SWIM: Slip out of bed and into the water. Do some laps or just have a lazy morning splash in the historic Eastern Beach Swimming enclosure. Then relax with an after swim coffee at the adjacent Beach House café. Lash out here on a cooked brekky or toddle back to the House for your complimentary home-made muesli and toast. The Beach House café is open from 7 am every day in summer.
https://eastern-beach-public-swimming-pool.business.site/
CYCLE: take a House bike for a ride along the Waterfront or through Eastern Park.
KAYAK: take the twin kayak out for a Corio Bay paddle with your buddy.
BOTANIC GARDENS: The historic Geelong Botanic Gardens are just a 3 minute walk up the road. Check out the famous Gingko.
http://www.friendsgbg.org.au/
NATIONAL WOOL MUSEUM: Only 12 minutes walk down Eastern Beach Road from the House is the atmospheric National Wool Museum. With recently refurbished permanent displays and a program of rotating exhibitions, the National Wool Museum has a rare 3 storey Axminster carpet loom that still operates daily.
https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/nwm/default.aspx
GEELONG GALLERY: Established in 1896, Geelong Gallery is one of Australia’s leading art galleries, with a magnificent Australian and European collection dating from the 18th century through to contemporary works. Geelong Gallery is just a short walk away.
https://www.geelonggallery.org.au/
GEELONG ARTS CENTRE: Geelong Arts Centre (formerly Geelong Performing Arts Centre) has been the city’s premiere performance and events venue since 1981. With the recently completed $38.5 million Ryrie Street redevelopment and the $128 million Little Malop Street Redevelopment underway, this state of the art facility hosts a rich year-long events program. Geelong Arts Centre is a 20 minute walk from The House.
https://geelongartscentre.org.au/
ARTS, CULTURAL & HERITAGE TRAILS: Geelong’s cultural stories and treasures can be discovered and explored by downloading the Arts, Cultural & Heritage Trails App. The App includes insights into art studios and galleries, public artworks, creative spaces, performing arts and Geelong’s indigenous Wadawurrung, and post-settlement histories. The central Geelong trails are curated so they can be completed in a reasonable short walk, between one and three hours.
https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/arts/article/item/8d2182097cbefd4.aspx
FESTIVALS & EVENTS, LIVE MUSIC: The Visit Geelong and Bellarine website is a great window into Geelong’s distinctive and much-loved places across city and coastline, and events held across the seasons. The Geelong Live Music Facebook page also captures the region’s live music scene and venues on offer during your stay.
www.visitgeelongbellarine.com.au
KARDINIA PARK: Go watch the Cats carve up their opponents on home turf.
FILM: Catch an arthouse flick at The Pivotonian boutique arthouse cinema, just 5 minutes drive away. Open 7 days.
https://pivotcinema.com.au
EAT: The House has a number of great local eateries to recommend, just ask. Take a wander along the Waterfront through to Little Malop Street to find your own from an exceptional range of bars and restaurants, many profiling local food and wine from The Bellarine region.
SHOPPING: Westfield is just a 10 minute walk down the road, with all the major department stores including Myer, Coles, Target and a range of other convenience and retail services. For great local fresh gourmet food just a short walk away, check out the East Fruit Market (11 Ormond Road) and Merchant (138 Malop Street).
DO NOTHING: relax at the House … read, write, draw, compose, play the Wertheim or just sit in the garden and watch the boats and birds. We enjoy visits from black cockatoos and a range of other indigenous birds, and elegant flocks of bats most evenings.
