If you want to camp , try the City Southside Caravan Park on Barrabool Road, south of the Barwon River at Barwon Valley Park (tel 03/5243 3788; cabins $35-70), and the nearby Billabong Caravan Park (tel 03/5243 6225; cabins $35-50). For food , there's plenty of choice, especially along the foreshore where there is the Beach House Restaurant overlooking Eastern Beach, then Fishermans Pier Restaurant at the end of Yarra Street, Sailor's Rest on Moorabool Street, Bazil's Cafe next to Deakin University and Smorgy's Restaurant on Cunningham Pier. Another concentration of eateries is to be found along Malop and Little Malop streets, with fast-food outlets, cafes and the stylish Cats Bar Cafe and Restaurant at 90 Little Malop St. A bit further uphill at 51 McKillop St the Geelong Wintergarden in a former church now houses an antique centre, a nursery, shops and a very pleasant cafe.

To check out what's going on, pick up a copy of the free listings magazine   Forte , available at CD and record shops, and sometimes also at the visitor information centre. It covers the whole of southwest Victoria; as well as entertainment it has information on surfing, scuba diving and other activities. There's a surprisingly healthy local band scene in Geelong; check out Irish Murphy's , 30 Aberdeen St, the Wool Exchange Hotel , 59 Moorabool St, The Barwon Club Hotel at 509 Moorabool St, Lamby's Bar downstairs at the Wool Museum, and the Scottish Chief's Tavern & Restaurant at 99 Corio St which has its own microbrewery.

To get to the Bellarine Peninsula, take the Bellarine Transit bus , which departs from the Busport on Brougham Street (next to the Wool Museum) for Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, Point Lonsdale via Queenscliff, St Leonards via Portarlington, and Grovedale via Torquay and Jan Juc.