
The landmarks in every guidebook — and the tours that tell you what guidebooks don't.
The Wadawurrung people called this place Djilang, a name that eventually became Geelong, and Europeans arrived in 1838 to find a natural harbor on Corio Bay ideally positioned to serve Australia's exploding wool trade. During the 1850s gold rush, Geelong's port was busier than Melbourne's, channeling fortune-hunters heading for the central Victorian goldfields and raw materials heading out to the world.
The city's character was shaped by a century of manufacturing that ranged from wool mills and fertilizer plants to the Ford vehicle plant at Norlane, which opened in the 1920s and ran until 2016.
Today the National Wool Museum, opened in 1988 in a bluestone woolstore near the waterfront, tells this industrial story honestly. The redeveloped waterfront, a long promenade stretching along Corio Bay, gives the city a confident, outward-facing presence that matches its history as a working port that actually worked.

Before you walk.
All 50+ languages, included with every booking.
Unlock every Geelong tour — plus thousands more worldwide. Cancel any time.

4.8 across the App Store and Google Play. Here's a few we keep coming back to.
This tour was such a great way to see the city. The stories were interesting without feeling too scripted, and I loved being able to explore at my own pace.
This was a solid way to get to know Brighton without feeling like a tourist. The narration had depth and context, but didn't overdo it.
Started this tour with a croissant in one hand and zero expectations. The app just vibes with you, no pressure, just you, your headphones, and some cool stories.