Surfworld Museum is a must for all devotees of the genre and those who puzzle over what drives surfers to be so addicted to their pastime. Located in the Surf City Plaza of Australia’s surfing capital, Torquay, it can claim to be the largest surfing and beach culture museum in the world.
It is packed with interactive videos, surf memorabilia, photographs and biographies of surfing pioneers, and is definitely a hands-on experience for all ages.
The wave tank shows just how waves are formed and why they “break”, plus there is a skill testing element involved. Visitors are given the opportunity to “surf” a ball to the other end on the mechanical wave.
Of course the world-famous Bells Beach, just a few minutes from Torquay, features prominently. A detailed scale model reveals the secrets of one of the world’s greatest breaks. Bells is named after “Ma” Bell who owned the farm behind the beach. Surfworld features a complete history of Bells, the site of the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest running surf competition.
Surfworld has interactive videos throughout the exhibition. Check out surf fashion and music clips of the 1960s and 1970s. And you can watch some all-time classic surf movies, or learn more about our surf history in the Surfworld Theatre.
Another hands-on exhibit is the paddling machine. You can investigate the changing fashions in surfboards and how technology has brought about a revolution in size and weight. Compare short boards of today, weighing around 1kg, against heavyweight malibus.
Surfworld is situated in Beach Road, Torquay. It is open 9am-5pm, 7 days a week.