Between Torquay and Anglesea is Bells Beach, one of Australia’s iconic and world class surfing locations. The big touristy thing to do is to go to Bells Beach and stand around in the car parks and on the elevated platforms overlooking the beach taking pictures, or staring out to see looking at the board riders and appearing to know something about surfing.

This is on the Bells Beach break.

Another one at Winkipop.

Catching a wave on the ‘Winkipop’ break at Bells.

You only venture in the water here if you know what you are doing or think you do! We went a couple of times to check the place out. Both days were sunny but the sea was very flat with only a small swell, lots of people in the water though trying to catch a wave. There were some stand-up paddle boarders in action too. The water depth drops off steeply from the beach and it is interesting to see the waves run up the beach and then surge back down, quite a rip effect at the edge. Not for beginners here!

Bells Beach

A more sedate place is inland from Bells, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie is a must visit place. Even if you don’t buy any chocolates just wandering around in the place makes your mouth water. An enormous range of chocolates beckons in a beautiful garden setting beside the GOR.

Chocolate kangaroos

A selection of truffles, we couldn’t resist taking away.

Some of the treats

There is also some great ice cream. Allthego had a small tub of vanilla and honeycomb and Homealone her favourite rum n raisins. Some delicate cakes and treats were also on offer but were resisted strongly. We could though not resist a selection of truffles and a ‘couple’ of chocolate bars in fancy GOR packaging to take with us on the road ahead. I suspect most of these will be gone well before we get back home. They will go well with some Baileys port!  This is the sought of place one could go back to!