Yeah, this beach isn't really the easiest to get to, but sometimes these beaches are actually…read morepretty good because they tend not to be anywhere near as crowded. The other thing is that it is at the bottom of a bluff, so there are cliffs sort of all around, which certainly does make for a lovely place to spend a summers day. Still, it is a Melbourne beach, and apparently they aren't the cleanest of beaches out there, and also being in the city they can get pretty crowded, even if somewhat secluded. Still, I didn't mind it.

This little hiding hole is a perfect spot when you're in a group looking to head to the beach where…read morenot many people are around. Normally, you will be able to find a quiet spot to enjoy with your friends and hang out but recently more and more people have discovered this area of the beach where it may be a little more crowded. Either way, it has the sandiness you want, plus a few rock pools and also a beautiful looking cliff's edge to admire also. Maybe Half Moon Bay isn't as private as it used to be but it's still one of my favourite beach positions to hang out at. Fish and chips + esky is the way to go!

This wasn't a bad beach at all, but then again it was rather quiet when I was here, something that…read moreI certainly do appreciate when it comes to beaches. There isn't too much here, but they do have some good facilities, and while it isn't close to a major shopping strip, there are shops a short walk away, including a number of cafes. It isn't bad, and certainly one to visit if you want to avoid the crowds.

Crystal clear turquoise waters on a stretch of white sand, if the waters were warmer I'd mistaken…read moremyself to be in the Caribbean (not that I've been but imagine so). There are those cute colourful beach huts synonymous with Brighton Beach but I like the idea I get the Melbourne Beach experience without being where the touristy crowds are. Don't get me wrong, on a 35+ Sunday this place was pumping, but in a nice atmospheric way... families with their umbrellas, kids playing paddle ball, the hipsters with their eskies & adult sized floaties. One big pool party! Toilets, change room, surf life savers & ice cream trucks all available at your convenience.

It was my brother's and my first time surfing in Australia I wanted instruction from a friendly…read moreknowable staff. I checked online and decided to visit Torquay. After doing some research we found Go Ride A Wave. After easily booking online we arrived at the shop and met the staff. They were happy and friendly and made me feel comfortable. Becky took us out with 2 others and taught us about the beach, currents and etiquette. After a short and educational instruction on the shore we headed out. Becky was amazing and helped us catch our first waves. She pointed out what to look for and taught us what to do. I caught so many great waves and had a blast. I would definitely go back again. Thanks for great memories and encouragement. I always felt safe in the water with Becky around.

Want to learn to surf in a non-competitive, supportive and fun environment? Look no further!…read more I'm not even sure where to begin! The shop is easy to find in Torquay and street parking is easy. The staff are relaxed and nice, and will help you find a good wetsuit (if the water's a bit cold like when I went.) It is an easy stroll to the beach from HQ, and the on-sand demos and instructions make sense. Once in the water the instructors spend good time with you in a group lesson and make sure it's not frightening. It wasn't scary at all, and I met some nice girls in my group who I'm now friends with in Melbourne. I've been to other surf schools where it felt competitive and I was afraid to ask questions, and I didn't get that here at all. I felt encouraged, and even when I was tired staff kept me motivated. Initially I felt like a fish out of water, by the end I felt like a fish flying over the water. I became a lot more comfortable in the ocean and loved the feeling of riding a wave (okay, it was whitewater- but still, it was a beginning!!) Rad place to go- get the stoke with this crew in Torquay!

A good beach for the kids, and especially good for beach cricket... but extremely windy and hardly…read moreany waves the few times we went. Being down in the Surf Coast area, it's not hard to find great surf beaches. However, every once and a while you will be looking for something different. Torquay Beach will be exactly that. The problems though are that it's busy, being right off the main esplanade for the town. The several times we went as well, the waves were pretty much non-existent, and it was extremely windy. Our friends had to pull down their sun shelters for fear of going the way of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz! It might be a personal preference thing... but the kids and I prefer the surf. If that's what you're looking for, try another beach. Then again, if you want large open expanses of flat sand for some cricket, make your way down here.

A lovely right hander that can be surfed from half a metre to over three metres. The waves rap…read moreatmospherically around a sandy cliff. The point of the reef extended out from the cliff providing the take off point. Rides are long and workable, very enjoyable when smaller on a long board. In front is a typically beautiful sandy beach overlooked by native coastel bush, especially coastal Banksia trees. It's only about an hour and 20 mins from the centre of melbourne or a half hour from Geelong, so well worth a visit. If it's not working then there are plenty of other waves nearby that might be. Best surfers in the world compete here every Easter and it's refered to by Keanau Reeves in Point Break.

Merricks Beach certainly isn't the place to come and ride waves. It's quiet, small and peaceful and…read morethe ideal spot for families with young children who want somewhere safe to paddle and splash around. There's rockpools to poke around in and plenty of shells to be collected. Beyond a small toilet block closer to the road, there aren't any facilities here so BYO everything if you plan to make a day of it. For dog owners: In summer during daylight savings, dogs aren't allowed on the beach between 9am and 7pm, but all other times are okay for you to bring your pup down here to run around.

Stopped by Bells Beach while travelling on the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne, into Torquay and on…read moreour way to the 12 Apostles. Didn't realise but a renowned surf beach where the Rip Curl Pro takes place during Easter time. Have been warned to not swim there due to the serious danger of drowning- took the Melbourn-ites advice quite seriously. Saw a few daring surfers carving up the waves when we were observing from the timber lookout with a staircase down to the sand and beach as well as lower and upper level for a good vantage point to admire from a distance. Worth stopping by for a look at the beautiful high cliffs, the amphitheatre-style beach and large Southern Ocean swells from this A-grade surf break.

With the sun shining, parklands across the road, rock pools a little further up the road and a pier…read moreto walk along - I don't think you could ask for more. Just as we were arriving the bulldozer was clearing the seaweed off the beach and there was a distinctive smell that you knew you'd arrived at the beach. With the tide out there were a lot of children playing in the shallows and parents paddling near by. With free street parking, shops close by, parks across the road, grassed area if sand isn't your thing, I'd suggest you pack your swimmers and take a splash. Enjoy.

(Visited 12/16/24 MO @ 4:30pm): Melbourne's beach right next to its cruise port!…read more A friend and I were on Day 3 of our 12-Day Southern Australia Explorer cruise with Princess Cruises, we took the local train into town, and after an exploratory day in Melbourne's commercial business district (CBD), we made it back to the cruise terminal, but before we boarded, we decided to cool off at Port Melbourne Beach. It was a scorching 100°, and my back was wet most of the day as if I was a migrant farm worker! So, this dunk into the refreshing water was much needed. Sure, we could've just waited until we got back onto the ship and went into one of the pools. But then, we had to deal with the many kids or their parents. Would this strip of beach along Melbourne's port help to cool us down!? PURCHASE Nada... nothing... zilch. We didn't see any businesses or vendors to spend our money on - 'nuff said. SERVICE The portion of beach we were on lacked any form of service whatsoever. We didn't see any lifeguards, law enforcement, staffers, etc. - 'nuff said. PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance) I honestly didn't notice any onsite parking. However, there was a nearby passenger drop-off/pick-up location and potentially some street parking just outside the security gates to the nearby cruise terminal area. Otherwise, the 109 Tram conveniently took you to/from the Station Pier into the City Center with stops in between to pick you up from - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A lonely no-nonsense soft-sand beach conveniently (for us anyway) next to the cruise terminal https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=zM7uZ2NoKGc7Ll48HX23xw that didn't appear to offer much if any amenities (maybe if we walked further down the beach we may have found something). This was perfectly fine with us; the less-crowded https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=QtKWUINN8TUxzJXLOQnEsg the less-noisy the better! The water was really shallow https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=IZHnQoaD9v0ySTASwM_LZg (maybe it was low tide?) as I walked out pretty far and eventually had to dunk myself to get fully wet. The sand seemed clear of any trash which was a good thing although I didn't recall seeing any trash cans. Plenty of natural lighting (duh... you were outside!) while nearby electric street lights filled in the rest. There were no TVs while the sounds of chatter and traffic played in the background. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=GRAPbGLNRubkuG723cMSHw ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL Port Melbourne Beach served its purpose which was to cool us down after walking all over downtown Melbourne and to then to relax. There was nothing picturesque about this beach nor was there truly anything else to say about it; it was a "boring" beach with little around it. However, I really liked the general peace and tranquility about it, and honestly didn't need all of the common amenities found at more well-known beaches. But a more aesthetically-pleasing scenery wouldn't hurt. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $0.00AUD / $0.00USD BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, there didn't appear to be anywhere to accept my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

A bit of a sad beach if you prefer a ton of people to socialize with, but an amazing beach if you…read morelike to be alone. I personally loved it and miss it xx