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The iconic Rip Curl Pro is the longest running competitive surfing event. Held at Bells Beach in Torquay, a little over an hour’s drive from Melbourne, it is an easy day trip or you can make it the first stop in a fantastic adventure down the Great Ocean Road.

The famous surfing competition which attracts the best surfers from around the world will run from April 10 – 20 in 2022. Competitors and locals alike are thrilled that the event, which was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, will be back again in full force. Tickets can be purchased from a booth set up on the beach on the day you visit. Prices are a reasonable $10 for adults and $5 for concession card holders. Children under 16 are welcome to enter for free.

Who will be competing?

Some of the world’s finest surfers are competing this year. 

Australian Stephanie Gilmore holds the most Women’s World titles in history (equal with Layne Beachley) and is always striving to win. See if she can do just that on the waves this year.

Carissa Moore from Hawaii – holder of the women’s gold medal from the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games – had her best year in 2021 so the 2022 comp is bound to be a great one for her.

John John Florence, also from Hawaii, makes the almost impossible surf moves look like a piece of cake. He’s cool, calm and graceful under pressure.

Brazilian surfer champion, Italo Ferreira, holds the men’s gold medal from the Tokyo Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games. He’s a highly entertaining showman who learnt to surf on the three foot long lid of his father’s esky.

Where to eat near Bells Beach

Head into Torquay where you’ll find supermarkets, sushi, takeaway shops and a full range of cafes and restaurants. For breakfast and coffee right on the beach, the Salty Dog Cafe is open every day from early morning till 3pm.

Tucked away behind the shops that hold the Rip Curl Outlet store, Perla Tacos is a family friendly eatery that offers a full menu including vegetarian and gluten free meals. From chargrilled corn on the cob to nachos, burrito bowls and enchiladas, it’s Mexican food at its most delicious.

For fine dining, book a table at Samesyn with your friends and celebrate sophisticated food in a relaxed coastal environment. The set menu offers delicacies like oysters with squid ink, smoked kangaroo, Great Ocean duck as well as a selection of cheeses and desserts.

Tours around the area

Our Bellarine Peninsula Food and Wine tour can show you the sights of the region between Melbourne and the surf coast. Gorgeous wineries, gourmet food, splendid beaches and welcoming people are abundant across the Bellarine.

If you’re time poor, our One Day Great Ocean Road tour takes you inland from Melbourne to Port Campbell then cruises the famous road all the way to Bells Beach, allowing ocean views the whole way. The two or three day tours give you more time to explore the towns, swim on the beaches, hike in the forests, and participate in the activities on offer in these vibrant coastal communities.

You can also book our buses for your private use. Create a tour that suits your group. We can pick you up from your hotel, chauffeur you to the event at Bells Beach, take you to lunch at a winery, a cafe, a restaurant, drop you off for a beach walk and pick you up at the other end, giving you time to explore a gallery. You imagine it, we can facilitate it.

What’s the best small group tour you’ve done when visiting Melbourne for the Rip Curl Pro?

Let us know some of your favourite surfing experiences in Australia and around the world.  If you liked this article please share:

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