One dead in drama off Great Ocean Road

A woman has died after being pulled from the water at an unpatrolled beach while an elderly man is fighting for his life after he got into trouble at Frankston Beach as thousands flocked to the seaside for relief from the hot weather.

The 36-year-old woman was one of seven people, including four children, who were swept out to sea shortly after midday when they got caught in a rip at Urquhart Bluff between Anglesea and Aireys Inlet on the Great Ocean Road.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said the woman went into cardiac arrest and paramedics tried to resuscitate her for about an hour before she was airlifted to Geelong Hospital, where she died a short time later.

The six other people who had to be rescued - boys aged eight, nine, 13 and 14 and two women aged 18 and 36 - were also taken to hospital suffering minor injuries and shock.

Greg Scott, of Life Saving Victoria, said Urquhart Bluff was not patrolled and about 20 volunteer lifesavers from nearby Anglesea and Fairhaven beaches helped to rescue the group.

Mr Scott encouraged all beachgoers to swim between the flags at patrolled beaches.

"It can be quite rough," he said.

"We want people to go out there and enjoy the beaches, but we want them to go home safe at the end of the day by swimming between the flags at a patrolled location."

At about 2pm at Frankston, a man in his 70s found himself in difficulties in the water in front of the life saving club.

He went into cardiac arrest before being taken to Frankston Hospital in a critical condition.

At Gunnamatta Beach on the Mornington Peninsula a man in his 60s was washed onto rocks suffering cuts and abrasion and was taken to hospital in a stable condition.