As Victoria's second largest city, Geelong is renowned for its artistic heritage, cultural diversity, internationally-renowned wine making and sporting leadership. In and around Geelong are a variety of historic and country gardens that are especially spectacular in Spring.
Many of the best of the town’s Victorian buildings are on Little Malop Street, including the elegant Geelong Art Gallery (Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat & Sun 1–5pm; $3), which has an extensive collection of paintings by nineteenth-century Australian artists such as Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbin, plus twentieth-century Australian paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. From Malop Street, Moorabool Street leads down to Corio Bay.
Neglected for many years, Geelong’s waterfront has undergone a facelift in recent years, so that the views of shipping traffic and, across the water, of an industrial skyline with hills behind don’t seem quite so drab anymore. The promenades, rotunda and fountains on Eastern Beach were renovated, and new waterfront eating places have emerged, notably the large restaurant complex at the end of new Cunningham Pier which comes into its own at night. Swimming is permitted in a swimming enclosure at Eastern Beach.
On the way to Torquay, Narana Creations, an Aboriginal Arts, Crafts and Cultural Centre at 410 Torquay Rd (Surfcoast Highway) in Grovedale is worth a brief stop. Paintings and various arts and crafts are sold here, a native garden with a lake was added recently, and sometimes visitors can listen to dreamtime stories or didgeridoo playing (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 10am–4pm, free).
The Botanic Gardens are popular with families, as are the recreation areas of Rippleside and Eastern Beach, overlooking Corio Bay.
On the sporting front there are more than 22 golf courses, stadiums for basketball, football and gymnastics, surfing and soccer.
The Australian International Airshow and Aerospace Expo at Avalon draws thousands of people from around the country and the world every two years to see the latest in aerospace technology.
GEELONG'S HINTERLAND
Barunah Plains, west of Geelong, was once the largest sheep station in Victoria and still operates today. Its mansion, outbuildings and refurbished shearers' quarters are there to be enjoyed by visitors.
Along the Barwon River, from Breakwater to Buckley's Falls are wonderful walks. Legendary convict William Buckley escaped from the convict settlement near Sorrento in 1803 and managed to survive by living off the land. He was befriended by local Koories and lived with them for 32 years. He took white settlers to the Buckley's Falls area in the early 1800s to see the scenery.
Practicalities
Places to stay include the Kangaroo Motel, The Esplanade South , which has reasonably priced units in a central location; the Lucas Innkeepers Motor Inn, 9 Aberdeen St, just west of the town centre; the reasonably priced Ardara House B&B, 4 Aberdeen St, and on the other end of the price scale the luxurious air-con All Seasons Ambassador Geelong, corner of Gheringhap and Myers streets, which has a restaurant, bar, bistro, sauna and pool.
If you want to camp, try the City Southside Caravan Park on Barrabool Road, south of the Barwon River at Barwon Valley Park, and the nearby Billabong Caravan Park. For food, there’s plenty of choice, especially along the foreshore where there is the Beach House Restaurant overlooking Eastern Beach, then Fishermans Pier Restaurant at the end of Yarra Street, Sailor’s Rest on Moorabool Street, Bazil’s Café next to Deakin University and Smorgy’s Restaurant on Cunningham Pier. Another concentration of eateries is to be found along Malop and Little Malop streets, with fast-food outlets, cafés and the stylish Cats Bar Café and Restaurant at 90 Little Malop St. A bit further uphill at 51 McKillop St the Geelong Wintergarden in a former church now houses an antique centre, a nursery, shops and a very pleasant café.
To check out what’s going on, pick up a copy of the free listings magazine Forte, available at CD and record shops, sometimes also at the visitor information centre. It covers the whole of southwest Victoria; as well as entertainment it has information on surfing, scuba diving and other activities. There’s a surprisingly healthy local band scene in Geelong; check out Irish Murphy’s, 30 Aberdeen St, the Wool Exchange Hotel, 59 Moorabool St The Barwon Club Hotel at 509 Moorabool St, Lamby’s Bar downstairs at the Wool Museum, and the Scottish Chief’s Tavern & Restaurant at 99 Corio St which has its own microbrewery.
To get to the Bellarine Peninsula, take the Bellarine Transit bus, which departs from the Busport on Brougham Street (next to the Wool Museum) for Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, Point Lonsdale via Queenscliff, St Leonards via Portarlington, and Grovedale via Torquay and Jan Juc.
Events
- The Geelong Summerfest (January) Eastern Beach
- City of Greater Geelong Gift (January) Eastern Beach
- Bay City Dragon Boat Regatta (February)
- National Wool Week Festival (June)
- Geelong Show (October)
- Gala Day (November)
- Hands On Environment Exhibition, National Wool Museum (December)