Winter in Geelong doesn't mean hiding indoors. This vibrant coastal city comes alive in the cooler months, offering an irresistible mix of nature, culture, food, and fun, all with fewer crowds and stunning winter light. Whether you're a local looking to rediscover your hometown or a tourist planning a cosy coastal getaway, here are 10 unforgettable things to do in Geelong this winter.
1. Experience the Magic of Winter Glow at Adventure Park
From June 28 to August 9, Adventure Park transforms into a winter wonderland during its annual Winter Glow festival. Families can enjoy 150 tons of machine-made snow, dazzling light displays, fire twirling, ice sculpting, and a variety of theme park rides. It's a snowy escape without leaving the state, perfect for families, date nights, or a wholesome group outing.
2. Savour Local Flavours at the Winter Shiraz Festival
Celebrate the region's renowned Shiraz wines during the Winter Shiraz Festival from August 1 to 3. Participating wineries across the Bellarine, Surf Coast, and Moorabool Valley offer tastings, masterclasses, gourmet food pairings, and live music. It's a delightful way to explore the local wine scene and warm up during the winter chill.
3. Stroll Along the Geelong Waterfront
The Geelong Waterfront is beautiful in any season, but winter gives it a moody, cinematic quality that's hard to beat. Take a walk along Eastern Beach, grab a coffee from one of the waterfront cafes, and watch the light sit low over Corio Bay. On a clear winter morning, the reflections on the water are genuinely spectacular. It's one of those places that reminds you why people love living here, and why locals who've moved away still hang a print of it on their wall to stay connected to home.
If you want to take a piece of that feeling home, the Barwon Heads Art Print I (from $89) captures that same quiet coastal beauty that defines this part of the world. Geelong locals often tell us that looking at a print of a favourite local beach lifts their mood every time they sit down at their desk. It's a small thing, but it makes a real difference.
4. Explore the Geelong Botanic Gardens
The Geelong Botanic Gardens are worth visiting year-round, but winter strips things back in a way that makes the bones of the garden really stand out. The temperature drops, the crowds thin out, and the place takes on a quieter, more contemplative feel. Pack a thermos and take your time wandering through one of Victoria's most significant historic gardens.
5. Visit the Geelong Gallery
The Geelong Gallery is one of regional Victoria's most respected art institutions, and winter is a great time to visit when you want to slow down and spend a couple of hours properly engaging with the work. The permanent collection covers Australian and international art spanning more than 150 years, and the rotating exhibition program means there's almost always something new to see. If the gallery sparks an interest in bringing more art into your own home, it's worth browsing some of the local coastal photography available online from Geelong-based photographers. People are often surprised by how much a single well-chosen print can change the feel of a room.
6. Day Trip Down the Great Ocean Road
Winter is arguably the best time to drive the Great Ocean Road. The tour buses thin out, the light is dramatic and low, and the clifftop lookouts feel genuinely wild rather than crowded. Head south from Geelong through Torquay and Jan Juc, stop at Bells Beach to watch a swell rolling in, then keep going through Anglesea and Aireys Inlet toward Lorne. The Great Ocean Road in winter is a completely different experience to the summer version, and worth it for that reason alone.
If a coastal drive like this makes you want something on the wall to hold onto that feeling year-round, the Anglesea Art Print II (from $89) shows those warm ochre cliffs dropping down to a long stretch of golden sand from above. It's the kind of image that rewards a second look. You can read more about what makes this stretch of coast so photogenic in our local photographer's guide to Anglesea.
7. Watch the Surf at Bells Beach or Jan Juc
You don't need to be a surfer to appreciate Bells Beach in winter. A solid south swell and a cold offshore morning produces waves that are genuinely worth watching, and the clifftop viewing area gives you a wide perspective over the whole break. Jan Juc, just north of Bells, is a bit more sheltered and tends to draw a local crowd rather than the cameras and spectators that flock to Bells. Both are worth a visit if the swell is running. If you've never been down to Jan Juc before, our local guide to Jan Juc covers what makes it worth the trip.
The Bells Beach Art Print I (from $89) is one of those images that captures the quieter side of a world-famous beach. A dog enjoying the place all to himself on a still morning. It's a relaxed, honest shot of somewhere that usually gets photographed in full competition mode.
8. Catch a Game at GMHBA Stadium
The AFL winter footy season is in full swing, and there are few better ways to experience Geelong in winter than catching a Cats game at GMHBA Stadium. The atmosphere on a cold evening game is something else entirely, and the stadium sits close enough to the waterfront that you can make a full day of it. Grab a meal on Pakington Street beforehand and walk down to the ground. Even if you're not a Cats supporter, it's hard not to get swept up in the energy of a packed home crowd.
9. Browse the Makers Markets and Independent Shops
Geelong has a genuinely strong local maker scene, and winter weekends often bring pop-up markets and independent retail events to the CBD and inner suburbs. Pakington Street in Newtown and Little Malop Street in the city are good places to start. Local art, ceramics, clothing, food and homewares all tend to feature. If you're decorating a new home or looking for a gift for someone who loves this part of the world, browsing local makers is always a worthwhile use of a slow winter Saturday. Coastal photography prints from local Geelong photographers sit naturally alongside that kind of locally made, authentically sourced aesthetic.
10. Bring a Piece of Geelong Home
One of the things people often do after a winter visit to Geelong or the Surf Coast is look for something to take home that captures what they felt while they were here. A print of Eastern Beach, the Anglesea cliffs, or Bells Beach on a quiet morning can do exactly that. It goes on the wall at home and keeps that feeling alive through the months when you can't get back down.
Local Breaks is a Geelong-based coastal photography business. Sam, the photographer behind the prints, shoots primarily on the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula, and most of the work in the collection is shot from the air using a drone, giving a perspective of these places that most coastal photography simply doesn't have. Prints start from $89 and ship free anywhere in Australia, framed and ready to hang.
If you're looking for something specific to Geelong or the Surf Coast, the Barwon Heads Art Print I, Anglesea Art Print I, Bells Beach Art Print I, and Aireys Inlet Art Print I are all strong starting points. Each one is printed on archival materials with a 10-year warranty, and the classic timber frame comes in black, white or oak to suit most interiors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in Geelong in winter 2025?
Geelong has a solid mix of indoor and outdoor experiences that work well in winter. The Winter Glow festival at Adventure Park runs from late June through August and is great for families. The Winter Shiraz Festival in early August covers the Bellarine and Surf Coast wine regions. The Geelong Waterfront, Botanic Gardens and Geelong Gallery are all worth visiting in the cooler months when they're quieter and the light is at its best. A day trip down the Great Ocean Road toward Bells Beach and Anglesea is one of the better winter drives in Victoria.
Is Geelong worth visiting in winter?
Yes, genuinely. The crowds that fill the waterfront and Surf Coast beaches in summer are largely gone, and what you're left with is a
