Geelong Things to Do Tips by cassiejoy42

At the Geelong Botanic Gardens you can learn the names of the plants - both their commmon name and their botanical name.

You can have a cup of tea or coffee at The Tea House and buy some plants to take home.

Take a look at the new sculptures and architecture at the new main entrance. Or come in and find the old main entrance, with the original wrought iron name over the gate. Just inside the old main entrance you can meet two of the Bollard people. The original curator is one of the Bollards.

Walk through the hot houses and view exotic plants as well as local plants. When the pelargoniums are in full flower the display is magnificent.

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Phone: 03 5227 0387
Address: Eastern Park
Directions: Travel 1km along Eastern Beach Road

Geelong has been lucky to have artist Jan Mitchell work on our historical Bollards. The Bollards are a historical look at Geelong and its history. You can stroll around the waterfront from Rippleside Park (close to Melbourne Road and St Helen's Beach) to Limeburner's Point - and you can meet all the wonderful Bollards that Jan Mitchell has created.
There are 104 painted wooden sculptures, and they tell the history of Geelong as you walk around and meet them all. You can pick up a brochure called "Bay Walk Bollards" from the Tourist Information Centre in Corio, or the Tourist Information Centre in the city of Geelong, or even from the canteen at the Carousel.
This brochure outlines the walk and gives a brief description of each Bollard, including dates where appropriate.
I visited some of the Bollards today and so have included some photos to give you a bit of a taste test of some of the characters you will meet when you come to Geelong and take the Bollard Walk.

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Address: Eastern Beach-Rippleside Park
Directions: Waterfront Area, from Western Beach to Eastern Beach.
Start at Rippleside Beach, follow the path around Corio Bay, past St Helens, along the shore at Western Beach and on to Eastern Beach.

The Carousel operates most days of the year. There is a cost to ride but I am not sure how much it costs. Not too expensive.

There is a kiosk in the same building as the Carousel and also some historical items, including a famous music machine from Paris - sorry not sure what it is called.

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Address: Foreshore, Cunningham Pier
Directions: Waterfront Area, near Cunningham Pier

Whilst "touring" the waterfront this week (October 2005) I took lots of photos of things to see and do along the waterfront. It was a nice day, with a bit of wind blowing and some sunshine. I got sunburnt of course - my nose usually cops it.

Geelong Waterfront has had some major refurbishment over the last five to ten years. Walk along our sensational waterfront or come up to the City of Greater Geelong for some great shopping. Our streetscape has been refurbished and renovated and shopping is a pleasure with wide footpaths and new sculptures gracing the city streets.

Hope you like the photos and I hope that Keith is tempted to come and see Geelong with a different point of view.

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Address: Eastern Beach-Rippleside Park
Directions: Waterfront Area, Walking Paths, Eastern Beach, Western Beach

Johnstone's Park, Geelong

Johnstone's Park is a huge open space in Central Geelong (well on the outskirst of the Central Business District).

You will find Johnstone's Park on the corner of Malop St., Gheringhap St., and Mercer St.

It is on a large block of land with the following streets on its boundaries - Gheringhap St., Railway Terrace, Malop St. Roundabout, Fenwick St., and Little Malop St.

There is a huge podium in the middle of Johnstones Park, and there are palm trees, garden beds and memorial stones and statues.

Johnstones Park houses the Geelong War Memorial, and the Geelong Regional Library. The Geelong Art Gallery and the Geelong Town Hall back on to Johnstones Park.

Carols by Candlelight are held in Johnstones Park every year, on Christmas Eve. It is magic and it is a real family event. Families gather on blankets and bring thier own food and drinks (no alcohol allowed) and candles. When it gets dark it is magic - with all the candles glowing in the dark.

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Address: Fenwick St,. Railway Tce, Gheringhap St., Geelong
Directions: Geelong Central Business District

If you are in to architecture and heritage here are some photos to whet your appetite, and to entice you to come to Australia, and let Cassie take you on a tour of the old Geelong buildings.

Uniting Church in Australia, South Geelong is located in South Geelong on the corner of Moorabool Street and Fyans Street. (First photo).

Austin Hall, corner Carr St & Yarra St, South Geelong (photo two).

St Mary of the Angel's Church, corner of Yarra St and Myers St, Geelong (photo three). Better known as St Mary's to any Geelongites. The steeple or spire of St Mary of the Angel's is visible from the other side of the bay and is also a landmark on the skyline over most of Geelong.

Sir Charles Hotham Hotel - corner Brougham St and Mercer St, Geelong (photo four).

When I have some more information about these buildings I will come back to this page and add some more information.

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Geelong and Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre

Not sure what to do or where to go? Not sure about accomodation?

Go and check out the Geelong and Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre web site - it will tell you all you need to know about what's on in Geelong, where to stay and things to do.

http://www2.visitvictoria.com/displayObject.cfm/objectid.77151B4E-775F-4CCF-A3DD8CAEF88A6230/page.Proximity_Recommended_Destination_Page/vvt.vhtml

The Geelong and Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre is located on the Princes Highway, near the corner of St Georges Road as you come in to Corio. It is directly behind KFC, Corio and McDonald's, Corio.

The link to the Geelong Otway Tourism web site is:

www.visitgeelong.org

Both of these web sites also have lots of information about places to go and visit, things to see and do, accomodation, events, etc. in Geelong.

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Phone: 1800 620888
Address: Corner Princes Highway and St Georges Road
Website: http://www2.visitvictoria.com/displayObject.cfm/objectid.77151B4E-775F-4CCF-A3DD8CAEF88A6230/page.Proximity_Recommended_Destination_Page/vvt.vhtml

Before you come to Geelong you need to consider how to get here:

You can fly to Tullamarine Airport - Melbourne
and then hire a car (or use the Gull Airport Services) and drive to Geelong.
You can fly in to Tullamarine Airport and get a connecting flight to Avalon Airport using Jetstar.

Once you get to Avalon Airport you can use the Shuttle Bus Service to take you to your hotel, motel, caravan, on site van, back pack accomodation, etc. Some of my tips have links to accomodation in and around Geelong.

In Geelong there are so many destinations, historical and heritage locations to visit.

If you stay near the Waterfront you can spend a day touring along the Waterfront. You could:
-do the Bollard Walk
-go to the Wool Musuem
-go to the Ford Discovery Centre
-dine at some of our local restaurants
-put the children on Thomas the Tank or the Carousel
-visit the Geelong Art Gallery
-visit the Geelong Botanical Gardens
-take a tour of the bay on a cruise boat
-or just stroll along our beautiful, revamped Waterfront and take in the scenery

There are lots of locations that you can go to from Geelong:
-The Bellerine Peninsula
-The Great Ocean Road
-Coastal Beaches
-The Barwon River

You can join a winery tour or tour the wineries on your own.

So much to do - so much to see - come to Geelong and learn about our history, taste the culture - Narana Creations has Koori food tasting, boomerang throwing displays and folklore to learn about. Take in the Buckley walking trail - dedicated to William Buckley.

Visit some of the waterfalls around Geelong - Buckley Falls at the Barwon River is one of the waterfalls not to be missed.

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Address: Geelong and surrounds.

Churches and old architecture are my favourite thing to photograph - yeah I know boring old thing that I am - but I love history and our heritage and old buildings just fascinate me.

This building is Matthew Flinders Girls High School. It is on a city block so the streets that are around the city block are Latrobe Terrace, Fenwick Street, Myers Street and (I think) Little Myers Street.

I attended this high school from form 3 to form 6 (now year 9 - year 12).

My mum attended this school and so did my nana (obviously not at the same time as I did because they are a bit older than me).

The Emblem on the Gate reads "Matthew Flinders G.S.S. (Girls State School) Geelong - Looking Forward. The Gates were dedicated to celebrate the schools Centenary so the second plaque reads "Centenary Gates 1856 - 1956 Dedicated 30 June 1856".

Geelong uses a lot of blue stone in our buildings - now blue stone is really expensive to buy. A lot of buildings that were constructed out of blue stone have been listed as Heritage Buildings now.

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Other Contact: Corner Latrobe Tce & Myers St

Geelong and District Peace Memorial

Notice this is called a Peace Memorial - not a war memorial - one of the foundation stones was laid in October 30th 1922 by Ald (Alderman) Howard Hitchcock - Mayor of Geelong.

Ths building, found in Johnstones Park, Geelong honors the fallen in
- The Great War 1914 - 1918
- and it honors our other wars but I have lost the photos of those plaques so I will add them later - I like to be accurate in my details.

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Directions: Central Geelong