Honky Tonk Surf Towns: Torquay, Australia

July 9, 2008 at 2:33 PM | by egw | 1 Comment

We know it's out of season, but we can't help including at least one Australian outpost in our Honky Tonk round-up.

Its population has swelled since the '80s, but we like to think Torquay township, in the state of Victoria, retains some of its pioneer charm. The site of one of Australia's most famous shipwrecks, this 19th-century picnic spot southwest of Melbourne has become a surf magnet thanks to its proximity to the scenic Great Ocean Road along the southeastern coast and the Surfworld Museum celebrating the beach bums of yesteryear. The awesome currents, of course, don't hurt either.

The cofounder of Australian surf gear company Rip Curl used to surf here and made it part of their company's raison d'etre:

In the cool climate of Victoria, sanity prevails in design and technique, if not in the temperaments of the surfers. The cold, always a great leveler, has created a hardy breed of surfer who has no time for the hoopla and hype of the glitter beach capitals of the world.
And by 1969 these like-minded souls have begun to gravitate towards the equally no-frills seaside town of Torquay, just a couple of kilometers away from Bells Beach, home of some of the most challenging waves in Australia.

In homage, nearby Bells Beach plays host to the Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival every April. We're not talking Beach Boys imitators here--a ticket this year (A$11; about the same in dollars) would have gotten you in to see an AC/DC cover band called "Acca/Dacca" and former Killers openers Wolf & Cub.

Related Stories:
· Torquay Hotels [HotelChatter]
· Honky Tonk Surf Towns coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: katunx]

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