- Wind: W–SW
- Season: November to April
- Water: Surf zone with occasional flatwater lagoon (river mouth dependent)
- Skill: Advanced (exposed, remote, shifting conditions)
- Ideal Tide: Mid (watch river mouth and lagoon state)
- Launch Space: Wide, firm sand beach — plenty of room
- Hazards: Rips near river mouth, remote access, cold water, changing sandbars
Victoria – Ocean Beach – Nelson
Welcome to Ocean Beach — Victoria’s last wild run before the South Australian line. A long, open stretch backed by dunes and scrub, this place is all about space, wind, and that Southern Ocean edge.
On a solid W to SW wind, it switches on. The beach curves just enough to give you long tacks and clean, cross-onshore power. It’s fully exposed, raw, and consistent when the charts line up. You’ll often have the whole thing to yourself.
When the Glenelg River mouth is sanded in, the setup levels up. A flatwater lagoon forms behind the beach, giving you a rare combo of butter inside, surf out the back. You can ride flat, boost, and roll straight into waves — all in one spot. When it’s open again, expect shifting bars and rips near the mouth.
The beach itself is firm and fine-grained, easy underfoot and plenty wide for rigging. Booties are still worth packing — not for sharp terrain, but for the cold and unexpected reef patches down the line.
Right behind the dunes lies Oxbow Lake — not tucked away inland but part of the same coastal system. Linked by Eel Creek, it hugs the back of the foredune and sits quietly behind the energy of the beach. Not really suitable for kiting due to gustiness, but worth wandering if you're camping or waiting on wind.