Why Geelong and the Bellarine is the ultimate foodie destination

Lucy CousinsBy Lucy Cousins
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From handcrafted cultured butter to freshly cooked mussels, this part of Victoria is fast becoming known as a farm-to-table paradise.

Whether you’re sipping a latte overlooking the calm Corio Bay, enjoying an overloaded cheese platter with a glass of pinot at a winery or devouring a freshly cooked Portarlington mussel, Geelong and the Bellarine region will ignite the foodie within you.

To experience the best this area offers, work up an appetite and explore the perfectly curated Bellarine Taste Trail . The rich volcanic soil and cool sea breezes have fostered dynamic farmlands, plus the pace of life and strong farm-to-table ethos, have attracted some of the most talented makers and growers from around the country.

Food and craft beer spread at FarmDog Brewing
Food, wine, beer and more are all locally crafted here. (Image: FarmDog Brewing)

Savour a local wine

Known for impressive vineyards with even more impressive bay views, the wineries of this region produce world-respected pinot, shiraz and chardonnay. To say each winery has its own personality is an understatement. There’s the grand and stately Scotchmans Hill , the architecturally led Jack Rabbit Vineyard and the laidback but confident Lethbridge at Hat Rock . Nearby there’s also a little nostalgia on offer at Terindah Estate , where you can dine in Peter’s Odyssey Tram Bar, a fully refurbished W-class tram. Yes Bar is also the perfect place for a tipple.

For wine tasting with a difference, head to the family-owned Bellarine Estate and dive into the ‘trinity of Texas BBQ’ – namely Angus brisket, free-range pork ribs and house-made sausage, alongside house-made rubs. Or enjoy the fruits of owner Sam Murray’s labour at Oneday Estate , a winery he literally built by hand from salvaged material. It’s a functional work of art, as is Oneday wine, crafted by highly awarded winemaker Nyall Condon.

waiter carrying food at the Scotchmans Hill
Relish a scrumptious meal and wine at Scotchmans Hill. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Relax with a cider, gin or beer

This part of Victoria isn’t just known for its award-winning viniculture; it’s also home to a tribe of brewhouses and distilleries that are rapidly carving a name for themselves. Fun-loving Bellarine Distillery serves its multi-layered gin (named after much-loved pet dogs) and rich single malt whisky, both served up in a renovated farm shed called The Whiskery. A short drive away, FarmDog Brewing continues the canine theme with its small-batch FarmDog gins and craft beer, best enjoyed with local salmon pate in the cosy brewery. Or grab a table at the busy Queenscliff Brewhouse and try one of the local craft beers on tap, including their own Prickly Moses beer, before moving on to one of their six house-made gins.

Cider aficionados will love Flying Brick Cider Co , which crafts its tasty drinks from fresh, crispy Victorian apples and Packham pears with no added sugars, colours or concentrates.

bartender making a cocktail with handcrafted gin at Bellarine Distillery
Try a handcrafted cocktail at Bellarine Distillery.

Enjoy farm-to-table dining

With so many makers and growers throughout Geelong and the Bellarine, it’s difficult to taste all the best seasonal produce – unless you book a seat on The Q Train . This premier rail journey departs from the small township of Drysdale and heads to Queenscliff, and during the scenic three-hour return trip you’ll enjoy a five-course meal featuring local produce from Geelong, the Bellarine and the Otways.

guests enjoying a meal aboard the qtrain
Book a seat on The Q Train. (Image: Tourism Australia/ QTrain)

The famous Portarlington mussels might be served to your table steaming hot as you glide along; if not, head to the very tip of the peninsula and eat them freshly cooked with luxurious Portarlington Mussel Tours . The award-winning experience includes visiting a working mussel farm, cooking demonstrations and tastings. The company has also recently added Angasi oysters and scallops to its offering, with their much-anticipated Deluxe Seafood Tour launching soon.

For budding chefs who have been watching The Bear, Harvest Experience in Geelong takes you inside a professional kitchen where you’ll learn to cook fresh produce from its kitchen garden. If that sounds a little too labour intensive, you can simply sit back and relax at Piknik in Swan Bay; this welcoming cafe in a converted service station serves up the best local produce, with house-made ice cream, baked goods and preserves.

Cooked Mussels by the sea by Portarlington Mussel Tours
Try different dishes made with fresh mussels. (Image: Portarlington Mussel Tours)

Shop for handcrafted pantry fillers

After eating your way through this region, you’ll be looking to take some of the produce home to your own kitchen. Grab your sustainable shopping bag and look out for notable artisan products.

For extra virgin olive and citrus oils, visit Oakdene Vineyards Cellar Door to taste Lighthouse Olive Oil , or stock up on olives and cold-pressed olive oil at Manzanillo Olive Grove , a biodynamic farm that’s home to over 4500 trees and seven varieties of the fruit.

No visit to Geelong and the Bellarine is complete without a crusty sourdough loaf, pastries and crumbly croissants (that take five days to make) from the ever-popular Ket Baker . Pair the sourdough with handcrafted cultured butter from Lard Ass butter – the only butter factory on the Bellarine – and smoked salmon pate, smoked New Zealand Ōra King salmon or smoked salt from Bellarine Smokehouse .

a table spread with lardass butter
Take home some handcrafted butter. (Image: LardAss Butter)
Lucy Cousins
Lucy is an experienced travel and lifestyle writer who loves exploring Australia and further afield any chance she gets. Whether it's on the water, in the air, by car or on foot, she’s always planning her next new adventure with her family and rescue dog, Stella.
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Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict 

    Kellie FloydBy Kellie Floyd
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    The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

    The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

    This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

    a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park
    Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

    Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

    Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

    a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay
    A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

    And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento
    Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

    Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento .

    Playing there

    an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse
    Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

    Eating there

    Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.