Geelong travel guide

Geelong, Australia

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Geelong

Introduction

Geelong is a port city in Victoria, Australia, set at the western end of Corio Bay on the left bank of the Barwon River, roughly 75 km southwest of Melbourne. It serves as the administrative centre for the City of Greater Geelong, Port Phillip's only regional metropolitan area.

The municipality takes in the urban, rural and coastal reserves around the city, including the whole of the Bellarine Peninsula. Its reach runs from the plains of Lara in the north to the rolling hills of Waurn Ponds in the south, with Corio Bay to the east and the Barrabool Hills to the west.

Before you go

Geelong works well as a base for a few days rather than a quick stop. It sits close to the Great Ocean Road, including Torquay and the Twelve Apostles, and has good transport links to Melbourne, so you can pair a city stay with day trips along the coast or into the state's capital.

There is plenty to fill your time in town itself, from nearby wineries to an antique carousel on the waterfront, and the beach if you feel like swimming. If you want to dig into Australian history, the National Wool Museum is worth building into your plans. Before you arrive, it helps to know the visitor information services: the Geelong and Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Office on Princess Hwy at Little River, and the Geelong Visitor Information Centre at 26 Moorabool St on the corner of Brougham St. Both are open daily, and the official Visit Geelong & the Bellarine website is another useful starting point for planning.

Getting there

Geelong is served by Avalon Airport, which handles domestic flights to Sydney, the Gold Coast and Adelaide, plus twice-daily flights to Kuala Lumpur with connections across Asia. It sits about 20 minutes by road from the city centre along the Princes Freeway, and the Avalon City Express shuttle meets every Jetstar flight, running to Geelong and South Geelong railway stations. Melbourne Airport is another option: allow about 1 hour 15 minutes by road via the Western Ring Road and Princes Freeway, or take a pre-booked Gull Airport Service shuttle, or the SkyBus to Southern Cross Station and an onward train.

Trains on the Geelong Line run at a near-suburban frequency from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station, taking about an hour and stopping at Corio, North Shore, North Geelong, Geelong, South Geelong, Marshall and Waurn Ponds; all stop at the grand Geelong Station, a five-minute walk from the centre. Long-distance Warrnambool Line trains also call here, linking inland towns such as Colac and Camperdown, and North Shore station hosts a stop for the twice-weekly Overland between Melbourne and Adelaide. By road, the Princes Freeway connects the city east to Melbourne and west towards Colac, Warrnambool and Adelaide, while the Midland Highway runs to Ballarat and Bendigo. Ferries cross the bay between Queenscliff and Sorrento, and Port Phillip Ferries runs passenger services from Geelong to Portarlington and Melbourne's Docklands, including sailings from the waterfront timed around Geelong Cats away games. McHarry's Buslines connect Geelong with Queenscliff and other Bellarine Peninsula towns, and V/Line coaches run to Apollo Bay via Lorne and to Ballarat.

Getting around

Geelong's compact centre is easy to explore on foot, and Geelong Station sits only a short walk from the heart of the CBD, with the waterfront close by as well. For anything beyond the centre, a single myki smartcard covers both trains and buses, and the entire urban area falls within one fare region, so you won't be caught out by zone charges when switching between modes. The rail line runs frequently enough, with several stations spread from the northern suburbs through to the south, that you can use it for trips within the city rather than just to arrive. Plenty of areas aren't within walking distance of a station, though, so a bus connection may be needed; timetables are designed to connect with trains to limit waiting times. Buses are run by two operators, McHarry's and CDC Geelong, with most routes terminating at the main station and the central interchange on Moorabool Street in the CBD. Some northern suburbs have their own routes that interchange at Corio Central Shopping Centre or at North Shore or Lara railway stations instead of running into the CBD.

For door-to-door trips, two traditional taxi companies serve the city, and because the industry is regulated they charge identical fares and offer a similar standard of service; you can hail one on the street, pick one up from a rank by major shopping centres and train stations, or book by phone or app. Uber and DiDi both operate as well, with drivers often working for both platforms — Uber uses surge pricing while DiDi does not, so it's worth checking both apps to compare wait times and fares. If you want to cycle, bike hire is available on the waterfront during afternoons on weekends and school holidays, with no reservations taken, and longer-term rentals are available from Future Rentals; these are the main rental options in the city. Driving is another option: traffic is generally light, parking outside the city centre and waterfront is free, and the Geelong Ring Road runs along the western edge from Corio in the north to Waurn Ponds in the south — useful for crossing the city, though local roads are quicker for shorter distances or the eastern suburbs.

Where to stay

Geelong's accommodation is concentrated in and around the central city, with a handful of options in the surrounding streets. The National Hotel sits on Moorabool Street in central Geelong, while Irish Murphy's Backpackers on Aberdeen Street offers budget beds. Also on Aberdeen Street in Newtown, the Aberdeen Motor Inn is a well-established motel with 36 rooms, about a ten-minute walk from the CBD.

For something more personal, the Gate House On Ryrie is a bed and breakfast in a beautiful home built in 1897, on the corner of Ryrie and Yarra streets. A traditional continental breakfast is included in the price, with a selection of fruit, yoghurt, cereals and breads with all the condiments, juices, tea and coffee.

Food & drink

Geelong's eating options cluster around the waterfront and the city centre. On Moorabool Street, a multi-level restaurant looks out over the water, with indoor dining across several floors, a rooftop garden, an outdoor beer garden and a deck at the front; it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. On McKillop Street you'll find a classic pub with a bar, restaurant and beer garden, known for its Wednesday steak night, which draws a local crowd.

What to see and do

Start at the Geelong Waterfront, a working maritime area that folds together cafes, a carousel and botanical gardens. The Geelong Botanical Gardens sit within it, with a Tea House Cafe on site. Nearby, the National Wool Museum occupies a corner of Moorabool and Brougham streets and includes a tourist information office, while the Geelong Maritime Museum covers the city's seafaring history. The Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, known as The Dome, is an architecturally distinctive public library with balcony access during daylight hours when the weather allows, plus a well-regarded cafe. In the cultural precinct on Little Malop Street you'll also find the Geelong Performing Arts Centre, which stages local and international performances.

For a wider view, head out to the You Yangs Regional Park at Little River, where four main walks cross the park. The 3.2-km climb to Flinders Peak rewards you with expansive views, and the Branding Yard Track is the longest of the routes. Down on the coast, Barwon Heads is the setting of the television series "Seachange", with a safe estuary beach for children and rugged ocean beaches such as 13th Beach for the more intrepid. The lower Barwon River Estuary meets Bass Strait here, and the estuary together with the Lake Connewarre wetlands forms a wetland of international significance for migratory and resident shorebirds. The calcarenite Barwon Bluff, also called Mt Colite, has been an important place for local Indigenous Victorians for thousands of years and a beacon for navigators entering Port Phillip Bay. Beneath it lies the Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, protecting intertidal reefs, kelp forests and the reef fish and invertebrates they support; fishing is not permitted. In town, catch an Aussie rules match at Kardinia Park on Moorabool Street, home of the Geelong Cats, or a local league game on a Saturday afternoon at one of the grounds around Geelong. Cyclists can pick up the Bellarine Rail Trail near South Geelong Station for the ride to Queenscliff, and in odd years the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport brings military and civilian aircraft from around the world.

When to go

Geelong has a temperate oceanic climate, so you can expect mild to warm summers and cool winters, with rainfall that is light and moderate year-round — the city is among Australia's driest. Summer is the warmest stretch, with February the hottest month; conditions feel relatively dry for visitors, though light rain still falls at times and heat waves can push temperatures to extremes. Winter brings cooler weather, with July the coldest month. Rain tends to fall lightly and cloud cover is variable, so winter days are often grey rather than stormy.

Three days in Geelong

Day one: Start in central Geelong, where the National Wool Museum and the Geelong Visitor Information Centre on Moorabool St give you your bearings. Wander between Brougham St and the waterfront on Corio Bay, then follow the Barwon River as it winds through the city. If you have time before dark, the drive south toward Torquay and the start of the Great Ocean Road makes an easy introduction to the region.

Day two: Head for the Bellarine Peninsula, the arm of land that separates Corio Bay from Port Phillip. Its towns and coastline reward a slow day of driving and stopping. On your way back, you can loop through Lara or Waurn Ponds, or take in the Barrabool Hills inland from the city.

Day three: Commit the full day to the Great Ocean Road. Pick it up via the Princess Hwy past Little River, stop at the Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Office, and continue toward Torquay and the Twelve Apostles. If your schedule allows, return through Geelong rather than pushing on to Melbourne, so you end your trip in Greater Geelong.

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