the oaks, Australia
Also within 20 km of Inverloch
- Inverloch Kite spot · 0.4 km from Inverloch
- Inverloch Surf spot · 0.9 km from Inverloch
- Suicides Surf spot · 5.2 km from Inverloch
- Undertow bay Surf spot · 10 km from Inverloch
- The hub Surf spot · 14.8 km from Inverloch
Watch this spot We email you when the oaks is worth the trip.

About the oaks
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (188°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (8°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 200 m out (1 in 20). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 13°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 19°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually April, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Inverloch, 8.8 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 30 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Melbourne Airport (MEL), changing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
See flights MDW → MEL · Skyscanner from about £855 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 35 from the airport to the oaks.
Accommodation.
Stay in InverlochAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Inverloch (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Wonthaggi 15 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 8 places to stay
Places to stay in Wonthaggi · Booking.com AdInverloch 16 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 27 places to stay · where the oaks stays
Places to stay in Inverloch · Booking.com AdKilcunda 35 min by car · rooms from £90 a night · 4 places to stay
Places to stay in Kilcunda · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Inverloch · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Inverloch · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
the oaks on Google Maps · Directions
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
the oaks does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 19, too small | 2 ft10 shollow | 58kJ | wind from the west, 3 knots | 18°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 56, good | 3 ft11 shollow | 273kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 1 knot | 21°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 69, good | 4 ft11 shollow | 297kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 15 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 51, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 200kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 1 knot | 20°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft12 shollow | 832kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 2 knots | 21°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 39, fair | 6 ft12 shollow | 809kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 18 knots, offshore | 24°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 19, poor | 5 ft11 shollow | 669kJ | wind from the north-west, 15 knots | 21°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 45, fair | 5 ft12 shollow | 523kJ | wind from the south, 6 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 8, poor | 5 ft11 smushy | 613kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 23 knots | 12°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft9 scrumbling | 554kJ | wind from the west, 9 knots | 12°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to MEL, changing at LAX, then 2h 35 by road. About 30h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf the oaks
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf the oaks
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, wind 1 kn (2 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Inverloch
Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 6 ft at 12 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Inverloch
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Suicides
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 5 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to MEL, changing at LAX, then 2h 35 by road. About 30h 25 door to door
The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Inverloch each day: Inverloch, Suicides, the oaks, Undertow bay.
Rough cost
About £1,590–£3,050 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to MEL, estimated from distance and season, changing at LAX, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £855–£1,780 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £240–£395 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £105–£175 |
| Total | £1,590–£3,050 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Inverloch
- Lime and Co Cantina Food vanMexican · 0.1 km from the centre
- Tomo's JapaneseJapanese · 0.1 km from the centre
- Chutney BarIndian · 0.2 km from the centre
- Inverloch Fish and ChipsFish and chips · 0.2 km from the centre
- MK ThaiThai · 0.2 km from the centre
- Gelato Al Mare0.1 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.