Camping in Geelong and the Bellarine

Geelong and the Bellarine give you two kinds of beach within half an hour of each other: the calm bay beaches facing Port Phillip, and the surf beaches facing Bass Strait. Add a heritage railway, a bike trail between the two, and bush camping in the Brisbane Ranges, and it makes an easy trip from Melbourne.

Where is the best place to camp in Geelong and the Bellarine?

On the bay side, Portarlington, Indented Head and St Leonards have foreshore camps and parks such as Portarlington Caravan Park, with sandy beaches and jetties. On the ocean side, Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads each have parks near the surf beaches. For bush camping, the Brisbane Ranges have Friday's Camping Area near the old gold town of Steiglitz, where Victoria's first quartz gold was found in 1854. In Geelong itself, parks in Belmont such as Geelong Holiday Park keep the city sights close.

What is there to do in Geelong and the Bellarine with kids?

In Geelong, the Eastern Beach Swimming Enclosure and the National Wool Museum are in the city. The Bellarine Rail Trail runs 32 km from South Geelong to Queenscliff for cycling, and in Queenscliff the Bellarine Railway runs heritage trains, Fort Queenscliff was the command centre for the bay's coastal forts, and the ferry crosses to Sorrento. Near Lara, Serendip Sanctuary is a wildlife outing on the way back to Melbourne.

• Serendip Sanctuary – Animals, Lara. Closest campground: Mittagong Camp Site, 2 km
• Bellarine Railway – Museums and history, Queenscliff. Closest campground: Victoria Park Campground, under 1 km
• Old Court House Museum – Museums and history, Drysdale. Closest campground: Big4 Bellarine, 7 km
• Australian National Surfing Museum – Museums and history, Torquay. Closest campground: Geelong Surf Coast Highway Holiday Park, 10 km
• Historical Museum – Museums and history, Queenscliff. Closest campground: Victoria Park Campground, under 1 km
• Queenscliffe Maritime Museum – Museums and history, Queenscliff. Closest campground: Victoria Park Campground, 1 km
• Lara Heritage and History Museum – Museums and history, Lara. Closest campground: Mittagong Camp Site, 2 km
• Nepean Historical Society – Museums and history, Sorrento. Closest campground: Queenscliff Recreational Reserve Caravan Park, 10 km
• Australian Gliding Museum – Museums and history, Parwan. Closest campground: Little River Walk-in Camping Area, 17 km
• Anglesea Museum – Museums and history, Anglesea. Closest campground: Geelong Surf Coast Highway Holiday Park, 23 km
• Meerkate Manner Indoor Play and Cafe – Play, Ocean Grove. Closest campground: Collendina Caravan Park, 3 km
• Geelong Botanic Gardens – Gardens and outdoors, East Geelong. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, 3 km
• Barwon Grange – Museums and history, Newtown. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, under 1 km
• Geelong Sports Museum – Museums and history, South Geelong. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, 1 km
• Museum of Play and Art – Museums and history, Geelong. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, 2 km
• National Wool Museum – Museums and history, Geelong. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, 3 km
• RAAF Museum – Museums and history, Point Cook. Closest campground: Dylene Holiday Park, 22 km
• B-24 Liberator Museum – Museums and history, Werribee. Closest campground: Portarlington Caravan Park, 23 km
• We Rock The Spectrum – Play, Grovedale. Closest campground: Sherwood Village, 1 km
• Fore Fun Golf Club – Play, Geelong. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, 2 km
• Flip Out Geelong – Play, Newcomb. Closest campground: Moolap Caravan Park, 2 km
• Uncle Buck's Play Parlour (Buckleys) – Play, Breakwater. Closest campground: Sherwood Village, 3 km
• Geelong Aquatic Centre – Swimming, Newtown. Closest campground: Discovery Park - Geelong, under 1 km
• Kardinia Aquatic Centre – Swimming, South Geelong. Closest campground: Geelong Holiday Park, under 1 km
• Goodfellow Aquatic Centre – Swimming, Bell Post Hill. Closest campground: Eldorado Tourist Park, 1 km

What are the best walks and nature spots around Geelong?

In the Brisbane Ranges, the Anakie Gorge walk is the pick, and the park is described as Victoria's richest wildflower habitat, best in spring; the Burchell Trail is a three-day hike for older kids. Around Geelong, Buckley Falls on the Barwon River is close to town, and on the Bellarine, Swan Bay's wetlands are internationally recognised for waterbirds.

• Buckley Falls – Waterfall. Closest campground: Discovery Park - Geelong, 3 km
• Moranghurk Falls – Waterfall. Closest campground: Friday's Camping Area, 8 km
• Anakie Gorge walk – Walk, Brisbane Ranges National Park. Closest campground: Little River Walk-in Camping Area, 5 km
• Ocean Grove – Swimming spot. Closest campground: Riverview Family Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Barwon Valley Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Discovery Park - Geelong, 3 km
• Buckleys Falls – Lookout. Closest campground: Discovery Park - Geelong, 3 km
• Brownhill Heights – Lookout. Closest campground: Discovery Park - Geelong, 3 km
• Staughton Vale Cliff Face – Lookout. Closest campground: Little River Walk-in Camping Area, 3 km
• Wombat Hill Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Discovery Park - Geelong, 4 km
• Edwards Point – Lookout. Closest campground: Swan Bay Holiday Park, 4 km

Do you need to book campsites in Geelong and the Bellarine?

Yes, for the busy times: the Bellarine's population doubles in the summer peak, so book early for school holidays. Brisbane Ranges camping must be booked in advance through Parks Victoria.

Are there powered sites in Geelong and the Bellarine?

Yes. 4 campgrounds here have powered sites confirmed, including Geelong Holiday Park, Queenscliff Recreational Reserve Caravan Park and Collendina Caravan Park. For the rest we are still confirming, so check with the park or holiday park before you book a powered site.

How far is the Bellarine from Melbourne?

Geelong is about 75 km south-west of Melbourne, Ocean Grove about 98 km, Queenscliff about 104 km and Indented Head about 105 km. The Brisbane Ranges are about 80 km west of Melbourne.

Facts from Wikipedia, "Bellarine Peninsula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Geelong" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Queenscliff, Victoria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Ocean Grove, Victoria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Steiglitz, Victoria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Brisbane Ranges National Park" (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Parks Victoria, "Brisbane Ranges National Park".

Map of campgrounds in Geelong and the Bellarine

30 campgrounds

• Geelong Holiday Park — Belmont, VIC. caravan sites, dump point, powered sites, tent sites, wifi
• Victoria Park Campground — Queenscliff, VIC. caravan sites, drinking water, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Queenscliff Recreational Reserve Caravan Park — Queenscliff, VIC. dump point, powered sites, showers, toilets
• Collendina Caravan Park — Ocean Grove, VIC. dump point, powered sites
• Eldorado Tourist Park — Batesford, VIC. dump point, powered sites
• Friday's Camping Area — Steiglitz, VIC. caravan sites, tent sites
• Corindhap Recreation Reserve — Corindhap, VIC. toilets
• Little River Walk-in Camping Area — Beremboke, VIC. tent sites
• Anderson Reserve — Indented Head, VIC
• Barwon Heads Caravan Park — Barwon Heads, VIC
• Batman Reserve — Indented Head, VIC
• Beacon Resort Caravan Park — Queenscliff, VIC
• Big4 Bellarine — Marcus Hill, VIC
• Discovery Park - Geelong — Belmont, VIC
• Dylene Holiday Park — Portarlington, VIC
• Geelong Surf Coast Highway Holiday Park — Mount Duneed, VIC
• Mittagong Camp Site — Lara, VIC
• Moolap Caravan Park — Moolap, VIC
• Old Mill Camping Ground — Steiglitz, VIC
• Portarlington Caravan Park — Portarlington, VIC
• Queenscliff Tourist Park — Point Lonsdale, VIC
• Riverglen Holiday Park — Belmont, VIC
• Riverview Family Caravan Park — Ocean Grove, VIC
• Sands Caravan & Mobile Home Park — Leopold, VIC
• Sherwood Village — Belmont, VIC
• St Leonards Area 3 camping area — St Leonards, VIC
• St Leonards Area 4 camping area — St Leonards, VIC
• Swan Bay Holiday Park — Swan Bay, VIC
• Taylor Reserve — Indented Head, VIC
• The Springs Queenscliff Caravan Park — Queenscliff, VIC

Region boundary: ABS ASGS Edition 3 Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0.