A surfer has died after being pulled from the water at a popular Mornington Peninsula beach on Saturday.
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Des Watson, 65, of Armstrong Creek, was competing in a Kneeboard Surfing Victoria event at Gunnamatta beach when he was hit in the head with his board, police said.
He was dragged unconscious from the water near Truemans Road at Fingal shortly before 11am.
Emergency services tried to resuscitate Mr Watson but he died at the scene.
Surfing Victoria spokesman Liam Robertson said the surfing community was shaken by the death.
"We want to pass on our condolences to the family and friends of the surfer who passed away, and to all of the club members who were there," he said.
"It's obviously a pretty tragic time."
Surf Life Saving Australia describes Gunnamatta beach as "very hazardous" due to high waves and strong rips, with an average of 113 rescues a year making it the state's second most dangerous beach.
Peninsula Surfriders Club past president Adam Morris said the beach could be treacherous.
"It opens to very large swells coming straight out of Bass Strait and the unpredictable nature of all the rips and so forth make it very dangerous," he said.
Another local surfer, Kai Leong, said the sandbars moved which made the beach unpredictable.
"The thing about Gunnamatta, it's a sandbar surf beach," he said.
"So, when it's big ... the sandbars move.
"I used to surf a lot and it's hard yakka when you're surfing the sandbars. It can be unpredictable."
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
TONIGHT: A surfer dead after he was struck on the head by his own board on the Mornington Peninsula. @AllanRaskall reports in #9News pic.twitter.com/aghQq3auC1??? Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) May 27, 2017