Geelong to Ballarat drive: Distance, time and road trip stops

The Geelong to Ballarat drive is 87km long. Top road trip stops on the 1h8m drive include Lethbridge Wines and Mount Buninyong.

Geelong and Ballarat are, respectively, the second and third largest cities in Victoria, Australia. Both are dwarfed by Melbourne, of course, but they’re big enough to have plenty to offer visitors.

Ballarat offers the amazing Sovereign Hill open air museum and the quirky Kryal Castle theme park.

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.

Geelong to Ballarat distance and driving time

It’s easy enough to combine Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat in a Victoria road road trip, as the three form a triangle. The drive from Geelong to Ballarat is not long, with the shortest route being 87km along the Midland Highway.

Travel times depend heavily on traffic, of course, but the Geelong to Ballarat drive should take around one hour and eight minutes.

Alas, the Geelong to Ballarat drive is not the most riveting road trip in Australia. Don’t expect to cram in the natural wonders along the way, but there are a couple of stops worth considering.

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.

Geelong to Ballarat drive: Bannockburn and Lethbridge wineries

Once out of Geelong, the Midland Highway passes the town of Bannockburn. There are a few wineries here, including Wines By Farr and Bannockburn Vineyards.

The Geelong to Ballarat drive then tracks west of the Moorabool River towards Lethbridge. Just north of the town, Lethbridge Wines is arguably the best winery stop on the route. But further east towards the river, Moorabool Ridge and Tarcoola Wines are worth considering too.

Meredith and Elaine, Victoria

The next town along the Geelong to Ballarat drive is Meredith. Here, the Meredith Police Paddocks offer waterside walking trails, while the Meredith Hotel and Royal Hotel lure in pub aficionados. The bizarre Fairy Park isn’t too much of a detour from here, either.

Carry on along the Midland Highway, and you’ll reach the tiny village of Elaine. The top road trip attraction here is the Leadlight Gallery, a stained glass art studio.

Horsey types will probably be more interested in the Unicorn Park Stud and Equestrian Centre, further north near Clarendon.

Geelong to Ballarat road trip stops: Mount Buninyong and Ballarat Bird World

From there, you approach Ballarat’s southern suburbs. For a walk, head up Mount Buninyong. Other attractions on the way into Ballarat include the Buninyong Botanic Gardens, Ballarat Bird World and Woowookarung Regional Park.

4 Ballarat experiences to book in advance ⬇️

Sovereign Hill tickets – visit Australia’s best open air museum. Give it a full day, too – there’s so much to see and do.
Ballarat Wildlife Park entry – meet loads of cute native Aussie animals.
Kryal Castle admission – enjoy a bizarre knights in armour theme park.
Beer-making course – learn to brew, with tastings and lunch thrown in.

But the clear star of the show – and the main reason to visit Ballarat – is Sovereign Hill. This recreated gold rush town is what all open air museums should be like. It’s full of activities and niche businesses keeping old artforms such as wheelwrighting and candle-making alive.