Urquhart Bluff

Urquhart Bluff is a long sandy beach just east of Aireys Inlet, with surf breaking beneath a scrub-covered, red-ochre bluff. The shore runs for about five kilometres northeast; the southern end beside the beach car park is the main surf area. It’s a good stop for a beach walk, and a better one if you like exploring the coast at a slower pace. Follow the signed beach access from Great Ocean Road: the beach car park is separate from the lookout turnout.

Low tide exposes rock shelves, reefs and pools along the shore, giving you more to look at than sand and surf. The southern break is described as steep and more suited to experienced surfers, so don’t assume the water will be gentle just because the beach looks inviting.

The longer coastal walk follows rock shelves below bright clay cliffs, passes coves and pools, then climbs into clifftop heathland with views toward Split Point Lighthouse. It’s a more rugged outing than a flat beach stroll: some sections involve scrambling, and boots may get wet.

The bluff’s red and ochre sediment layers stand out against the pale sand and water. From the separate lookout above the beach, you get the broad sweep of the shoreline; down at low tide, the rock shelves and pools make a closer foreground.