Bells Beach

Way before it was immortalised on the big screen when bank-robbing, free-spirit Bodhi escaped the clutches of the FBI’s Johnny Utah by paddling into a 50-year storm at Bells Beach (actually filmed in Oregon) in Point Break, this arc of the Surf Coast Shire has long been an Australian icon. Bells has hosted an annual surfing contest since 1962, which morphed into the first serious pro event in 1973 and is now held each Easter, making it the sport’s longest-running pro event.

The beach is a small stretch of sand and it’s not one for dipping in with dangerous rips, and rocks hidden lurking under the heavy surf. It’s not a place to brush up on your surfing skills either, you’ll have a better time watching from the viewing platform if you don’t know what you’re doing.

But if you do surf and want a wave out there, then coincide your visit with a fresh ground swell—any time of the year but best in autumn and winter—and you’ll be in heaven as the outer peak delivers you into the infamous Bells Bowl. Just steer clear of The Button.