Home to the last lifeboat to serve the Rip (the treacherous stretch of water linking Port Phillip Bay to Bass Strait) , this recommended museum has displays on the intriguing current-day pilot-boat process, shipwrecks, lighthouses and steamships. Head out the back to see the heritage-listed 1895 boat shed, with paintings that served as a record of passing ships in the bay.
Queenscliffe Maritime Museum
Bellarine Peninsula
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Botanic Gardens
17.59 MILES
Geelong's botanic gardens (established in 1851) are the fourth oldest in Australia and make for a peaceful stroll or picnic. Aim to get here for a…
Geelong Waterfront
18.5 MILES
Geelong's sparkling revamped waterfront precinct is a great place to stroll, with plenty of restaurants set on scenic piers, plus historical landmarks, a…
Arthurs Seat Eagle
16.59 MILES
Climb aboard one of the modern Swiss-built gondolas on this iconic chairlift to enjoy an all-encompassing view stretching as far as Melbourne's city…
Boom Gallery
19.02 MILES
Down an industrial street off Pakington St, Boom's warehouse space in an old woollen mill shows contemporary works by Melbourne and local artists. It…
Cape Schanck Lighthouse
19.71 MILES
Built in 1859, this working lighthouse sits in majesty on the peninsula's remote southwest tip. It's part of a historic precinct that you can explore…
Werribee Open Range Zoo
23.59 MILES
Meerkats greet you at the entrance to this 225-hectare partly free-range zoo, 34km southwest of Melbourne. Admission includes a guided tour in a safari…
Eastern Beach
18.08 MILES
Making up part of Geelong's scenic waterfront are this sandy beach and art deco bathing pavilion. There's classic European-style enclosed bay swimming,…
Nearby Bellarine Peninsula attractions
1. Observation Tower
0.24 MILES
Check out incredible 360-degree views from this tower at Queenscliff's harbour.
2. Salt Contemporary Art
0.31 MILES
Within a heritage building on the main street, this quality gallery focuses on the work of contemporary Australian artists, including pieces by Indigenous…
3. Queenscliff Historical Museum
0.38 MILES
This small museum on the main strip is dedicated to the area's rich local history. Exhibits change every few months, but its catalogued historical…
4. Queenscliff Gallery
0.46 MILES
A lovely space inside a historic stone church (c 1868), this worthwhile gallery exhibits works by contemporary Australian artists who work on paper…
5. Seaview Gallery
0.5 MILES
Pop by this lovely main-street gallery to see works by established and emerging Australian artists.
6. Fort Queenscliff
0.68 MILES
Queencliff's fort was first used as a coastal defence in 1882 to protect Melbourne from a feared Russian invasion. It remained a base until 1946, and was…
7. Marine & Freshwater Discovery Centre
1.66 MILES
While this education centre is aimed at schoolchildren, it's worth popping in to have a gawk at the local species that live in the sea and lakes. Display…
8. Fort Nepean
2.71 MILES
Established in the late 1870s, Fort Nepean played an important role in Australia's military defence. Located at the far western tip of the national park,…