Popular Vic beach closed on shark sighting

A popular Victorian beach on the Great Ocean Road has been closed after a man reported fighting off a shark "heading straight for him" just offshore.

Robert Frostland told the Herald Sun he saw the 3.5m shark thrashing in the water at Lorne beach at about 4pm on Friday before it came at him "six or seven times" and he punched it in the nose.

Swimmers are being warned to stay out of the water from Wye River to Fairhaven and two kilometres off shore, with an advice message issued for Big Hill, Eastern View, Fairhaven, Lorne, Moggs Creek, Separation Creek, Wye River.