After days of coastal villages and clifftop car parks, Geelong is a different change of pace. It was the first proper city I had seen since Adelaide, an hour or so short of Melbourne at the end of my west to east Great Ocean Road drive. If you are making the same journey, Geelong is a natural place for a final stop, a leg stretch and a good lunch before the motorway finish.
This is a stop-off guide rather than a full city guide; a couple of hours spent along Geelong’s waterfront. However, I do admit there is plenty more to see in Geelong, and I have also covered that.
Park on the Geelong waterfront, walk the boulevard and Cunningham Pier, hunt the famous painted bollards, and have lunch by the water before the final drive into Melbourne – 2+ hours well spent.
Geelong sits on Corio Bay between the end of the Great Ocean Road and Melbourne, and coming from the west it is the proper urban centre you reach after leaving the coast road at the Memorial Arch. From Geelong, Melbourne is around an hour up the motorway, which makes Geelong the last sensible stop of the whole Adelaide to Melbourne drive.
Geelong became Australia’s UNESCO City of Design in 2017 by building on its wool and manufacturing heritage, turning former industrial spaces into places for education, art and creative businesses. That transformation helps explain why the city makes such an interesting stopover today.
Its story begins on Wadawurrung Country, lived on for tens of thousands of years and known as Djilang, the tongue of land. The name captures Geelong’s setting; a hook of country between the Barwon River and the bay. European settlement arrived fast and hard from the mid-1830s. The town was gazetted in 1838, and the Wadawurrung were dispossessed of the pastoral country that would make Geelong rich.
What made it rich was wool. Geelong became the port for the Western District, calling itself the Pivot City because its harbour and railways connected the wool country to the world. The bluestone stores that held the bales still shape the streetscape you walk today, including the 1872 woolstore that now houses the National Wool Museum.
Then, Ford arrived in 1925, the Australian ute was designed here in 1934, and by the middle of the century Geelong was an industrial, working-class city that Melbourne nicknamed Sleepy Hollow.
As manufacturing declined, the city began finding new uses for its industrial buildings. Woolstores became campuses and galleries, Federal Mills was reborn as studios and places to eat, and the working waterfront became public space. Even the bollards you will hunt shortly began as carved pylons from demolished piers. Geelong’s design identity is visible in those details – a city that kept its buildings and changed what it makes.
Geelong is worth a day trip from Melbourne for its swimmable waterfront, easy access to the Bellarine’s wineries and mussel farms, and proximity to the Surf Coast and Great Ocean Road. Around 75 minutes away by car or about an hour by train, it’s close enough for a half-day visit.
There’s also the appeal of a city that feels less performed than inner Melbourne, with a working history still visible behind the waterfront’s newer additions. For you, arriving from the west, the attraction works in reverse; you’re finishing the coastal drive Melburnians come here to start, one more small pleasure of doing this trip in the quiet direction.
Geelong’s waterfront has enough for a quick wander or a longer stop. You can walk along Cunningham Pier, spot the painted bollards, pause for coffee or head to Eastern Beach for a swim in the enclosed sea baths. Families can add the restored carousel, waterfront train and playground near the pier.
It was built for exactly the stop I needed — I parked along the water, then simply walked. The boulevard follows the bay, Cunningham Pier stretches out into it, and the strip is lined with green space, cafés and people doing very little at a very pleasant pace. After days of wild coastline, a groomed city waterfront is a surprisingly welcome change of pace.
If you’ve only got 45 minutes, there’s time for a walk along the pier, a few of the painted bollards and a coffee. Personally, I’d recommend a couple of hours if you fancy a swim at Eastern Beach, where the enclosed sea baths and restored art deco buildings are worth the walk even if you stay dry. There’s a little waterfront train running towards the beach, too, if the children have had enough walking. Behind Eastern Beach, the ground rises towards the Botanic Gardens, with views back across the bay.
I hadn’t realised the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race was on until I reached the waterfront. The Elite Men’s finish line and event site occupied the parkland further east, so that was as far as my walk went. It’s worth checking what’s on before you arrive, particularly around late January and early February. You might want to stay and watch, or plan your walk around the road closures.
Other events to look out for include:
Festival of Sails: Each January around the Australia Day long weekend, filling the bay with racing yachts.
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race: Late January into early February, and the one that rearranged my own visit.
IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong: Each March, closing stretches of the waterfront to traffic and opening them to lycra.
Geelong Revival Motoring Festival: Late November, classic cars and speed trials by the water.
The Christmas programme: Each December, headlined by the city's floating Christmas tree in the bay.
Makers and Growers Market: Roughly monthly on the waterfront, so there is a fair chance it is simply on when you pass.
Victorian Wooden Boat Festival: Every other year rather than annual, with wooden boat content sometimes folding into the Festival of Sails in the off years.
Geelong’s Baywalk Bollards stand along the waterfront between Rippleside Park and Limeburners Point, with plenty to see around Eastern Beach and the central waterfront if you’re only stopping briefly. There are more than a hundred painted figures across roughly 48 sites, all beside the foreshore path.
I’d been calling them “pin statue dolls” before I found out their proper name. Made from timber salvaged from demolished piers, they were painted by artist Jan Mitchell to depict people from Geelong’s history — sailors, lifesavers, bathing beauties and bandsmen, among others. Some stand alone; others gather in little groups. Once you’ve noticed a few, you start looking ahead for the next ones. They also give children something to look for after a long spell in the car.
How far you walk depends on how much time you have:
Explore the central waterfront around the carousel, Steampacket Gardens and Cunningham Pier. You’ll pass plenty of bollards without straying far from the cafés and other waterfront sights, and you can turn back whenever you’ve had enough.
The route runs between Limeburners Point and Rippleside Park, passing Eastern Beach and the central waterfront. The numbering starts with the Limeburner at site one, but you can walk from either end. Remember to allow time to get back – it isn’t a circular route.
You don’t need a map to spot them, but one helps if you want to know who you’re looking at. The City of Greater Geelong’s Baywalk Bollard Trail map lists the numbered sites, while the council’s arts and culture trails app includes photographs and the stories behind the figures.
For a paper copy, try the visitor information kiosk on Eastern Beach Road or City Hall. There’s also a book about the bollards sold at the waterfront carousel, if you find yourself getting attached to them.
Sailors’ Rest is my recommendation for lunch on Geelong’s waterfront: I ate well there, and the staff took my nut allergy seriously. There are plenty of other places along the water, whether you fancy fish and chips, a long lunch overlooking the bay or dinner on the pier.
As someone with a severe nut allergy, I appreciated being able to ask questions and get clear, confident answers. That was my experience on the day, so speak to the kitchen about your own requirements before ordering. Sailors’ Rest has three levels, including a rooftop overlooking the carousel, Cunningham Pier and the bay.
I only had time for one meal in Geelong, so I haven’t eaten at the other places below. If you’re staying longer, these are a few options to look into:
For a special dinner: Fishermen’s Pier serves seafood in its distinctive boat-shaped building on the marina. The rooftop at Sailors’ Rest is another option if you want to make an evening of it. Book ahead for a weekend visit.
For a casual waterfront meal: Edge Geelong has a large deck overlooking Corio Bay, while Wharf Shed sits beside the carousel. Further along, Pavilion at Eastern Beach overlooks the sea baths, and Tempo Kitchen and Bar is another nearby option.
For fish and chips: The Geelong Boat House occupies a converted barge on the western foreshore. Eat on deck or take your food with you along the waterfront.
For a meal out on the pier: Wah Wah Gee sits at the far end of Cunningham Pier, with the bay around you.
For pizza or pasta: Try Franca’s Ristorante or Justin Lane, on or close to the waterfront strip.
If the waterfront is busy, walk a few blocks inland to Little Malop Street, where there are more restaurants and bars close together. The Raw, near Eastern Beach, and Tulip, further into town, are also worth looking into if you’re planning dinner.
Away from the waterfront, you can explore Geelong’s wool-making history, visit the gallery, browse the shops on Pakington Street or walk beside the Barwon River. With another half-day, you could head out to the You Yangs or spend an afternoon on the Bellarine Peninsula.
My couple of hours didn’t stretch beyond the waterfront, so these are places I’ve researched for a return visit rather than recommendations from personal experience.
The gallery on Little Malop Street has free entry and houses Frederick McCubbin’s A Bush Burial. The Geelong Arts Centre is next door, and the domed library overlooking Johnstone Park is nearby. Over at the National Wool Museum, an 1872 bluestone woolstore and a working historic loom help explain where the city’s wealth came from.
Pakington Street, usually shortened to Pako, has independent shops, bookshops and places to eat in Geelong West. It’s also where the Pako Festa street festival takes place. Federal Mills offers a different setting: cafés, creative businesses and a gin distillery occupying a former wool mill.
Set in Eastern Park above the beach, the gardens deserve more time than a quick detour from the waterfront. For a longer walk or bike ride, look at the riverside paths around Newtown and Queens Park, or head towards Buckley Falls.
Check whether the Cats are playing at GMHBA Stadium during your visit. An evening match could be a good reason to stay overnight. If you’re interested in AFL but there’s no game on, look into the stadium tours and sports museum.
The AFL men’s season runs between March and September, with the finals in September. Usually there are 23 home-and-away games + the finals if they qualify. AFLW is a separate spring season, usually lasting 12 rounds.
North of Geelong, these granite hills offer walking trails, including the climb to Flinders Peak for views towards Corio Bay.
There’s enough here for a separate day out: wineries, Queenscliff, mussels in Portarlington or a meal aboard the Q Train on the heritage railway. For families, Adventure Park near Wallington is another option during its operating season.
The Adventure Park is open for two seasons. The Waterpark Summer is usually open in late November to late March, whereas the Winter Glow is usually open June to August.
With one extra afternoon, I’d keep it fairly local – the gallery, a wander along Little Malop Street, then Pakington Street for dinner. With a full day, I’d spend the morning in the Botanic Gardens before heading out to either the You Yangs or the Bellarine. I left Geelong with rather more on my list than I’d managed to see
Allow two to three hours for a waterfront walk and lunch in Geelong. Park within walking distance of Eastern Beach or Cunningham Pier, and check for events beforehand, as road closures can affect where you park and how much you’ll have time to see.
Look around Hearne Parade, Garden Street and Ritchie Boulevard at the Eastern Beach end, or Western Beach near Cunningham Pier.
Check the signs carefully: time limits can still apply when parking is free. Commonly 1P or 2P on the strip. 3P at Western Beach car park (often paid weekdays). All day free at Hearne Parade above Eastern Beach and Garden Street. Time limits still apply when meters are free (weekends). Don’t shuffle bays in the same signed zone.
You can walk between the main waterfront sights and restaurants without moving the car.
That gives you time for a wander before lunch and leaves the afternoon for the drive to Melbourne. On busy weekends or event days, allow more time for traffic and parking.
Two hours leaves time for a shorter walk and something to eat. Eastern Beach, the pier and a few groups of bollards are enough for a brief visit; the full bollard trail takes around two hours one way.
For a weekend table at Sailors’ Rest or Fishermen’s Pier, it’s worth booking ahead. If you’d rather decide when you arrive, check the nearby cafés and restaurants, or pick up fish and chips from the Boat House.
The staff at Sailors’ Rest took my nut allergy seriously when I visited. That’s a personal experience, though, so explain your requirements and confirm what the kitchen can accommodate on the day.
You don’t need to squeeze in Pakington Street, a museum or the Bellarine as well. I spent my couple of hours on the waterfront and still didn’t see all of it.
Allow for the walk back, particularly if your parking time is nearly up. Waterfront traffic can be slow on a busy afternoon, so give yourself a little breathing room before the onward drive to Melbourne.
Yes. It breaks the final leg at exactly the right point, the waterfront is made for a walking lunch stop, and the Baywalk Bollards give the pause a purpose beyond food and fuel.
Around an hour by motorway, which is why Geelong works as the last stop of an Adelaide to Melbourne coastal drive rather than an overnight.
Only if the point of your trip has already shifted from the coast to the city, or you are splitting the drive for a tired driver, a match or an early ferry. Lorne is the last coastal night; Geelong is the decompression stop. Otherwise keep the room on the coast.
More than a hundred painted timber figures along the waterfront, each depicting characters from Geelong’s history. Officially the Baywalk Bollards, they turn the foreshore walk into a spotting game.
Geelong makes a handy final stop after driving the Great Ocean Road from west to east, with time for lunch and a waterfront walk before heading into Melbourne.
After days along the coast, I was happy to spend my last couple of hours wandering past the bollards and eating at Sailors’ Rest, where the staff took my allergy seriously. I didn’t see much beyond the waterfront, but it was a pleasant place to stretch my legs before the final drive.
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