bright orange clay cliffs. I also love walking up Urquhart cliff to Split Point lighthouse. It’s about 12km return but I’ll either go to the Lighthouse Tea Rooms in the morning or Aireys pub in the afternoon. Leashed dogs are allowed on the Surf Coast walk – my dog loves it! Bring your swimsuit for an ocean dip along the way.
Cosy Corner in Torquay is where my seven-year-old son surfs because it is sheltered from the big waves. If you follow the track further, in less than a kilometre you are on the side of the crashing surf.
Point Addis between Torquay and Anglesea is very popular. Get your ice pack ready and grab your boards or just splash around and swim. It’s a surf beach but generally not too wild. It has a special presence as it feels isolated despite being close to the city.
Night life
The Torquay hotel is a live music venue with bands, DJs – everything. People from teenagers to people in their 50s enjoy the shows. There’s also the Sound Doctor, started by a local doctor at the Anglesea Memorial Hall, which plays low-key folk, soft music and a bit of rock. Some of the gigs sell out in minutes!
Bird Rock on Jan Juc is a small bar with DJs and a super local vibe. The food is really good so it’s a good place to spend the night. There’s an old house in Anglesea that’s been converted into a venue called Last One In and they have live music and DJs every now and then. It’s on the Great Ocean Road and has a nice view of the creek and bushland. They also have a good happy hour with $10 margaritas.
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The old Lorne theatre has been around since 1937 which is quite amazing and they also show films. They got the Golden Age team to do the programming which is quite a feat for a small town. They do some great school holiday shows like The Goonies. I took my son there (and probably enjoyed it more than him). Every time they show a surf documentary the 550 seat theatre sells out.
The Lorne Theatre was recently bought by the same people who opened The Clam restaurant next door. People are worried about gentrification, but on the other hand, there wasn’t much nightlife in Lorne before. The Clam serves fresh seafood and hosts live music events such as Japanese psychedelic, folk, country, punk and First Nations concerts. There’s a community market on Monday nights with more music and often dancing.
The Clam and Lorne theaters are closed for the winter and will reopen in the spring.
Inspiration
Surfing is part of the culture here; everyone has a relationship with the ocean. Bells Beach is one of Australia’s most famous surf spots and the Bells Beach Pro has been held every Easter since the early 1960s. Surfers call May “Magic May” because the winter swell begins and the waves are usually good until October.
Head to Bells to get a glimpse of everything and eavesdrop and pick up some new surfing jargon. It’s a great place to watch surfing because the cliffs form a huge amphitheatre. On a big wave day, everyone goes; it’s a peanut gallery watching people surf. There are vans and pickup trucks parked in the car park, with surfers talking to each other as they take off their wetsuits.
Neighbour
Torquay has seen a lot of new development in recent years but Anglesea is surrounded by national parks and has a lovely village feel; so are Aireys Inlet and Lorne. Le Comptoir is a small all-day restaurant in Aireys Inlet. It’s like stepping into France. The staff are very friendly and the charcuterie and cheese are delicious. I love going alone with a book.
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The Torquay farmers market on Saturdays offers excellent produce and is the epitome of the Torquay community. There are really lots of people hanging out, chatting and sitting on the grass having coffee or pancakes. There is great bread, giant spring rolls – bigger than a Chiko roll! – delicious chilli butter, jams and venison man. Only food items… you can’t buy teapot covers or anything else.
Independent bookshops are a dying breed, so we’re lucky to have three thriving bookshops on the Surf Coast: Torquay Books, Great Escape Books in Aireys Inlet and Lorne Books. They cater to everyone from newborns to grandparents to travellers stopping by for a map of the Great Ocean Road.
To stay
The Sunnymead hotel in Aireys Inlet (from $120 in low season) has a midcentury design. They’ve updated the decor and have a new spa with a glass-ceilinged bathroom and four rows of tubs, so you can rent them and have champagne brought to you while you sip and chat with friends. They do cocktails by the pool on summer weekends.
Anglesea Family Caravan Park (campsites from $58, cabins from $161) has cute cabins right on the beach, with wood paneling inside; a real ’70s vibe.