Southside Beach is a large beach located in the community of Bells Beach, which is just south of the twin towns of Torquay and Jan Juc. The beach is about 33 kilometers south of Geelong, which is Victoria's second largest city (after Melbourne), and the beach is about 110 kilometers southwest of central Melbourne.

Southside Beach is quite a long beach that stretches over 3 kilometers. A headland at the north end of the beach separates it from Bells Beach (i.e., the main beach of the community of the same name), which is a popular textile beach. The south end of Southside is formed by a headland called Point Addis, where there is a popular overlook that provides dramatic panoramic view of the rugged coastline. Southside tends to be sparsely populated since most beachgoers head to nearby Bells Beach. The central area of Southside has been officially designated as clothing optional since 1983. The area lightly shaded in red is a rough approximation of the nude zone. The areas lightly shaded in orange on either side show the rest of Southside.

It is possible to get to the nude area from either end of the beach. If you park in the lot on Jarosite Road, follow the beach access path that begins on the right side of the lot (as you face the ocean) and gradually descends the bluff, then turn to the right when you reach the beach and walk about one kilometer to reach the nude area. If you park in the lot on Point Addis Road, follow the path that begins at the small observation deck near the end of the road. This path also descends the bluff, and there are stairs at the end of the path for the final descent to beach level. Turn left at the base of the stairs and walk about 1.5 kilometers to reach the nude area. The limits of the nude area are sometimes signed, but the signs are frequently removed or vandalized.

From Southside Beach, it is a 20-minute drive to Point Impossible Beach, another legally designated nude beach on the other end of Torquay. Of the two beaches, Point Impossible is far more popular, and access is much quicker from the nearest parking compared to Southside.

more info from Free Beaches Australia (scroll down to Southside Beach)

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GPS: -38.3795, 144.2673

town, state, country
  Bells Beach (near Torquay), Victoria, Australia

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