What are the best things to do in Geelong, Australia?

The best things to do in Geelong, Australia include the Baywalk Bollards on Geelong Waterfront, the Boom Gallery and the National Wool Museum.

Geelong is the second largest city in Victoria, after state capital Melbourne. And, in all honesty, most visitors skip straight past it on the way to the Great Ocean Road. But for those who have a bit of spare time before heading to Great Ocean Road hotspots such as Lorne, Port Campbell and Warrnambool, there are a few things to do in Geelong.

3 Geelong experiences to book in advance

A water bike tour along the coast.
A sunrise balloon flight – see the bay, hills and river from above.
Rent an electric picnic boat on the Waterfront.

Things to do in Geelong, Victoria: Geelong Waterfront

Many of the best things to do in Geelong cluster around the Geelong Waterfront on Corio Bay. Here, Eastern Beach gets packed on a sunny day. The Eastern Beach Bathing Complex features an art deco pavilion, a children’s pool and diving boards. The big, semi-circular ring is designed to protect from sharks, which can otherwise venture in from further out in Port Phillip Bay.

The Geelong Foreshore. Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria.

Also popular on the Geelong Waterfront are the 19^th century carousel and Baywalk Bollards. This collection of 104 sculptures spreads along the Waterfront. The Baywalk Bollards depict key people from Geelong’s past, making for both an art project and a history lesson. There’s also a Waterfront Art Trail, with several installations that you might miss if you’re not looking out for them.

Towards the western end, you’ll find the Geelong Waterfront Skate Park, Poppy Kettle Fountain, historic carousel and Cunningham Pier. The café on Cunningham Pier is a good place to observe the city and Corio Bay from.

What to do in Geelong, Victoria: Geelong Art Gallery and Boom Gallery

For more formal art, the Geelong Art Gallery hosts more than 6,000 works and offers a decent introduction to Australian art. The Geelong Art Gallery’s young upstart cousin is the Boom Gallery, which focuses on modern art. The Boom Gallery has a café, but it’s away from the Waterfront, nearer the Barwon River.

Children will probably be more interested in the Museum of Play and Art, which is like a high end soft play centre. Educational aspects of art and science are woven in, but rest assured that the Museum of Play and Art offers lots of things to do touch and do.

Geelong attractions: National Wool Museum and Geelong Gaol

The most interesting cultural attraction in Geelong, however, is the National Wool Museum. Now, a National Wool Museum might not sound especially riveting, but the wool industry played a huge part in turning Australia from a collection of backwater colonies to a modern first world nation. The story of the settlers, sheep stations and giant shearing sheds is a significant part in Australia’s story.

The Geelong Gaol Museum has a historical bent, too. Prison life is traced back to the 1850s, when the Geelong Gaol opened. You can also sign up for themed tours, including an Escape Tour and an evening ghost tour.

Things to do in Geelong, Victoria: Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Other things to do in Geelong with a cultural leaning include the Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre on the B100 south towards Torquay.

The Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre is multi-faceted, with native animal feeding, Aboriginal art, cultural education programmes and a garden full of native Australian plants. The aim is to explain local Aboriginal life and culture.

Serendip Sanctuary and Lake Connewarre

If natural attractions are more your thing, then Buckley Falls is just off the Princes Freeway to the west of the city. There are also a series of natural sanctuaries around Geelong, the most impressive of which is the Serendip Sanctuary to the north of the city near the You Yangs hills. The Serendip Sanctuary is a good place to spot kangaroos, wallabies and emus.

Birdwatchers will probably prefer Lake Connewarre, though. To the south-east of the city on the Bellarine Peninsula, this is a hugely important wetland. Lake Connewarre is created by the Barwon River. It’s as good a spot for fishing as it is for twitching.

Geelong day trips: Bellarine Peninsula wine tours

Most visitors to the Bellarine Peninsula, however, will be aiming for the beaches. Or the wineries such as Jack Rabbit and the Terindah Estate, which can be visited on wine tour from Geelong. Adventure Park Geelong, a kid-focused water park, is also on the Bellarine Peninsula.

And, if you want to get an overview of the region, Geelong helicopter rides depart from the Waterfront.

The Melbourne to Geelong train takes one hour and 14 minutes, while the Melbourne to Geelong drive takes just over an hour.

The best places to stay in Geelong

The top Geelong accommodation options are:

For an affordably-priced, good quality motel: Parkside Motel.
For fabulous apartments near the beach: Vue Apartments Geelong.
For a family-friendly hotel with an indoor pool and balconies in each room: Novotel Geelong.
For a facility-packed holiday park: Tasman Holiday Parks Geelong.

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