Just wondering if anyone has lived and worked in Melbourne and how far it is from the surf? So as far as I know Bells etc are in one direction and Philip Island in the other. Could I expect to get some weekday surfing in or would I be limited to weekends?
Any info atall would be good, how harsh is the winter etc etc........
Cheers,

singleminded here is your man, he lived there for a year or so.

I lived there for a while, beautiful city!! It's by far one of the more cultured cities in OZ. Surf wise, your at least 2 hours from the surf. Mornington would be the closest to the city, you would have probably heard of gunamatta. It gets some serious surf!!!
Philip island and spots further east has good surf but is 2.5 / 3 hours from the city. I found philip island quite crowded.
Then on the SW side of the city, Torquay and Bells are about 2.5 hours away. I would'nt think you'd be able to get any evening surf's in, but the small towns past torquay are perfect for weekends and they've got a nice camping vibe!
The winters are cold enough, definately need a 5mm.
If your surfing around that area you should definately hop across the water to tasmania.. Beautiful spot with awesome surf!! Kinda reminded me of home as well. The west coast is really wild and when the wind isn't blowing a gale it gets huge! Also try the north west area for surf as well as all along the east coast. I also lived on a little island below hobart for a while, beautiful spot with incredible surf... Hobart itself is beautiful and really chilled. Nice hippy vibe especially when the markets are on (saturdays)....

I'm depressing myself want to go back!!

enjoy it buddy!!!

Lived there for over 3.5 years and have just arrived home this christmas!

Just less than 100 kms- Bells and Winki are generally not summer waves due to the swells not being big enough to surf it classically and are 1 hr 20 mins from Melbourne (I have made it in 1hr and 10 but that is not with in the speed limit), east and west of these waves there are more beaches or reefs that are usually smaller than Bells and are also great places to surf. The further past Apollo Bay there you are on the other side of the peninsula and this area catches the swell like Johanna, Port Campbell and Port Fairy.

100 kms- Mornington Peninsula has some of the best beaches you can surf, I can give you names of spots if you decide to stay, it is about 1.5 hrs drive from Melbourne, there are also some really good reefs there but this place is mainly spring, summer and autumn surfing as the winter really messes up the banks but the reefs are still good during the winter but most of your time will be spent down the west coast for winter.

120 kms- Philip Island and further east towards Kilcunda and further has great beaches, reefs and some of the heaviest barrelling waves you will find. This place can also be surfed during winter. Philip Island is a solid 2 hrs drive from Melbourne with a stop off in Cranbourne for Maccers.

Winds during winter are predominately North North West so they suit West Coast surfing, during summer the winds are predominately North East so it suits Mornington and Philip Island with it best to go early in the day due to afternoon onshores but this is not always the case. You will get dawnies in before work and evening surfs in too but have to be willing to get up pretty early and the dawnies are always the best sitting out there in the dark as the day is breaking.

I have worn shorts and a rashie at certain times in the summer due to it being above 40 degrees and during the winter you generally wear a 4/3, you don't need anything bigger as the water doesn't get down below 12 degrees and the air temp is usually there or above. The water doesn't get as hot as Sydney or further North due to be from the south ocean.

More info is also on Wannasurf under Victoria- loads of wave info

All these are really beautiful and accessable areas (with my favourite area being down the Mornington, if you go you will understand why) from the city quite easily but you will need to have a spin or car and be willing not to be able to surf alot during the week, mainly weekend waves unless you have an evening job. You generally don't have issues with localism like you will have in Sydney and with alot less people in the water. As Peanut said, Melbourne is a great place to live, it has cultural diversity and is better than anywhere for socialising, drinking, activity, gigs, clubbing, food etc. Melbourne has been playing a game of swap with Vancouver in winning a number of times the award as the "Best City in the World to Live in" so I will say no more and if you want something to do during the week when you can't get to the surf there is always Kitesurfing in the bay, the wind is mechanical during the summer, come 1 pm the wind is blowing over the bay and perfect for getting a kite or windsurfer out and blasting around the bay which is about 70 kms * 50 kms

If you want anymore detailed info or help with anything, let me know and I can help you out with anything.

Enjoy if you go.

All that and no mention of neighbours, its a disgrace.

hey mpb you......"should be so lucky,lucky,lucky,lucky"





iŽll get my coat

what ultan said + evening surfs are possible in the summer
lived there for 7 months, the hardest decision I ever made was to leave - superb town

ah, the good old days, when Jason Donovan had hair and Kylie was better known for wearing dungarees and working in a garage..

how it going Wooly, I lived there for for nearly 8years before coming home and have to say I loved every minute of it. Ok so the surf isn't at the end street like some places, but the drive to some of the spots are worth it all by themselves.

The key thing to living in melbourne, especially if you want to have a surf after work is to choose where you work and live wisely.

I lived in a suburb called Parkdale, beautiful place right down by the beach. 20min to the city centre roughly but it makes getting to the east coast spots a lot easier. For me, I could get to phillip Island (flynns reef, classic spot)a bit sharky at times in about 90min and to places like Tiber st Sorrentoor pines in shoreham for logging in 60min. Quarantines down in Portsea is worth a look if you can get access to a boat.

If you want a really isolated spot you can head futher east beyond Kilcunda down to Wilson's Prom, Spectacular place to surf but keep an eye on the water.I've caught small sharks here up the inlet, so there defo about down this way.

So yep you can get a surf after work, just dont hang about to chat with the office phone jockeys. Pick where you want to base yourself east or west. You can always camp out at the weekend on the other coast.

I can give you more info if you like, just pm me and I'd be happy to dig out the ol' note books

Nice one lads, lots of positive info there.
Tis only really a seed in the mind at this stage. I've applied for a new visa here in NZ so all going well I'll be here for another year or so.
Probably won't get to Aussie til '09 but a year is not too long as I've found.

Neighbours!?!
My mental picture is more like ''The Secret Life of Us''.
Everyone on the and the with lots of little dramas of the heart!!

I'd love to get me hands on Jason's technicolor jumper

Think Neighbours has lost its touch, can't stop watching Home and Away since I got back, need to get a job quick

Surfer101, few semi secret spots down east especially that one near Kilcunda which I love, don't know if you know the one I am talking about

There's a few down that way that were class, but I always found them a bit fickle(maybe I just never got those waves on their day). That and I really like flynns Reef. Usually if I head further east twas for some fishing and camping at Wilsons prom and lakes entrance.

on their day they are farking awesome, me mates just scored one of them last weekend past Kilcunda and guys were getting 6-7 second barrels, this is a very special place, took sponger there one day and his jaw dropped! Had never seen something more perfect!

The Prom is a very very special place alright and it gets some swell in there too, Squeeky would have been the place I surfed most there

Different generation!, I feel sorry that you were not around for the original neighbours.

Should have been here yesterday....