The Sands Torquay Resort

Where the Great Ocean Road begins, The Sands Torquay rises from the fairways of an 18-hole championship golf course, moments from the surf and steps from the sand. This is the Surf Coast at its most effortless: a premium 112 room resort where floor to ceiling views run clear across the golf course to the dunes, and where state of the art event facilities meet the kind of setting people travel for. Just 90 minutes from Melbourne and 30 from Geelong, yet a world away in feel, The Sands puts the best of the region within easy reach, steps from the pristine sands of Whites Beach, with scenic coastal walking tracks, world famous Bells Beach and the Australian National Surfing Museum all close at hand. Inside, naturally lit event spaces open onto uninterrupted panoramas across the golf course to the rolling dunes beyond. At their largest, Spike and Shirley's combine to host up to 300 guests for a seated conference, gala or dinner, with a generous bar and elegant sheer drapes that dress the room for more formal occasions while the adjoining Verandah carries the celebration outdoors, a flexible patio for breaks, cocktail receptions and alfresco dining. The rooms also divide to suit any program: Shirley's seats up to 200 beneath sweeping course views, Spike welcomes up to 100 around an open fireplace and terrace, ideal for breakouts and trade exhibitions, and the Boardroom hosts up to 20 for committee meetings and smaller sessions. When an event calls for more, an outdoor marquee can be hired to extend proceedings across the grounds. Each space comes equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, AV and comfortable seating to suit groups of any size. The grounds lend themselves to something bigger, too vehicle launches and product reveals, with room to display cars on-site and the Great Ocean Road on the doorstep for ride-and-drive experiences, complemented by the region's boutique wineries and gourmet producers for the perfect offsite finish. When the day winds down, 112 rooms and suites offer a coastal retreat including Urban View and Golf Classic, 14 suites and dog-friendly rooms, each with a private balcony, Smart TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, mineral wellness amenities and a workstation. Beyond the conference floor, guests can play the links-style championship course, swim in the heated 25-metre indoor pool, work out in the gymnasium or take to the tennis courts. And at Sabbia Restaurant & Bar, the day ends as it should, classic Italian plates, hand-stretched woodfired pizzas and shareable dishes served as the light softens over the course.