The beach
Bells Beach sits in a curve of high sandstone cliffs just west of Jan Juc, about a 10-minute drive from north Torquay. It's one of the best-known waves in the world, the home of the Rip Curl Pro since 1962, and in 1971 it became the first surfing reserve in the world.
You don't need a board to enjoy it. Most visitors never go near the water: they park on the clifftop, walk out to the lookouts and watch the surfers below. On a good swell it's one of the best free shows on the coast, and on a flat day the cliffs and the long view towards Point Addis are worth the drive on their own.
Its Wadawurrung name is Djarrak, which means "bended arm", after the shape of the cliffs. The Wadawurrung People have cared for this coast for tens of thousands of years.
Getting there and parking
From north Torquay, head south on the Surf Coast Highway and onto the Great Ocean Road, then turn off at Bells Boulevard and follow the signs down Bells Beach Road to the reserve. It's about 10 minutes.
There's a sealed car park right on the clifftop, with toilets, and the viewing platforms are a short walk from the cars. On a summer weekend or a big swell day it fills up, so go early or late in the day. Over Easter, when the Rip Curl Pro is on, the car park is part of the event, so see our Rip Curl Pro guide for how parking works then.
Watching the surf
The platforms look straight down the line-up. Bells is a right-hand point break, and the wave has a few named sections: on a good day it can start out at Rincon and run all the way through to the Bowl. Just around the corner is Winki Pop, a faster, hollower wave that's strictly for experienced surfers.
Bells comes alive on a south to south-west swell. On those days the best surfers in town are out, and you can stand at the rail for an hour without noticing. Bring binoculars if you have them, and a jacket, because the clifftop catches the wind. Our surfing guide explains the breaks and the swells.
Going down to the beach
Steps lead down from the clifftop to the sand at both Bells and Winki Pop. It's a lovely beach to walk on at low tide, but it isn't a swimming beach. It's unpatrolled, with big surf, strong rips and rocks, so leave the water to the surfers. For a swim, the Torquay beaches, patrolled in summer, are 10 minutes back up the road.
The beach and the water are part of Point Addis Marine National Park. Fishing and collecting are banned, so leave the shells and the rock pools as you found them. The steps are steep, and the walk back up is harder than the walk down, so it's not one for a pram.
Walks from Bells
Bird Rock to Bells
The best way to arrive. This section of the Surf Coast Walk runs 3.2 km along the clifftop from the Bird Rock lookout in Jan Juc, on a formed track with gentle hills and the ocean beside you the whole way. Walk one way and have someone collect you, or do it there and back, about 6.4 km.
Bells to Point Addis
A longer, harder walk of 8.2 km one way, turning inland through the Ironbark Basin before coming back out to the coast at Point Addis. There are hills, steps and some sand, so take water and good shoes, and plan a pickup at the other end.
Our Surf Coast Walk guide has every section from Torquay to Aireys Inlet.
A bit of history
The English name comes from the Bell family. John Calvert Bell bought the farm here in 1905, and the family grazed the coast reserve until about 1940. Surfers started turning up in the late 1930s, and in 1960 Joe Sweeney, a Torquay surf lifesaver, organised a bulldozer to cut an access track down to the beach.
The first Easter contest was held in 1962. It went professional in 1973, and it has run ever since as the Rip Curl Pro, the longest-running professional surfing contest in the world. By the late 1960s the crowds were camping and lighting fires in the bush, so surfers pushed for protection, and in November 1971 the area was named the Bells Beach Surfing Recreation Reserve.
For more of the story, the Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay has the Bells trophies and a lot of the history.
Dogs, kids and the Rip Curl Pro
Dogs are allowed in the Bells Beach reserve on a lead. Kids love the lookouts, but the cliffs are high, so keep little ones by the hand. The Bird Rock walk is a good length for older kids, with a reward at the end.
Every Easter, the Rip Curl Pro takes over. In 2027, Surfing Victoria lists the waiting period as 25 March to 4 April, with the Victorian Rip Curl Pro Trials on 21 March. The contest runs on the days with the best surf, and watching from the cliffs is a great day out. Our Rip Curl Pro guide covers tickets, parking and the walk in from Jan Juc.
Bells Beach FAQ
How far is Bells Beach from Torquay?
About 10 minutes' drive from north Torquay, along the Great Ocean Road and Bells Boulevard. You can also walk in from Jan Juc on the Surf Coast Walk, 3.2 km from Bird Rock.
Can you swim at Bells Beach?
It isn't a swimming beach. It's unpatrolled, with big surf and rips. Swim at a patrolled Torquay beach instead.
Is there parking and toilets?
Yes, a sealed clifftop car park with toilets, a short walk from the viewing platforms.
Are dogs allowed at Bells Beach?
Yes, on a lead in the reserve.
Why is it called Bells Beach?
After the Bell family, who farmed the land from 1905. Its Wadawurrung name is Djarrak.
When is the best time to see good surf?
On a south to south-west swell. Over Easter, the Rip Curl Pro brings the world's best surfers.
Make a day of it with Jan Juc and the Surf Coast Walk. Staying close by? See our house near Bells Beach, or check dates at Holyday House.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 23 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Bells Beach — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Bells History — Surf Coast Shire
- Bells — Surf Life Saving Australia (Beachsafe)
- Point Addis Marine National Park — Parks Victoria
- Surf Coast Walk — Visit Great Ocean Road
- Rip Curl Pro — Surfing Victoria
- Rip Curl Pro — Wikipedia