Learning to surf in Torquay
Torquay is one of the best places in Australia to have your first surf. The town beaches face away from the big swells, the sand shelves gently, and there are surf schools a short walk from the water that have been doing this for decades. A two-hour lesson covers the basics, from ocean safety to standing up, and it's one of the best things to do here with kids.
Three schools run regular lessons. Two have shops on Bell Street in the town centre, about five minutes' drive from the house, and the third picks a quiet beach each day. Prices and details below are from each school's own website in October 2026.
The schools at a glance
| School | Where | Lessons | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go Ride a Wave | Bell Street, Torquay | 2-hour Surf Experience; kids' sessions in school holidays | Kids to adults |
| Torquay Surfing Academy | 34A Bell Street | 2-hour group lesson, $80; private $200 | 8 and over |
| Dawn Surf Co. | Beaches around Torquay and Anglesea | 2-hour lesson from $80, five surfers max | Adults only |
The surf schools
Go Ride a Wave
The old hand. Go Ride a Wave started in 1987 and runs lessons and hire from its shop on Bell Street, close to the beach, with showers, toilets and change rooms. The two-hour Surf Experience is its most popular lesson and covers ocean awareness and safety, board control and standing up; you get a full-length wetsuit and a soft beginner board, and walk down to the beach together. For kids there are 90-minute sessions for ages 5 to 14 in the school holidays, and Surf Groms, Surfing Australia's program for 6 to 12-year-olds, run as four 90-minute sessions. Private lessons too. Book on the Go Ride a Wave website or ring 1300 132 441.
Torquay Surfing Academy
At 34A Bell Street, a few minutes' walk from the beach, with hot showers, lockers and change rooms. The two-hour group lesson is $80 a person, for beginners to intermediate surfers aged 8 and over, with up to eight people per instructor, and includes a softboard and a fully sealed wetsuit. A two-hour private lesson is $200, for any age or level. It also hires out boards and wetsuits. Book on the Torquay Surfing Academy website or ring (03) 5261 2022.
Holyday House guests get 10% off online bookings at Torquay Surfing Academy. Check dates
Your Holyday House offer: 10% off online bookings.How to claim it
Dawn Surf Co.
A school for adults only, with small groups of no more than five. The two-hour lesson is from $80 a person, with levels from first-timer upwards, and includes GoPro and DSLR photos of your session. A three-lesson beginner program is from $240, and there are private lessons too. Dawn picks the beach each day, somewhere around Torquay or Anglesea that suits the wind, swell and tide, and messages you the day before. You need to be able to swim 50 m on your own. See the Dawn Surf Co. website.
Photo: Cameron Murray/Assemble Agency,
courtesy of Visit Victoria 
Photo: Cameron Murray/Assemble Agency,
courtesy of Visit Victoria 
Photo: Go Ride a Wave,
used with permission 
Photo: Go Ride a Wave,
used with permission 
Photo: Wade Lewis for Torquay Surfing Academy,
used with permission 
Photo: Wade Lewis for Torquay Surfing Academy,
used with permission Which one?
For a family with young kids, Go Ride a Wave, because it has sessions just for children in the school holidays and the Surf Groms program. For a group of friends or a family with kids over eight, Torquay Surfing Academy's group lesson is simple and good value, and its private lesson is a good way to get a nervous beginner going. For adults who want more attention and a photo of their first wave, Dawn Surf Co.'s small groups are hard to beat.
Whichever you choose, book ahead in summer. Go Ride a Wave says to book well ahead from December to February.
What to bring
The schools supply the board and wetsuit, so all you need is swimmers to wear underneath, a towel, sunscreen, a water bottle and warm clothes for afterwards. Get there about 15 minutes before the start to fill in the forms and get changed. At Go Ride a Wave, rain alone doesn't cancel a lesson, since you're getting wet anyway, but it will cancel if the surf is dangerous or there aren't enough waves.
Even in summer the water here is cool, so you'll be glad of the full wetsuit. Afterwards, the hot showers at the schools are very welcome, and so is a hot chocolate on Bell Street.
Hiring a board and wetsuit
Both Bell Street schools hire out boards and wetsuits if you'd rather practise on your own, or if part of the group already surfs. Go Ride a Wave has a wide range for beginners through to experienced surfers, including warmer 4/3 winter wetsuits for the colder months. Torquay Surfing Academy sells second-hand hire boards and wetsuits too, which is handy if a lesson turns into a new hobby. Both sell gift vouchers, which make a good present for someone coming down to stay.
After the lesson
If you've caught the bug, hire a soft board and practise at a patrolled beach between the flags, ideally Front Beach on a small day. Stay away from the reef breaks: Bells and Winki Pop are for experienced surfers, and are better enjoyed from the lookouts. Our surfing guide explains the local breaks by level.
For a rest day, the Australian National Surfing Museum tells the story of how Torquay became the home of Australian surfing, and the surf shops and outlets are just down the road.
Surf lessons FAQ
How much is a surf lesson in Torquay?
When we checked in October 2026, a two-hour group lesson was $80 a person at Torquay Surfing Academy and from $80 at Dawn Surf Co. A private lesson at Torquay Surfing Academy was $200.
Can kids have surf lessons?
Yes. Go Ride a Wave runs kids' sessions for ages 5 to 14 in the school holidays and Surf Groms for 6 to 12-year-olds. Torquay Surfing Academy's group lessons are for ages 8 and over. Dawn Surf Co. is adults only.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
You need to be comfortable in the water. Dawn Surf Co. asks that you can swim 50 m on your own. If you're nervous in the water, tell the school when you book.
Where do the lessons happen?
On beginner-friendly beaches picked for the conditions on the day. The schools will tell you where to meet.
Will it go ahead if it rains?
Usually, yes. Go Ride a Wave, for example, cancels for dangerous surf or no waves, not for rain alone.
For more to do with the kids, see our family holiday guide. Staying in north Torquay? 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.
- Go Ride a Wave Torquay — Go Ride a Wave
- FAQ — Go Ride a Wave
- Cancellation policy — Go Ride a Wave
- Group lesson — Torquay Surfing Academy
- Private lesson — Torquay Surfing Academy
- Torquay Surfing Academy — Torquay Surfing Academy
- Surf lessons Torquay — Dawn Surf Co.
- FAQs — Dawn Surf Co.