September 2009

Down by the Waterfront

Geelong is kicking back to its glory days thanks to new attractions and an influx of fresh faces

WORDS TIM RICHARDS

“The lovely thing about Geelong is that not everybody knows about it. Away from Melbourne’s spotlight, we can still enjoy it like it’s a small country town!”

I’m having coffee with an enthusiastic man from the 19th century. At least, it looks that way. Tour guide Colin Mockett is dressed in a black top hat, bright red cravat and riding boots, and looks like nothing less than a wealthy Victorian gentleman out on the town.

Geelong was certainly rich in those days. Boosted by gold rush wealth in the 1850s, it became a centre of the wool industry after that, then diversified into other manufacturing. In the 21st century, after wool’s decline, this industrial city has finally reinvented itself as a place of more diverse interests. The symbol of its renewal is its once decaying waterfront, now restored to vitality by sensitive restoration of its Victorian-era features.

I follow Mockett along Brougham Street past the National Wool Museum, which houses a massive working loom, a sock-knitting machine, and replicas of a shearer’s hut and a mill-worker’s cottage. Just down the road is the Ford Discovery Centre, a car museum dedicated to another Geelong export. Today, however, I’m being taken on a tour of the city’s famous waterfront bollards.

There are over 100 of these colourful carved and painted timber figures, each representing a person from Geelong’s past. They were crafted by artist Jan Mitchell from the remains of a demolished pier, and are intensely admired by both locals and visitors.

“Everyone has their photograph taken with the bandsmen,” confirms Mockett, referring to a group of red-jacketed wooden musicians within Steampacket Gardens on the bay’s edge. “There are also lots of bathing belles, because they used to hold the bathing competition, Miss Geelong, down at Eastern Beach. But one of the most popular bollards is the lady who used to run the sweet shop!”

After the tour, I walk east from the strikingly white Cunningham Pier to the quay where I’m due to board a flight with Bay City Seaplanes’ owner and pilot, Greg Bolton. We taxi out into Corio Bay, boarding our flight on the water’s edge.

“The experience of taking off and landing on the water is unique,” says Bolton when he sees my look of amazement. “There’s a real glamour about a seaplane. It’s a bit of a boat, a bit of an aeroplane, a great marriage of the two.”

Before long we’re in the air, following a long curve over Geelong. Looking down, I can see industrial complexes and residential areas, contained within a rigid grid of streets. What’s also remarkable is the number of sporting grounds near the city centre, islands of green as seen from the air.

Back on terra firma, I head toward a more recent landmark — The Carousel. This renovated merry-go-round, with its carved wooden horses and carriages, began its life in New York in 1892, before being shipped to Victoria.

It seems odd to be riding a wooden horse just a few minutes after going up in a sleek seaplane, but such a trip back to my childhood is irresistible.

As are the food options along the waterfront. Lunch is at the Wharf Shed Café, a friendly informal eatery in a renovated shed right on the shore. Above it is Le Parisien, a classy French restaurant. And across the road is Edge, a shiny modern bar with a white interior, lots of natural light, and menus contained within old vinyl record covers. Nearby is The Stuffed Olive, an impressive delicatessen with all the exotic foodstuffs you’d need for a sophisticated picnic overlooking the bay.

I walk further east, enjoying bay views, to the Geelong Botanic Gardens in Eastern Park. Its newest section is the oval-shaped 21st-century garden, featuring water-efficient plants. In its centre is a bed of raked gravel set with crescent-shaped beds of native pelargoniums, and the entrance to the park is dominated by spiky metal sculptures reminiscent of desert plants.

Volunteer guide Jill McGuinness thinks the Gardens are one of Geelong’s hidden secrets. “It’s amazing how many people haven’t been here, or didn’t realise it was here. It’s a wonderful resource for the city.”

As I take in the fresh air among the peaceful greenery, I have to agree.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Billy Brownless is a famous son of Geelong, both as a former member of Geelong’s AFL football team and as a presenter on the Nine Network’s The Footy Show. We ask him about his favourite places in the city.

What do you love about Geelong?
“You’ve got fantastic schools here, all the shops you want; it’s a very relaxed city. Its best kept secret is the waterfront. But my personal favourite, of course, is the Geelong Football Club.”

Where do you eat?
“On the water at Fishermen’s Pier. And for a good cheap meal, the Valley Inn.”

Where do you hang out on a sunny day?
“Eastern Beach with the kids. There’s a fantastic area with a pool and playgrounds.”

What about for a drink with your mates?
“Edge is a good, relaxed bar, and there are a couple of great pubs: the Lord of the Isles and the Sawyers Arms.”

What about shopping?
“I leave that to the missus. There are great shopping centres right in town, close to the waterfront.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------