Geelong is a city on the move. Signs of change are everywhere, from the stunning waterfront and urban precinct to the craft breweries and hole-in-the-wall cafes that have reclaimed and reshaped the city’s old industrial landscape.
Situated on the western shore of Port Phillip Bay, roughly 75 km south-west of Melbourne, Geelong is the state’s second-largest city and the administrative seat of the City of Greater Geelong — an easy one-hour drive or 1.5-hour ferry via Port Phillip Ferries from the city centre.
A thriving arts and culture scene, a revitalised waterfront, world-class regional food and wine, and the Bellarine Peninsula on its doorstep combine to make Geelong one of Victoria’s most rewarding destinations.
Begin your trip the right way with Elite Taxis, Melbourne’s trusted choice for transport to and from Geelong providing a safe, comfortable, prompt premium car service, so you can relax and focus on your journey. Book your Geelong luxury taxi ride today for a smooth, stress-free travel experience.
History
The area was first surveyed by European settlers in 1838, and during the 1850s Victorian gold rush, Geelong experienced a brief boom as the main port to the goldfields of central Victoria. The town then diversified into manufacturing, and during the 1860s became one of the largest manufacturing centres in Australia, with wool mills, ropeworks and paper mills shaping its economy.
Victoria's Gateway City
Geelong
Points of Interest
Things To Do
Eastern Beach Reserve & Waterfront
A stroll along the Geelong waterfront takes in public artworks, landscaped gardens, ice-cream parlours and eateries, with the art deco-style pool and promenade complex at Eastern Beach a highlight.
The whimsical Baywalk Bollards chronicle characters from the city’s past and present — 1930s lifesavers, traditional Aussie families and jaunty sailors — alongside the iconic Shark Fins and Cargo Boxes sculptures.
The historic 1892 Carousel, beautifully restored in a purpose-built pavilion, has delighted visitors for well over a century, and Cunningham Pier extends into the bay offering fine dining and sweeping water views.
National Crime & Justice Museum (Geelong Gaol)
The Geelong Gaol Museum is housed in the 170-year-old Geelong Gaol, the third oldest prison in Victoria, opening in 1853 and closing in 1991. Over its history it has been used as an industrial school for young girls, a hospital gaol and a military detention barracks.
Today it offers daytime history tours through cells, a gallows exhibit and displays on colonial punishment, as well as hugely popular evening ghost tours and Friday night paranormal investigations. Open daily from noon.
Geelong Botanic Gardens
Eastern Hill, on the edge of Corio Bay, was set aside in 1851 as the location for Geelong’s botanic garden, on land the Wadawurrung people had cared for over 60,000 years.
Australia’s fourth-oldest botanic garden, it sits within Eastern Park and welcomes visitors through heritage wrought-iron gates into a lush environment that blends historic plantings, heritage trees and modern garden design.
A recently added 21st Century Garden showcases plants from arid climates, and a ginkgo tree planted in 1859 still stands. Entry is free, with a café on site.
National Wool Museum
Here the story of wool is brought to life — told by those who lived it and through the sights and sounds of heritage machines weaving carpets and knitting socks, with the smell of lanolin filling the air and fresh fleece beckoning your touch, in the authentic surrounds of the shearing shed.
Housed in a magnificent 1872 bluestone woolstore on the edge of the city centre, the museum traces Australia’s deep connection to the wool industry through interactive displays, oral histories and working machinery. Open daily.
Geelong Gallery
Art lovers will enjoy the outstanding collection of Australian paintings, sculpture and decorative arts at the Geelong Gallery, including Frederick McCubbin’s A Bush Burial from 1890.
One of the finest regional public galleries in Australia, its permanent collection spans more than 6,000 works and the gallery hosts a rolling programme of national touring exhibitions including the annual Archibald Prize. Entry to the permanent collection is free, and the adjacent café overlooks a leafy public garden.
Geelong Arts Centre
The brand-new $140 million Geelong Arts Centre — opened to considerable fanfare and four years in the making — sits at the heart of the CBD adjacent to the Geelong Gallery. The highly anticipated new centre features multiple performance spaces for theatre, music and dance, as well as workshop and studio spaces.
It anchors what is rapidly becoming one of regional Victoria’s most vibrant cultural precincts, with Little Malop Street offering a growing collection of restaurants, bars and creative businesses.
GMHBA Stadium & Geelong Sports Museum
Home of the Geelong Cats AFL club and widely regarded as one of Australia’s most atmospheric regional sporting venues, GMHBA Stadium at Kardinia Park is a landmark of the city’s south. The Geelong Sports Museum inside the stadium tells the story of sport in the Geelong region, whether you’re a sports fan or a history buff.
Stadium tours are available on non-match days, and the ground also hosts cricket, concerts and community events throughout the year.
The Bellarine Railway
A short drive from Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula’s volunteer-operated heritage railway runs steam and diesel trains between the historic port town of Queenscliff and Drysdale. The Bellarine Railway offers steam and diesel train rides and experiences that are a uniquely nostalgic way to explore the peninsula’s coastal landscape.
Trains typically run on Sundays and during school holidays — check ahead for special event runs including the popular Polar Express in December.
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