Bells Beach Surfing – One of Oz’s Best

Surfing Bells Beach

Bells is a right-hand point break that works best on medium to large south to southwest swells. They’ll march up the strait and wrap around the exposed headland before peeling into the bay.

Most of the time, the wave is divided up, just like in Kirra, into about three or four take-off zones, each with thier own shape and style. But there are times here when things link up and you can get some super-long rights with multiple barrel sections. For that, say hail Mary and prey for massive SW swell pulses to push through.

These are the various take-off zones you should know about in Bells:

• Rincon – The farthest west of all the spots on Bells, Rincon is right out on Point Addis (the headland that hooks in that SW swell). It’s by no means the main attraction here. That’s Bowl (see below). But on small swells and really high tide pushes, Rincon is a fun, perfomance wave that offers fast rights that ramp up real steep. It’s not for nothing that you see airs like hell here.
• Bells Bowl – The jewel in the crown is the Bowl. The ultimate power surfing wave on the planet, it’s a huge, open-face right that loves to be cut up. Some huge lines get drawn here on the biggest days, which is when Bowl will connect through its various sections all the way to the beachfront. Epic to watch. Epic to surf.
• Winkipop – Don’t discount Winkipop (or Winki for short). It’s a pretty awesome right hander point in its own way, with two sections that can pump out frieghting lines that run for up to 150m at a time. Some even say this is better than Bells Bowl. Again, high-perfomance right hander with big walls on big swells. Can turn good for intermediates when it’s smaller.

Other surf spots near to Bells Beach

This is the Great Ocean Road. There’s surf everywhere.

• Jan Juc – One of the best beach breaks in Torquay and the stomping ground for local surfers on a casual session, Jan Juc is a long run of sand washed by endless peaks. It’s great for all levels depending on swell size, and there’s lots of room to spread out. There’s power here when it’s big, and rips.
• Torquay Surf Beach – The main town beach has good vibes. There’s a mix of groms and traveling surfers, but also locals. Generally a foot less than the more exposed beaches out west from here, but there’s some quality in town, especially over on the right point at the far west end of the beach.

When to surf in Bells Beach?

March to October is the prime time to surf Bells if you’re hunting those big rights that make it so famous. This is SW swell season, and it’s when the whole of southern Victoria gets hit with the biggest low pressure systems. Expect size, lots of it, and regular competitions.

Bells is good all year round, mind. Summer is a little hit and miss – occasional swells might light up the point, but it’s usually smaller, windier, and more suited to the nearby beach breaks or Winkipop. You’re very unlikely to be totally skunked though.

Where to stay?

Torquay is your closest surf town, just 10 minutes up the road. It’s home to surf outlets, good cafés, and a bunch of laid-back Airbnbs, caravan parks, and hostels.

This is also the HQ of both Rip Curl and Quiksilver, and the Australian National Surfing Museum is also in town. It’s a must stop really.

If you’re not surfing, the Great Ocean Road offers loads: scenic drives, cliff walks, beaches, and the famous Twelve Apostles. Inland, the Otways are full of fern-covered trails and waterfalls. The whole region is also speckled with some really, really nice cabin stays.

• RACV Torquay Resort – This fully-fledged health resort beckons with tennis courts, a gym, a nearby golf course, and really cool Brutalist design.
• Chianti Cottages – Back in Jan Juc, where you can also surf, these cottages have some style about them.