About the Shire

Welcome to the Surf Coast Shire 

The Surf Coast Shire is located in southwestern Victoria, 1 hour from Melbourne, 20 minutes south of Geelong and the official start of the iconic Great Ocean Road.

It is home to eleven distinct townships; Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Bellbrae, Deans Marsh, Fairhaven, Jan Juc, Lorne, Moriac, Freshwater Creek, Torquay and Winchelsea.

Each of these townships has a keen sense of community, a unique identity and a strong desire to protect and nurture the environment.

The Surf Coast is a major lifestyle and visitor destination that is among the fastest growing regional municipalities in Victoria and has undergone significant change over the past 15 years.

The secret to the Surf Coast's prosperity is lifestyle and connection to our beautiful, natural environment. 

The Surf Coast Shire Council provides a public summary of data on the economy, population and forecast growth. This information is made available in partnership with REMplan, who are specialists in providing area-specific data. Each link opens a new page with access to a customisable data portal. Select and filter the data you want by local area or category. All data can easily be downloaded for use in a document. 

Find out more about the economy, population, tourism and events in the Surf Coast by clicking on a link below.