Torquay is a city in Victoria, Australia. Renowned for its beaches, it is a popular seaside destination along the Great Ocean Road and a must-see for any avid surfer or any traveller looking for a beachside getaway.
Understand
[edit]Located at the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road, Torquay is a famous surfing spot, with Quiksilver and Rip Curl headquartered here and Bells Beach just around the corner.
Get in
[edit]Torquay is 97 km south of Melbourne, 22 km south of Geelong and 253 km east of Warrnambool at the other end of the Great Ocean Road.
Torquay is serviced by the V/Line coach between Geelong and Apollo Bay, which runs four times a day each direction on weekdays and twice on weekends, connecting to trains from Melbourne at Geelong Station. Alternatively, bus routes 51, 52 and 53 operate between Geelong and Torquay. Routes 51 & 53 originate at Marshall Station in Geelong's south, while route 52 departs from Geelong Station. These services operate more frequently, about every hour, although stop more frequently so have a slightly longer travel time.
Get around
[edit]
Routes 51, 52 and 53 can be used to get around town, with route 52 extending south to Jan Juc.
See
[edit]- 1 Fisherman's Beach.
- 2 Australian National Surfing Museum, 77 Beach Rd, ☏ +61 3 5261 4606. The largest surfing museum in the world.
- 3 Torquay Surf Beach.
- 4 Torquay Front Beach.
- 5 Point Impossible Beach. A "clothes-optional" beach, designated as a legal nudist beach.
Do
[edit]- 1 Tiger Moth World Adventure Flights, Torquay Airport, 325 Blackgate Rd, Torquay (7 min NE of Torquay township), ☏ +61 3 5261 5100. 9AM-5PM. Flights in an authentic World War II open cockpit Tiger Moth. Also an adventure park at the site.
Buy
[edit]Torquay has a good selection of outlet stores selling branded clothing and accessories, particularly surf and ski gear. You will find these at Surf City Plaza and also on Baines Crescent, the street immediately to the south.
- 1 Torquay Books, 14B Gilbert St, ☏ +61 3 5261 2311, [email protected]. M-Sa 9:30-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Friendly bookstore with a broad collection, including a kids' section.
- 2 Surf City Plaza, 101 Surf Coast Hwy. 9AM-5:30PM. Includes Rip Curl, Quicksilver, Billabong, Reef & Ghanda factory outlets, and other shops including Patagonia, Strapper, Oakley and more. Also eating options.
- 3 Surfcoast Wholefoods, Shop 104, 41 Bristol Rd, ☏ +61 3 5261 5555, [email protected]. M-Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 8AM-5PM. Organic and wholefoods specialty store.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Italo’s Wood Fired Pizza, 7 Gilbert St. M W 4:30-9:30PM, Th F 2PM-9:30PM, Sa Su 11:30AM-9:30PM. This little restaurant offers Italian wood-fired pizzas. Waitstaff are friendly, and if you're going on the weekends around lunch time it's usually pretty quiet. Sides such as pasta and chips are also available. $12-$25.
- 2 Squires Loft, Shop 6/15 Bell St. W-Su from 5:30PM. 10% surcharge on public holidays. Chain steak restaurant with gluten free options.
- 3 Fisho's Torquay, 36 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 3 5264 7739. Noon-3PM and 5PM-8PM. Fish and chips restaurant opposite the surf beach serving locally sourced seafood. Fish $22-24. Kids $12. Sides $2.50-$16. 15% surcharge on public holidays.
- 4 Pholklore, 38 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 3 5261 4270. M-F 5-9PM, Sa Su noon-9PM. Vietnamese street food. $8-22.
- 5 Growlers, 23 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 3 5264 8455. 8:30AM-late. Beachfront eatery that serves bistro food. Breakfast $7.90-25, lunch $20-24, dinner $12-$36.
- 6 Las Olas, 10 Pearl St, ☏ +61 3 5264 8877. Californian-style Mexican cuisine. $6.40-22.50.
- 7 Bomboras, 37 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 3 5264 7881. 6AM-late. Cafe offering Mediterranean cuisine. Main $29-$37, salads $22-25, sides $9-10, pizzas $14-24.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Blackmans Brewery, 26 Bell St, ☏ +61 3 5261 5310. W-M from noon. Walk-in brewery that serves a variety of beers. Small indoor seating area with log fireplace and large outdoor seating area with, live music, sandpit & mini golf for the kids. They have a small menu but their food is not their strong point.
- 2 Torquay Taphouse (Great Ocean Road Brewing), 27 Baines Cres. Enormous undercover venue with great range of beers and food. Not as child-friendly as Blackman's, however.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Bells Beach Backpackers, 51-53 Surf Coast Hwy, ☏ +61 3 5261 4029, [email protected]. Check-out: 8-10AM. Despite the name, it's right in the middle of Torquay. This hostel offers 4 bed and 6 bed dorm rooms (all mixed), as well as "vanpacking", where if you have a caravan to sleep in, you will be able to access the hostel's amenities for $30, which includes a kitchen, bathroom and laundry. $35-38.
- 2 Peppers The Sands Resort, 2 Sands Boulevarde, ☏ +61 3 5264 3333. Golf resort on the north headland of Torquay, with a modern design. Comprising two interconnecting, three-level buildings, the design offers beautiful views over the surrounding Whites Beach and Sands Golf Course.
- 3 RACV Torquay Resort, 1 Great Ocean Rd. Expansive resort at the beginning of the Great Ocean Road with a golf course, spa, and other facilities.
- 4 Wyndham Resort Torquay (Crowne Plaza Torquay), 100 The Esplanade. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Upscale resort with a combination of guest rooms and apartments. From $389.
Connect
[edit]Torquay has mobile phone coverage from all major Australian providers on the 4G network. Internet access is available from PCs at 1 Torquay Library, Surf City Plaza, ☏ +61 3 4201 0667. M-W 10AM-5:30PM, Th 10AM-8PM, F 10AM-5:30PM, Sa 10AM-1PM, Su 1:30-4:30PM. 
Go next
[edit]- Geelong is Victoria's second largest city and the gateway to the Bellarine Peninsula with a wide range of options for activities.
- Warrnambool is located at the end of the Great Ocean Road and has a rich maritime history. It's Australia's largest coastal city not on the Port Phillip Bay.
| Warrnambool ← Anglesea ← | W B100 N | → Geelong → END |