Beach Course The first of the two courses, The Beach Course was opened in December 2001 and designed by Tony Cashmore. The challenging and natural links style course has received many high accolades.

Creek Course The Creek Course, designed by Cashmore in conjunction with 6 time major championship winner Sir Nick Faldo, is a wonderful complement to The Beach Course. Both courses are consistently ranked as some of Australia’s best for public access golf courses.

Golf Lodges There are 16 beautifully appointed rooms which were built in 2020, all enjoying a stunning view of the 1st hole of the Beach Course, Lake Murtnaghurt and beyond to the dunes of 13th Beach. Two of the rooms are suitable for all abilities. Each room is spacious at 55 square metres and is designed and presented to a luxurious standard. When you are not playing golf, the private outdoor patio area is the perfect place to enjoy the idyllic views and setting with a glass of wine.

The 13th Beach Golf Lodges are less than a 2 minute stroll to the Clubhouse where breakfast, lunch and dinner is available in the restaurant. In the Clubhouse, you will also find the Reception, Golf Shop, locker rooms and conference facilities. 13th Beach is a wheelchair friendly venue with all amenities accessible on the ground floor.

Wondering what to do in and around Geelong and its seaside sister of The Bellarine? We’ve done the hard yards and road tested the best of the best to bring you our Top 10 list.

1. Destination dining The region is known for its clever and creative restaurants and some fabulous newcomers have hit the scene. TARRA at Queenscliff incorporates hand-foraged ingredients into the menu and the restaurant sits right on the water’s edge inside the architectural ferry terminal. You’ll find elevated French fare at Claribeaux, located at Curlewis Golf Club, and Jack Rabbit Vineyard restaurant sits high on the hill with unsurpassable views of Port Phillip Bay and the You Yangs mountain ranges. Find boutique wineries, farm gates and provedores on the Bellarine Taste Trail and you’ll discover makers of craft beer, cider and spirits on your travels too. In Geelong, Two Noble offers contemporary Asian fusion dining created by ex-Coda and Movida chefs. Tulip on Pakington Street is a top pick for modern Australian or cross the street and take a table at Baah Lah! Dining for flavoursome Singaporean dishes. At Barwon Edge you’ll dine on Middle Eastern fare by the Barwon River.

2. Reimagining the past Inventive locals continue to reimagine old manufacturing spaces and mills into hip cafés, bars, restaurants and accommodation. Federal Mills in North Geelong is a grand old woollen mill which has been impeccably transformed into a foodie and history-lover’s dream. The original industrial features of the red brick buildings have been restored and now house 1915 restaurant, Anther Distillery and The Paddock Bakery. On the other side of Geelong, Little Creatures Brewery is also set in a magical, sprawling woollen mill. The Fyansford Paper Mill Precinct is a beautiful archipelago of stone buildings housing a James Halliday 5-star winery Provenance Wines, shops and artist studios. Try your hand at making pottery with Elizabeth Bell Ceramics. On The Bellarine, The Whiskery sits on a former Cobb & Co historic site and their limited Kestrel release won Australia's Best Single Malt in 2024. The Q Train offers a 5-course degustation of local produce and wines on board a beautifully restored Queenslander – book a private booth and enjoy watching horses, olive groves and Swan Bay pass by. 3. Laneway culture Melbourne is not the only place with a thriving laneway culture – in Geelong’s Little Malop Street precinct, unassuming doorways are portals to hidden bars (Non Disclosure Bar), high end dining (Felix) or incredibly good dumplings (Bahjong). Geelong Cellar Door has an impressive wine wall and knowledge of the local drops the region is celebrated for. At The Arborist share Middle eastern dishes on the rooftop; dig into ramen and sake at Sober Ramen; or delicious Asian dishes on the grill at Sumi. For a pub vibe visit Eureka Hotel, you’ll often find live music there too. 4. World class beaches You’ll find some of the best beaches in the world on The Bellarine. They range from sandy and pristine to rugged and dotted with rockpools; some are gentler where young tackers splash in the shallows, others have pumping surf with waves up to 10ft.

Avid surfers head to popular surf spots such as 13th Beach or Raffs Beach in Barwon Heads, while beginner surfers can enjoy a surf lesson at Ocean Grove with Go Ride a Wave, Sea Earth Adventures or Great Ocean Road Surf Tours. Families can take advantage of the pristine sand and waves at the Ocean Grove main beach. The mouth of the Barwon River at Barwon Heads is great for paddling and rock pooling. Other great beachside spots are at Point Lonsdale and the sheltered and family friendly bay at Portarlington. Geelong has the Eastern Beach Reserve with sandy bay beach, sea bath pool, playground and the iconic bollards.

5. Unique boutique accommodation Lon Retreat and Spa allows guests to slow down and relax. Set on 200 acres overlooking the ocean, the adult only exclusive retreat features seven luxurious suites and a pool filled with natural mineral water pumped from springs running underneath the family-owned farm. Some of the suites have private mineral baths. The Nest is another opulent option where you can enjoy a spa or bath on your private deck with expansive country and water views. At Portarlington, enjoy heritage charm at the Portarlington Grand Hotel (1888) which is sparkling after a perfectly-executed multi-million dollar restoration. Golfers can stay onsite at Curlewis Golf Club or 13th Beach Golf Links while wine lovers can sleep among the vines at McGlashan’s Wallington Estate or Mt Duneed Estate which has private baths on the decks. 6. Arts and culture Geelong is Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design – global recognition of the area’s industrial past and design-driven future. The city’s cultural heart beats in and around Little Malop Street and creativity flows right throughout the broader region – art, music and architecture are celebrated. Visit the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre’s magnificent five-storey dome structure or head over the road to the glittering new Geelong Arts Centre to catch a show, musical or play; or enjoy a comedy act or orchestra performance. Geelong Gallery is one of Australia’s leading and oldest regional art galleries with an outstanding collection including Eugène von Guérard’s View of Geelong (1856) and Frederick McCubbin’s A bush burial (1890). The National Wool Museum explores the landscape through thousands of years of Wadawurrung culture to more recent wool industry. MoPA (Museum of Play and Art) is an intellectual, interactive and fun learning space for young children.

7. It’s all about the water With a spectacular coastline that spans from Geelong to Barwon Heads and beyond, it’s no surprise there’s plenty of water-based activities. Swim with the dolphins with See All Dolphins Swims or cruise between The Bellarine and Mornington Peninsula aboard Searoad Ferries vehicle and passenger ferry. You can access Geelong and Portarlington direct from the Docklands as a foot passenger with Port Phillip Ferries. Enjoy a boutique boat tour sampling fresh mussels aboard Portarlington Mussel Tours or snare a catch on a fishing charter from Queenscliff Harbour.

8. The fair way The Bellarine is a golfer’s dream – home to five of Australia’s top 100 golf courses (Golf Digest). Play a round at Barwon Heads Golf Club (rank 23), Lonsdale Links (rank 36) or Curlewis Golf Club (rank 62) where there’s also a driving range. Thirteenth Beach Golf Links has three courses to choose from – tee-off at the Beach Course (rank 33), the Creek Course (rank 64), or the 9-hole short course. Add courses at Queenscliff (sitting on the scenic Swan Island) or Portarlington to the impressive list.

9. On your bike Whether you wear shorts or lycra, the region is home to many diverse cycling trails. The You Yangs are great for mountain biking, boasting two designated mountain bike areas with 50 kilometres of track. The Bellarine Rail Trail is a scenic 35 kilometre trail that winds from South Geelong to Queenscliff. Thousands flock to Geelong in January every year for the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Cyclists can join Cadel himself in the People’s Ride which starts and finishes in Geelong.

10. Keep it in the family Geelong’s waterfront comes alive in summer. Young ones love discovering the old world charm of the beautiful Carousel and older kids enjoy the diving boards at the historic early century Eastern Beach promenade. Everyone enjoys the iconic bollard trail. Out of town head out to Adventure Park, to ride the Tsunami or the more relaxed Lazy River, and stay in the cool safari tents at Big 4 Bellarine or family friendly BIG4 Ingenia Queenscliff Beacon.

Visit these websites for more

• www.visitgeelongbellarine.com.au

• www.eventsgeelong.com.au

• www.geelongaustralia.com.au