As the western arm of Port Phillip Bay, the Bellarine Peninsula brims with natural charm, history and limitless opportunities for fun. It is home to the lively metropolis of Geelong, famous resort towns and quiet bayside hamlets. Explore its fascinating villages - Drysdale, Portarlington, Indented Head, St Leonards, Wallington, Ocean Grove and Barwin Heads. And all so accessible, right on Melbourne's doorstep.

Enjoy pristine ocean and bay beaches, wetlands and parks. Frolic in the shallows. Tame a wave. Exhilarate in a swim with dolphins. Snorkel or dive the depths. Try your luck with a fishing rod. Skim across the bay in a boat. Feel sand between your toes on a beach walk. Ride a bike along quiet hinterland roads.

Take yourself on a discovery drive into the rolling countryside. Pause to savour the fantastic fruits of local vines. Pick a punnet of juicy fresh strawberries.

Live the Bellarine Peninsula's history. Many of the townships and hamlets have fascinating stories to tell. Queenscliff is a jewel of 19th century architectural artistry just waiting for you to explore.

If golf is your game, the Bellarine Peninsula is heaven. Its courses are some of the best and most challenging in Victoria. Naturally, many come with bay views.

Family fun is not forgotten. Get among the action at the theme and adventure parks. Lose yourself in a mind-boggling maze.

The Bellarine Peninsula offers this and much more, all just a short drive away.

Geelong, is the major gateway to the Bellerine Peninsula's delights and further attractions of the Great Ocean Road.

The name 'Geelong' is derived from the Aboriginal word for bay, Jillong which means 'a place of the sea bird over the white cliffs'. Aptly named, Geelong is surrounded by water from its vibrant Corio Bay to the rugged ocean coastline and the Barwon River flowing through its suburbs.

This waterfront city has a diverse range of attractions including parks and gardens, museums and galleries, fine restaurants and excellent recreational facilities. Geelong's colonial history has resulted in a legacy of historic buildings, some of which are open to the public, courtesy of the National Trust.

There's been something of a revolution on the waterfront of Geelong. What's transpired is a $150 million makeover that has created a vibrant and fun-filled destination for everyone. The city is now taking full advantage of its unique north-facing bay - the waterfront is blossoming with additional eateries and a landscaped new look set against the backdrop of Corio Bay.

A feature of Geelong's waterfront is 100 sculpture bollards dotted along the foreshore. These whimsical icons chronicle characters from the city's past and present. Check out the dapper young ladies in neck-to-knee bathing costumes, spunky lifesavers, traditional Aussie families, a Geelong footballer, jaunty sailors, fishermen and a jolly town band. These delightful - 2m high - wooden pole bollards were created by artist Jan Mitchell and are a hit with young and old.

Close by on Corio Bay is Geelong's Eastern Beach. In recent years the art deco-style pools and promenade complex have also had major renovations. Visit this area and enjoy verdant lawns, palm trees, playground, rotundas, fountain and views of Corio Bay. A restored pavilion at Eastern Beach called 'Beach House' now houses a pleasant restaurant, cafe and kiosk, the perfect place for coffee and cake.

Pakington Street, the wide tree-lined avenue linking the suburbs of Geelong West and Newtown, is also well worth a visit. There are many different restaurants and eateries to try, delicatessens, wine merchants, a park to relax in and a street ambience to experience. It's only a few minutes from the city.

Delve into the history of wool at the National Wool Museum, housed in an impressive 3-storey historic bluestone wool store dating back to 1872 and one of Geelong's major tourist attractions. Another museum well worth visiting is the Ford Discovery Centre, Australia's first automotive technology discovery centre in Geelong, which showcases seven decades of Ford manufacturing.

Visiting historic homes is a another great way to discover the local history. In Geelong there are over 100 buildings classified by the National Trust. A good place to start is at the Heights (1855). You'll also enjoy visiting Barwon Grange (1856).

As you travel inland you'll reach the Sunbury area, once occupied by the Wurundjeri people. The first European settler was George Evans who established the Emu Bottom sheep station in 1836. His homestead, built that year, still forms the basis for the present Emu Bottom homestead.

Originally an area dominated by agriculture, grazing and dairying, in recent years Sunbury has become a residential hub for people working in Melbourne.

Sunbury is the birthplace of cricket's Holy Grail, The Ashes. In 1882, Lady Janet Clarke burnt a cricket bail to ash and poured the remains into a tiny urn. The Ashes were then presented to the victorious English Captain of a side visiting Rupertswood Mansion

On the Eastern side of the Bay, Phillip Island and Gippsland Discovery is a great sweep of land in south-east Victoria that begins in the Great Dividing Range then descends into the placid green valleys of country Gippsland. It rises over the bush-clad Strzelecki Ranges before crossing South Gippsland's abundant pastures on its way to a famous stretch of coastline.

The area is renowned for Phillip Island, where the nature park is home to the nightly Penguin Parade, the shearwaters that every year fly between Alaska and Phillip Island, the seals that cavort around Seal Rocks and the koalas on a treetop boardwalk.

Phillip Island measures 10,000ha in area, and is 26km long by 9km wide. It takes about 25 minutes to drive between the eastern and western points of the island. Phillip Island is mainly flat with low-level hills to break the landscape. The highest point on the island is Cape Woolamai, in the south-eastern corner, reaching 118m in height. The rugged southern coastline faces Bass Strait and offers great surfing, while the protected northern beaches nestle into Westernport Bay providing safe swimming areas.

There is no typical town in the Phillip Island and Gippsland Discovery region. They range from quiet seaside resorts to busy modern townships that service the nearby farmlands. Cowes, the main town of Phillip Island, has a long pier to walk or fish from and a pretty foreshore for picnics. You can dine looking out to sea or take refuge from the winter winds at a coffee shop with an open fire.

Things to do
Start your day feeding the pelicans at San Remo, the last mainland town before you cross the bridge to Phillip Island.

Once on the island you can enjoy the wildlife, the rugged coastlines or the calm waters of the wetlands. The island is home to the largest colony of fur seals in Australia. You can take a boat tour out to Seal Rocks or you can view the seals via close circuit television at the Sea Life Centre.

The Koala Conservation Centre offers you the chance to go koala spotting in the surrounding woodlands. Or view the koalas up close in their tree top homes on the elevated boardwalk.

Stop for lunch at one of the island's many restaurants or picnic at the wetlands of Swan Lake or Rhyll Inlet and enjoy the many wild birds. Historic Churchill Island will take you back in time with its restored Amess Homestead and pretty cottage garden.

The Cape Woolamai walking track which has spectacular coastal scenery, including rugged cliffs known as The Pinnacles.

The world-famous Penguin Parade is a great way to finish your day on the island. Each night, hundreds of 'Little Penguins' return from their day at sea to their burrows nestled along Summerland Beach. Viewing stands and an extensive boardwalk ensure everyone gets a great view.

Mornington Peninsula National Park's spectacular features make it one of Victoria's most popular. Enjoy fabulous views from Point Nepean to Cape Schanck. Marvel at the sea's fury at Cape Schanck, Gunnamatta, and Sorrento and Portsea ocean beaches. Picnic, swim, walk, ramble in the rock pools, dive on a coral reef, surf.

Take a short ferry ride from Stony Point to French Island National Park, an 11,000ha wilderness wonderland. Peaceful, isolated, a wildlife haven, home to Victoria's largest and disease-free koala population.

Wander Western Port Boardwalk as it transverses heritage-listed wetlands and mangroves. Explore wetlands teeming with more than 176 bird species at historic Coolart Homestead.

The Mornington Peninsula National Park has long been a favourite for summer holidays. Covering 2,686ha, its diverse coastal environments range from the basalt cliffs at Cape Schanck to the native bushland of Greens Bush and the roaring surf of Gunnamatta. Historic Point Nepean has old fortifications interpreted by displays and soundscapes, and spectacular views of the Port Phillip Heads.

French Island National Park is a true paradise. Accessible only by 30-minute passenger ferry ride, French Island is a haven of peace and serenity. The 11,100ha park contains environments ranging from mangrove saltmarsh areas to open woodlands and plays home to an equally diverse range of wildlife.

Things to see and do
Explore the park at leisure by bus or bike or on foot, using the network of public roads and management tracks. There are whole day, half day and shorter walks and rides starting at Tankerton Foreshore Reserve (see the information display at the Ranger Station for guides to routes and more information).

Rising above the Mornington Peninsula, Arthurs Seat is the most familiar of all Port Phillip Bay landscape features Its 314m summit, reached by road, chairlift or foot, gives spectacular views of the bay and Port Phillip Heads. On a clear day, the view extends to the city skyline, the You Yangs and Mount Macedon.