Our favourite beaches
You are spoilt for beaches staying at Little George. Here are the ones we keep going back to.
Thirteenth Beach, Barwon Heads
Rugged, beautiful and just a few minutes' drive from the house. A popular spot with surfers. If you are an extremely confident swimmer with a solid understanding of rips, you can walk down to the beach from Little George via Golf Links Road. Everyone else, we recommend driving to the patrolled beach in front of the 13th Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The surf here can be serious, so swim between the flags. The coastline is stunning for walking even if you do not get in the water.
The River, Barwon Heads
Before you even think about the ocean, the river is right there. The Barwon River mouth is a short walk from Little George and it is one of the best spots for families with young kids. The water is calmer than the beach, shallow in parts, and sheltered from the surf. You can paddle, float, fish off the rocks or just sit on the sand and watch the boats go past. The water is cleaner at high tide, which is also when the local kids love to do the jetty jump next to At the Heads. No need to drive anywhere.
Raffs Beach, Ocean Grove
Over the bridge on the Ocean Grove side. The water is calmer than 13th and it is usually a bit quieter than the patrolled beaches at Ocean Grove. If you get there early in summer, you should not have an issue getting a park in the second car park to your right after the bridge. A great option for young kids or anyone who wants a more relaxed swim.
Ocean Grove Main Beach
A patrolled surf beach and always a reliable option. It is a long, wide stretch of sand with lifeguards over summer, showers, toilets and easy parking. If you want to swim in the surf and feel comfortable doing it between the flags, this is the straightforward choice. A short drive or a longer walk over the bridge from Barwon Heads.
Point Addis
A drive, but worth it. The beach is spectacular. Wide, clean sand backed by red ochre cliffs and native bush. The word is out though, so get there early or you will be fighting for a park. Do not sit too close to the cliffs. Coastal erosion is causing rockfalls along the whole coastline and Point Addis is no exception. About 25 minutes from the house, past Torquay.
Jan Juc
About 20 minutes from Little George, just past Torquay. It sits between Torquay and Anglesea and gets overlooked by most people heading down the Great Ocean Road, which is part of what makes it good. The beach is patrolled over summer and is usually quieter than Torquay. At the top end of the beach below Bird Rock lookout, there is a jumping rock and rock pool that are worth finding. They are only accessible at low tide, so check the tide times before you go. From there, you can also pick up the coastal trail that runs all the way to Bells Beach, about a 30-minute walk with views the whole way. The surf here is bigger than Torquay with regular rips, so it is better suited to confident swimmers and surfers. Swim between the flags.
A general note on all of these: the coastline here is beautiful but it can be dangerous. Rips are common, cliffs are unstable, and conditions change quickly. Always swim between the flags where they are available, check the tides, and keep well clear of cliff faces.