Get surfing on Australia's south coast

The state of Victoria may be one of Australia's smallest, but when it comes to active holidays the region has just as much to offer as its bigger neighbours.

Home to the Grampians mountain range, the city of Melbourne and hundreds of miles of coastline, as well as many national parks, lakes and vineyards, Victoria is a great place to explore for holidaymakers with a passion for the great outdoors, from forests to beaches.

One activity the state is particularly famous for is surfing, attracting international talent with its annual Rip Curl Pro surfing competition, and beginner surfers keen to catch their first wave with its numerous surfer-friendly beaches.

If you are inspired by the surfing masters on Bells Beach and want to try surfing for yourself one of the best places to head for is Torquay, around 95 kilometres (around 60 miles) south-west of Melbourne.

Considered to be an ideal place for beginners to try surfing, holidaymakers are advised to seek advice from local surf shops or sign up to a beginner course before taking to the water.

Among the surf shops providing lessons in Torquay is the Westcoast Surf School, which has been going for almost 15 years.

Other surfing hotspots for beginners in the area are Anglesea and nearby Fairhaven.

As well as surf schools and lots of surf shops, Torquay has Australia's biggest museum dedicated to the history of the activity, the Surfworld Museum.

And once you have your fill of the crashing waves you can head for the Surf Coast Walk, a 35 kilometre route taking in great views of the ocean, forests, heaths as well as many rare bird species and kangaroos.

There are trains to Geelong every day where holidaymakers can get to Torquay and other surfing beaches by bus. Torquay can also be reached by car using the Surf Coast Highway from Melbourne.

For more information on visiting Victoria's Surf Coast see www.visitsurfcoast.com

For more information on visiting Victoria see www.visitmelbourne.com