Victoria's coastline is wilder and more dramatic than the postcard beaches up north, but that is part of the appeal. The Great Ocean Road strings together some of the country's best surf beaches, from the famous Bells Beach at Torquay to the quieter stretches around Apollo Bay. Phillip Island's south coast has powerful surf and the bonus of penguin parades at dusk.
The water is cold enough to need a wetsuit most of the year, but Victorian surfers would not have it any other way.