About Great Ocean

You are fasterthan you think

An Australian open water and triathlon wetsuit brand, born on the Surf Coast and built in Melbourne.

Great Ocean Performance

Who we are

Nestled in Melbourne, Australia, with deep roots on the Victorian Surf Coast, Great Ocean Performance, known as Great Ocean, is an Australian open water and triathlon wetsuit brand.

Great Ocean combines the best of innovation and performance across the swimming and triathlon industries to empower athletes of all abilities to achieve their personal goals.

Our values

What we stand for

01
Race Premium is the absence of the unnecessary
We value simplicity and steer clear of complexity. We focus on the fundamental elements necessary for performance, prioritising quality and functionality, while disregarding the unnecessary.
02
We don't just focus on the products; we focus on the results
Our commitment to you extends beyond the point of purchase. We join you on your athletic journey so that you can make the most out of your swimming experience, whether it's for pleasure or performance.

Our story

The story behind the brand

Here's the story behind the brand. Not the glossy marketing version, but the real one. Of course, we've been told we can't escape a little marketing spin, so bear with us.

012023

Two full-time jobs and a big idea

In 2023, Sam and Hamish, both working full-time jobs, decided to start a triathlon and open water swimming wetsuit brand. They didn't have a roadmap, and in many ways they were naïve about the scale of the challenge. What they did have was over 20 years of racing experience in wetsuits of every brand, and a ridiculous amount of energy and passion to create something better, designed by athletes, for athletes, right here in Australia.

Of course, doubt crept in. Sam wondered: what if this whole thing flopped? What if all the time and money went down the drain? A mate gave him a reality check: losing money wasn't the real risk. The absolute nightmare would be making sub-par wetsuits, selling them, and then having to face the triathlon and open water community wearing their own mistakes, and never being able to show their faces in the community again.

That was the spark that lit the fire. If they were going to do this, it had to be done properly. Every stitch, every seam, every panel had to deliver on its promise.

02No one hiding

They are the brand

Neither Sam nor Hamish hides behind the brand. They are the brand. They design, test and stand by every wetsuit and item sold with their branding on it. They're accountable for the performance of each product, because they know that when you invest in good gear, you expect it to perform.

Don't like socials? Neither do they. But they'll always answer the call of any athlete or swimmer who wants to talk gear, training or racing.

03The turning point

Learning from a legend

So how do two "new kids on the block" build world-class wetsuits straight out of the gate? By leaning on their network. They brought on Aidan Clarke, a legend in the industry with 30 years of experience, and founder and designer for some of the biggest wetsuit brands in the world.

Aidan didn't just lend his technical expertise. He gave Sam and Hamish the guidance to focus their passion, avoid the big mistakes and learn from the small ones. That was the turning point.

04The name

From the Great Ocean Road

The brand became Great Ocean Wetsuits, named after the iconic Great Ocean Road. For Sam, who grew up in Torquay, the birthplace of Rip Curl and Quiksilver, the connection ran even deeper. The Surf Coast was once the cutting edge of wetsuit innovation for surfing. Now, the goal is to bring that spirit into swimming and triathlon.

052025

Great Ocean Performance

By 2025, the brand evolved into Great Ocean Performance, with the vision of going beyond wetsuits and offering the full range of gear and tools swimmers and triathletes need to chase their goals.

Like athletes guided by their coaches, Sam and Hamish are guided by their customers. Every piece of feedback, from weekend warriors to elite racers, fuels the next round of refinement. The aim is never "good enough". It's how can we make it better and more suited to each athlete's goals.

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