Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Visit Victoria and Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine.
A stretch of western coastline dotted with busy surf towns, laid-back hideaways and produce to spare. In partnership with Visit Victoria, we highlight where to eat, drink and stay around Geelong and The Bellarine.
A little over an hour’s drive from Melbourne lies Geelong, Victoria’s second-largest city and a neighbour to the Bellarine Peninsula. Once a town that turned its back on a prime waterfront location to make way for industrialisation, Geelong has since become a burgeoning food, art, drink – and now waterfront – destination for locals and visitors alike.
The Ford Motor Company was established here in 1925, and the city’s fortunes rose and fell with those of the automotive giant until its closure in 2016. By then Melbourne’s small bar legislation of 1994 had kicked off a wave of urban renewal, and along with Geelong’s (relatively) affordable real estate, a influx of new cafes, restaurants and bars began reshaping the town. Aaron Turner’s Igni proved you don’t need to be a Melbourne laneway location to make waves internationally, and today Little Malop Street and surrounds are leading a new charge.
All this makes Geelong an ideal spot from which to launch a full-scale assault on the dishes, produce, distilleries and markets of the Bellarine Peninsula. Taking in the coastal towns of Portarlington, St Leonards, Queenscliff, Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, it’s a laid-back stretch of boutique accommodation, surf spots, cool-climate wineries and acres of farmland.
With so much ground to cover, no one guide can showcase everything the region has to offer. So here’s a selection of some spots worth starting with.
Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Visit Victoria and Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine.
Learn more about partner content on Broadsheet.Welcome to Geelong and The Bellarine
EAT
From cafes in shipping containers, to rustic restaurants overlooking wineries and slick international fusions, no taste is left unaccounted for.
DRINK
With gin distilleries, cool-climate wineries and convivial breweries to explore, your esky won’t leave empty.
DO
Art galleries, vintage shopping, retro train rides and waterside walks abound.
STAY
Bed down at a boutique hotel or venture further afield for incredible views
Itinerary
A Geelong Day Out
Start your excursion with a treasure hunt of vintage knick-knacks, grab a coffee and walk along the waterfront, then wrap it up with woodfired pizza and wine at a rustic cellar door.
Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Visit Victoria and Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine.
