Geelong waterfront & the Bellarine Peninsula
Full day · ~8 hours
A relaxed bay-and-coast day close to home. We loop the Geelong waterfront — the painted bollards, the heritage carousel, the eastern beach — then out along the Bellarine to maritime Queenscliff and the Point Lonsdale lighthouse, with the option of a Bellarine cellar door on the way back. Gentle walking, lots of sea air.
Why it's famous
Discover Geelong & Bellarine.
Geelong's north-facing waterfront on Corio Bay is one of Victoria's best-loved promenades. More than 100 painted bollards line the shore between Rippleside and Limeburners Point, each one a character from the city's past, carved from old pier timbers by artist Jan Mitchell. Add palm trees, yachts, the 1930s Eastern Beach sea bath and an 1890s carousel, and it is an easy, happy stroll for every age.
Out at the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, Queenscliff was where Victorian-era holiday-makers came to dine in grand buildings and stay in triple-storey hotels. That heritage has been carefully preserved, so the wide main street is still lined with old-world hotels, galleries and cafés, with the historic fort, pier and ferry harbour a short walk away.
Next door, Point Lonsdale's white lighthouse watches over The Rip, the kilometre-wide entrance to Port Phillip where ocean and bay waters collide, described as one of the world's most dangerous stretches of water. On the way home the Bellarine's cool-climate vineyards, olive groves and farm gates make for a relaxed tasting stop.
What you'll see & do
- Walk the Geelong Bollard Trail and spot lifesavers, bandsmen and early settlers carved from old pier timbers
- Ride the restored Armitage-Herschell carousel, built around 1892 and housed in a glass pavilion on the waterfront
- Picnic on the terraced lawns at Eastern Beach beside the 1930s enclosed sea bath, boardwalk and diving tower
- Admire Queenscliff's grand Victorian hotels and heritage streetscape over lunch
- Take a guided tour of Fort Queenscliff, one of the largest and best-preserved forts in Australia
- Stroll Queenscliff Pier past the historic lifeboat shed
- Watch the turbulent water race through the Heads from Rip View Lookout near Point Lonsdale Lighthouse
- Taste cool-climate pinot noir, shiraz or chardonnay at a Bellarine cellar door
Why you'll love it
- Geelong's waterfront bollards and bay promenade
- Historic Queenscliff and the Point Lonsdale lighthouse
- Optional Bellarine cellar door on the way home
- Gentle, flat and grandparent-friendly all day
$399 AUD — total. No hidden anything.
One fixed price per vehicle (up to 7 people). Here's exactly what that covers:
- Fixed price in AUDThe price you see is the total — per vehicle, up to 7 people
- No hidden chargesNo booking fees, no card surcharges, no surprises
- Tolls, fuel & parking includedEverything the car needs is in the price
- No driver or waiting chargesYour driver and reasonable waiting are included
- Hotel / home pickup & drop-offDoor-to-door across Melbourne — included free
- FREE airport pickup with any tourBook a tour and we collect you from the airport at no charge
- Pay your wayIn advance or any time before your trip ends — PayID, card or cash
See it on film
Official videos
Welcome to Geelong and The Bellarine
Official video · Visit Geelong and The Bellarine
Visit Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale
Official video · Visit Geelong and The Bellarine
Visit Urban Geelong
Official video · Visit Geelong and The Bellarine
Your day, stop by stop
What we’ll do.
Times are guidance — we adjust on the day to your group’s pace.
Send this itinerary to your group:
- 09
09:00
Pickup from your home
Western Suburbs door pickup — about an hour southwest.
- 10
10:00
Geelong waterfront
Baywalk bollards, the restored Armytage carousel and Eastern Beach — easy flat stroll.
Corio Bay's palm-lined promenade, home to more than 100 painted bollards, the c.1892 carousel and the 1930s Eastern Beach sea bath and boardwalk — flat, easy walking with plenty of places for a coffee.
Official website ↗ - 11
11:30
Drive the Bellarine
Through Drysdale and the peninsula's vineyard country toward the heads.
The drive crosses farmland that rolls down to the bay around Drysdale, the Bellarine's makers-and-growers country of vineyards, olive groves and farm gates.
Official website ↗ - 12
12:30
Queenscliff
Historic seaside town — grand hotels, the fort precinct and the pier. Lunch here.
A Victorian-era seaside resort whose grand hotels and heritage main street have been carefully preserved, with Fort Queenscliff, the pier and lifeboat shed, and the Sorrento ferry harbour close by.
Official website ↗🎟️ Booking recommended
Fort Queenscliff is an active Defence site, seen by guided tour only — book ahead and bring photo ID (passports for international visitors)
- 14
14:30
Point Lonsdale lighthouse & front beach
Lighthouse lookout over the Rip and a walk on the beach.
The white lighthouse overlooks The Rip at the entrance to Port Phillip, with Rip View Lookout nearby and the sheltered, family-friendly Front Beach just below.
Official website ↗🎟️ Booking recommended
Optional: lighthouse interior tours run by Queenscliffe Maritime Museum volunteers on limited days in small groups — book ahead if you'd like to climb it
- 15
15:30
Bellarine cellar door (optional)
A cool-climate winery or the Bellarine distillery on the way back, if you'd like.
The Bellarine is a cool-climate wine region on basalt soils where pinot noir, shiraz and chardonnay thrive, and many family-run cellar doors look out over the bay.
Official website ↗🎟️ Booking recommended
Some cellar doors open by appointment only — check with the venue and book a tasting if needed
- 17
17:00
Drop-off at home
Direct return via the ring road.
Getting there
How far is it?
Every numbered stop on one map — shown from the CBD for scale. Your day is door-to-door from your home, we handle all the driving, tolls and parking. Tap the map for Google Maps.
Tickets & bookings
Book your tickets before the day.
Attraction entry isn’t included in the fare — buy it directly from the official sites below (no mark-up, no middleman). Tell us your session times and we’ll plan the driving around them.
Queenscliff
Fort Queenscliff is an active Defence site, seen by guided tour only — book ahead and bring photo ID (passports for international visitors)
fortqueenscliff.com.au
Point Lonsdale lighthouse & front beach
Optional: lighthouse interior tours run by Queenscliffe Maritime Museum volunteers on limited days in small groups — book ahead if you'd like to climb it
maritimequeenscliffe.org.au
Bellarine cellar door (optional)
Some cellar doors open by appointment only — check with the venue and book a tasting if needed
visitgeelongbellarine.com.au
What’s included
- Premium 8-seat MPV for the whole day
- Driver, fuel and all road tolls
- Door-to-door pickup and drop-off
- Up to 8 hours from pickup to drop-off
Not included
- Tasting fees and any food
- Fort Queenscliff or museum entry
- Bellarine ferry fares (if added)
Common questions
Good to know.
- Can we take the Queenscliff–Sorrento ferry?
- Yes — a nice add-on. We'd drop you at the ferry and meet you, or you do the return crossing. Tell us at booking and we'll work the timing and quote it.
- Is this good for a family with young kids?
- Very — the Geelong carousel and waterfront, easy beaches and short walks make it one of our gentler days.
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Ready for Geelong & Bellarine?
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