Three men have drowned off Victoria's beaches, including a father who's believed had been trying to rescue his son from a rip.

Paramedics were first called to a beach at Lorne, on the Great Ocean Road, about 12.30pm (AEDT) on Saturday, where surf lifesavers had pulled a 12-year-old boy and an unconscious man in his fifties from the water.

CPR was performed on the man for some time, but he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene, Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said.

The boy, believed to be the man's son, was taken to hospital in a stable condition, having swallowed water and suffered shock, Mr Mullen said.

At 2.30pm, an ambulance helicopter arrived at a beach in Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula, to treat an unconscious man who had been in the water.

Bystanders had performed CPR and paramedics took over upon arrival, but couldn't revive him and he died at the scene, Ambulance Victoria's Ray Rowe said.

The beach at St George River, southwest of Lorne's main beach, is not patrolled and features a permanent rip flowing out its narrow entrance, according to Life Saving Victoria (LSV).

LSV spokeswoman Jennifer Roberts said 57 beaches were patrolled across the state on Saturday.

She urged people to check signs and survey the risks at any beach before getting in the water, and never to swim alone.

'Every drowning death is a tragic occurrence,' Ms Roberts said.

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Three men drown at Victorian beaches