Great Ocean Road hosts surf festival on 7 November

Great Ocean Road hosts the Great Ocean Road Women’s Surf Festival in Lorne from 7 to 8 November 2026, bringing surfing, films and workshops to the Victorian coast. The route begins in Torquay, Australia, and the festival is held on Gadubanud Country.

Women’s surf festival returns to Lorne in November

Surfing Victoria’s programme places the festival across Lorne and the Lorne Foreshore. The weekend includes surf competitions for different ages and abilities, tag-team events, workshops, yoga, a Swell Market and sessions about surf equipment and etiquette.

The event begins with Welcome Drinks at Mantra Lorne and a film evening at the Mantra Heritage Ballroom. The listed films include Surf Sisters, Home and Great Ocean Love, which focuses on women who surf along the coast. The festival programme also lists activities at the Torquay Dental Surfers Hub, linking the two coastal towns through the event.

How the festival fits the coastal road

The festival uses Lorne as its main setting while drawing its name and subject from the wider coastal route. That connection is reflected in Great Ocean Love and in the programme’s focus on the ocean, local surfing and the landscape between Torquay and Lorne.

The Great Ocean Road runs through a managed network of coast and parks rather than a single attraction. The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority says it manages approximately 170,000 hectares of parks and coastal reserves, including 355 kilometres of coastline from Point Impossible to the Hopkins River. Its responsibilities include visitor experiences, conservation, emergency management and coastal infrastructure. The authority’s overview places Lorne within this broader managed coastal setting.

Surfing, films and workshops share one weekend

The 2026 programme is broader than a competition alone. Surfing Victoria lists beginner surf lessons, intermediate coaching, a World Surf League tour panel, surf forecasting and a session on board and fin design.

Several items are designed for people who are not entering a heat. Visitors can attend the film programme, browse the Swell Market, join discussions about confidence and communication in the water, or take part in beach-based activities. The schedule also includes accessible parking, accessible toilets and accessible paths around the main event area.

Visiting Great Ocean Road: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Great Ocean Road Women’s Surf Festival takes place on 7 and 8 November 2026 in Lorne, with programme activity at the Lorne Foreshore and other named local venues.
• The festival combines public coastal activities with registered surf sessions and competitions, so access depends on the particular programme item.
• Torquay marks the eastern starting point of the route, while Lorne is the principal festival setting; the Surf Coast Highway provides the road approach from Geelong.
• The event is based around beaches and the foreshore, so visitors should expect sand, uneven coastal ground and exposure to changing seaside conditions.

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Frequently asked questions about Great Ocean Road

When does the Great Ocean Road Women’s Surf Festival take place?

The festival takes place in Lorne on 7 and 8 November 2026.

Where is the festival held along Great Ocean Road?

The principal setting is Lorne, with activities at the Lorne Foreshore, Mantra Lorne and the Torquay Dental Surfers Hub.

What is Great Ocean Road?

It is a coastal route beginning in Torquay and extending through Victoria’s coast and parks, which are managed in part by the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority.