The Melbourne Reprise and Surprise (Part 4): Gee, It's A Long Way To Geelong!

- May 18, 2025, Sunday.

- In a land far far away (from Melbourne CBD), lies a port city called Geelong ("jee-long"). Geelong is known for many things, such as the sea, wool, football, art, among other things. Geelong is roughly a one hour train ride from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station, via VLine's Geelong line.

The VLine train is known for its bright purple color.

- Geelong's downtown is compact and easy to walk from place to place. It doesn't take long for one to reach the waterfront from the train station. The waterfront is home to many iconic landmarks and art installations, many of which were part of the 1990s redevelopment of the waterfront. People often like visiting Cunningham Pier, the Carousel Pavilion (with a functional preserved carousel from 1892!), and the numerous painted bollards across various places in the waterfront.

"North" by Mark Stoner. This is a public art installation near the Cunningham Pier and the Carousel Pavilion. They are meant to resemble sails or fins.

Cunningham Pier, built in the 1850s as a convenient port located neer the train station. Eventually it became a fisherman's port with a restaurant. 

These colorful bollards were made using wood from the old piers. Artist Jan Mitchell breathed new life into these bollards in the 1990s and are now all over Geelong to welcome visitors and say hello to passersby. These bollards are Victoria Baths Swimmers. 

Geelong Baths Swimming Club.

Bolunteer Rifle Band performing the Geelong polka.

Buoys sculpture at Steampacket Gardens.

Morning sun with the view of a rather new pier.

You can ride this toy train across the waterfront.

Joy Ark Sandwich Board Man (who used to promote silent movies shown at the Joy Ark theater that used to stand by the waterfront), and the Giant Sky Wheel behind. 

Bathing Beauties from the 1930s.

I rode the Giant Sky Wheel because why not. It's been years since I last been on a ferris wheel.

The ride was very stable and it went several rounds. I got to see a good aerial view of the Geelong waterfront!

Brunch.

Carousel Pavilion. And yes, this carousel has been going at it since 1892!

- After walking through the waterfront and having brunch, I visited the National Wool Museum. Although it was opened in 1988, the building that houses the wool museum was known as the Dennys, Lascelles, Ltd. Woolstore established in the 1850s. The museum shows the evolving technology of sheering and manufacturing wool products. 

National Wool Museum.

This giant sheep head made of flowers once belonged to a whole floral sheep used as part of a parade!

Machines used to spin wool.

How sheep were kept back then.

Actual taxidermied sheep.

Wool.

Podium used for auctioning wool (as can be seen at the black and white photo at the back.)

- From the museum I had a long walk to the Geelong Gaol Museum (again, "gaol" is the British spelling of "jail"). The Geelong Gaol was opened in the 1850s until it closed in 1991. It was not a big jail (gaol?) but as any jail, it was a bit creepy being inside. It did help that the museum was well lit, contrary to most prison museums I have visited, and there were other visitors. 

Passed by the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels on the way to the Geelong Gaol Museum. The basilica was completed in 1937. 

Geelong Gaol Museum.

It's a torture box. Prisoners are placed inside and depending on what is needed, the box can be repeatedly submerged in water, or hung from a high place, you name it.

This is just the hallway on the way to the main prison.

Ned Kelly gang armor. These steel armors were used by the criminal Ned Kelly and his other robber friends especially when fighting with the police.

Main prison.

Stairs.

Upper-level cells.

- While walking towards the train station, I had a brief photo shop at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre at Johnstone Park. This new building was built in 2015, and resembles a big shiny orb. 

Johnstone Park, with the Geelong Gallery at the side, and the Geelong Library at the back.

Geelong Library.

From the corner.

- I had a good rest during the train ride back to Melbourne CBD. I didn't realize how much walking I had done during the day! That evening, I also had a nice catch up session with my kindergarten and grade school teacher Margaret and her husband Caslon. I was happy that we were able to see each other during this trip since the last time we met was when I went to Melbourne n 2022. They're like my family in Melbourne!

Thank you for meeting me!! <3 <3 <3 <3

- Visiting Geelong gave me time to breathe and just be in the moment. Even though I spent the whole day chasing painted bollards and museums, Geelong's vibe was just so chill yet exciting, calm yet colorful! 

** Check out my other adventures in Melbourne/Victoria here!

Part 1: Revisiting Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) - here

Part 2: La Trobe University Graduation - here

Part 3: Werribee - here

Part 5: Melbourne Central and Titanic VR - here

Part 6: Bendigo - here

Part 7:  The Lume and Dax Centre - here

Part 8: Hot Air Balloon, NGV, UniMelb, State Library, and Hello Kitty Cafe - here