Geelong, Great Ocean Road

Geelong is a city located in the southern coast of Victoria, on the Bellarine Peninsula. It faces Corio Bay and is considered the second largest city of the state. The Barwon River also runs through this port city whose place-name was derived from the Aboriginal name of the place - jillong - which means `land' or `cliffs.'

The city's Tourist Information Centre is housed in a lovely building that used to be known as the Dennys Lasceller Woolstore, whose original structure was built in 1872. The building, located on the corner of Brougham and Moorabool Streets, also houses the National Wool Museum, showcasing the history of Geelong's wool and textile industry.

Overlooking Corio Bay is the Geelong Botanical Gardens, which were established in 1848. The gardens contains numerous species of unique plants and trees, including some that are found nowhere else in the state, such as the gunstock tree and the Chilean plum fir. Those who take the time to explore these gardens will surely enjoy the natural beauty and serenity it offers.

Located within the botanic gardens is the city's original customs house, a prefabricated building constructed in 1838 and considered to the oldest building in the state.

Another example of a historically significant structure is the Corio Villa, located along the Eastern Beach Road. It was constructed in 1856 and is a fine architectural piece that continues to contribute to the city's aesthetic appeal. Another beautiful residence is the Armytage House, located along Pakington Street and built in 1860.

A walk along the city's foreshore would yield several interesting sights. One is the Steampacket Gardens on Moorabool Street. Further along is the Cunningham Pier and then the Stony Pier, which was the town's original pier that was constructed through convict labor. All over the foreshore area are bollards that depict prominent historic characters in the area.

Geelong is also the home of the Ford Discovery Centre, a large complex detailing the history of Ford vehicles in Australia. Located on the corner of Brougham and Gheringan Streets, it features static and interactive displays on everything a visitor would want to learn about this particular automobile manufacturer and its products. Vintage and new Ford models are also displayed, as well as crash test dummies and production robots.

One of the city's main tourist attractions is the Old Geelong Gaol, located on the corner of Myers and Swanston Streets. Convicts carried out the construction of the building, completed in 1864. Visitors are allowed to tour the premises, exploring different interesting points such as the watchtowers and a gallows setting of an execution.

Those interested in Aboriginal attractions can head out to Narana Creations, which offers demonstrations on some parts of their lives, like playing didgeridoo and throwing boomerang. Aboriginal art and craft can also be purchased. Visitors can also take strolls of the native garden surrounding the premises and marvel at several modern rock art.

Visitors and their families can also stop by the Gabbinbar Animal and Widlife Park on Torquay Road. Some of the animals kept in the park are emus, wallabies, native birds, and an albino kangaroo.

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