New gourmet destination on the Bellarine Peninsula

Oakdene is one of the standout wine producers on the Bellarine Peninsula outside Geelong.

Now the Hooley family behind Oakdene is opening a new multi-million dollar wine, art and dining destination later this week.

Quiddity Place, surrounded by vines and olive groves (above), brings together a restaurant (Hidden Frog, led by chef Dwayne Bourke, who has 25+ years of experience), a cellar door and two art galleries.

There will also be boutique vineyard accommodation overlooking Swan Bay.

The sprawling Mannerim property has 60 acres of vines and more than 6,000 olive trees producing Lighthouse Olive Oil.

The family-friendly, non smoking facility features a gift shop, electric vehicle charging point and function spaces. 

Hidden Frog will open for lunch Wednesday to Sunday, and dinner Friday and Saturday nights. 

Think small plates like pan-seared scallops with edamame puree and miso butter, or pork belly with maple caramel pears, kohlrabi and radish salad. 

Bigger plates may include baked Roman-style pumpkin gnocchi with tomato sugo, broccolini and gremolata, or slow-cooked lamb shoulder, red pepper jam, zucchini caponata and new potatoes. 

All dishes can be matched with Oakdene wines. 

See https://www.quiddityplace.com.au/

Booming Geelong adds another place to stay

Booming Geelong keeps adding hotel rooms to meet growing demand.

Choice Hotels' Bayside Geelong Hotel & Apartments, an Ascend Collection Hotel, has unveilied the first stage of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment of its waterfront property.

The transformation of the circa 1962 property, originally known as Hamilton Hume Motor Inn and more recently Quality Hotel Bayside Geelong, sees it re-emerge as a 4.5-star, 110-room boutique hotel.

The project has generated approximately 300 construction jobs and created 75 operational roles. Once complete in late 2026, the hotel will feature a new façade and a fine dining restaurant with sweeping views of Corio Bay.

Stage one is now complete and has seen 60% of the original structure demolished to make way for:

* a new lobby and guest arrival space
* Franca's Ristorante, an all-day Italian-inspired dining venue
* 79 newly built guest rooms
* seven flexible meeting and event spaces
* a fitness centre, sauna, and indoor lap pool with accessibility hoist.

Kevin Robe, general manager, Bayside Geelong Hotel & Apartments, said the redevelopment is about more than just bricks and mortar.

“We're creating a hotel that reflects the spirit of Geelong - its history, its people, and its future. From the architecture and interiors to the smallest design details, we've drawn inspiration from our stunning bay front location, the region's wool and textile heritage, and its Indigenous roots,” he said.

“We're proud to offer a contemporary, inclusive, and welcoming space for travellers from across Victoria, interstate and overseas - whether they're here for business, leisure, or one of the region's many iconic events.”

Inclusivity and accessibility have been a key focus in the refurbishment plans, with 10 accessible rooms, including seven twin share options ideal for families, carers, and guests travelling together.

Franca's Ristorante, named in honour of the hotel's founder Francesca, is headed by executive chef John Hornsey, whose career spans working in Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury venues in the UK, Caribbean and Australia.

“Bayside Geelong Hotel & Apartments is a shining example of what the Ascend brand represents, unique, locally connected, and independently owned hotels that offer authentic experiences,” said Trent Fraser, CEO of Choice Hotels Asia-Pacific.

For more info see https://www.choicehotels.com/en-au/victoria/geelong/quality-inn-hotels/au387

A chance to sample some of Australia's best wines

Coravin, a leader in wine preservation business, is teaming up with Halliday Wine Companion, the definitive guide to Australian wine, to showcase some of the country's top drops in September.

The collaboration will see wine lovers able to taste their way through sparkling wines, riesling, pinot noir, and grenache, from the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards at venues that use the Coravin system.

The tour will be gracing venues across Sydney, Victoria, and Adelaide, for the month of September: Fix Wine Bar & Restaurant in Sydney, Archive Wine Bar in Geelong and 2KW Bar & Restaurant in Adelaide.

The Coravin World Wine Tour special-edition wine list includes Halliday’s recently awarded ‘Wine of the Year: Oakridge 864 Drive Block Funder & Diamond Vineyard Chardonnay 2022.

Patrons will be able to enjoy the winning wines in either full-sized glasses or sample-sized tasting pours.

“When Halliday unveils its top wines, the wine world listens," says Coravin founder Greg Lambert.

"It’s notoriously difficult to get your hands on these truly exceptional wines once they have been announced as winners.

"It's long been our aim to make the world of fine wine more accessible by the glass, so we’ve partnered with Halliday for our second-ever Coravin World Wine Tour in Australia to give wine fans the opportunity to taste the country's top wines without hassle, commitment, or the price tag, of purchasing them by the bottle.”

Coravin devises are used by wine professionals to preserve their wine’s freshness for weeks or even months.

The Coravin World Wine Tour is running in five countries over September, including the United States, United Kingdom.

For more details visit www.coravin.com.au/pages/coravin-world-wine-tour

Geelong to get new 200-room Crowne Plaza hotel

Geelong's new convention centre will be anchored by a Crowne Plaza hotel, the IHG Group announced.

The new-build 200-room Crowne Plaza Geelong will open in 2026, part of the Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre precinct development project, which forms part of the Geelong City Deal - a collaboration between the Australian and Victorian governments and the City of Greater Geelong.

The new complex will feature a 1,000-seat venue, two large exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, conference facilities and flexible event spaces.

New retail spaces will feature hospitality offerings, and a large public plaza will become a feature of the Geelong waterfront.

The Crowne Plaza Geelong is expected to include suites up to 57sqm in size, a restaurant and bar offering, as well as a pool and gym.

And, while it will be connected to the convention and exhibition centre the hotel itself will also feature meeting spaces.

With the new 180-room Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong due to open in September this year, IHG is on track to be the largest global hotel operator in Geelong.

It continues IHG's suburban and regional expansion in Victoria that has also seen it add Holiday Inn Dandenong earlier in the year, Holiday Inn Werribee in 2021 and InterContinental Sorrento in 2022.

It will also open six new hotels in Greater Melbourne in the next 12 months under the Crowne Plaza, voco, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn brands.

Cameron Burke, IHG Hotels & Resorts' Director of Development for Australasia and Pacific, said: “We're thrilled to be planning this partnership with Plenary Group and extending our reach across regional Victoria with the Crowne Plaza brand.

“This is an incredibly exciting development, and we will be delighted to be part of a precinct that will become a crown jewel for the city of Geelong."

Spirit of Tasmania: a major step forward or a ferry bad mistake?

Melbourne is a global city, alive with art, culture, fashion and gourmet attractions.

Geelong is a very nice place, but has none of these attributes.

But anyone wanting to catch a ferry from Tasmania to the Australian mainland will no longer be docking in Melbourne.

As of October 22, the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Devonport to the mainland will bid farewell to Station Pier, Port Melbourne, and operate from a new "state-of-the-art" terminal, the Spirit of Tasmania Quay at Corio Bay in Geelong (above).

The TT Line, which operates the ferries, is beside itself with excitement, saying: "The brand-new, purpose-designed Spirit of Tasmania Quay terminal will be fitted with cutting-edge technology and exceptional facilities for an enhanced travel experience.

"With easy access and ample parking, undercover areas for vehicles, seamless boarding and security processes, and comfortable passenger lounge with a café and children's play area, our new Geelong terminal will make your journey truly unforgettable." 

Unfortunately, a lot of regular passengers, who actually want to go to Melbourne, are less than thrilled, as was underlined by a story in The Age newspaper this week.

The final sailing from Melbourne will depart Station Pier on the evening of Saturday, October 22, and the first sailing will arrive in Geelong at Spirit of Tasmania Quay on the morning of Sunday, October 23.

The change comes after 37 years and many people are asking a one-word question. Why?

Even the Spirit's own website is not sure how foot passengers will make their way from the new Quay in North Geelong to the city of Melbourne. 

"GeelongPort is working with the Department of Transport and City of Greater Geelong to investigate opportunities to connect Spirit of Tasmania Quay to surrounding transport hubs and popular destinations," it says.

The closest stations are North Shore Station and North Geelong Station.

The problem is that a simple look at Google Maps shows these are a 1.4km and 1.9km walk respectively from the terminal. That's a fair walk in the rain with a suitcase.

And people in the transport industry point out that freight will now have to go by road to and from Geelong, sometimes in peak-hour traffic, rather than being loaded and unloaded right on the Melbourne waterfront. 

Oops! But I'm sure someone has done well out of the new $135 million, 12-hectare passenger and freight terminal.

Geelong has designs on tourists

Geelong is a very attractive small city that is an easy day trip from Melbourne. It is surrounded by wine regions and is home to several popular beach hamlets.

What most people probably do not know, however, is that Geelong is preparing to celebrate its title as Australia’s only designated UNESCO Creative City of Design when it hosts Geelong Design Week (GDW) from March 17-27.

Musician and actress Clare Bowditch will launch the 10-day program with an opening event at the Palais Theatre, a classic Art Deco building that has been refurbished after lying dormant since 2016.

Titled, Big Dreams, creative resilience and the stories we tell ourselves: an evening with Clare Bowditch, the event is open to the public with limited tickets available for sale for only $35 (plus booking fee).

Guests will enjoy refreshments on arrival, entertainment, and a discussion of how we can still dream big and show creative resilience despite the impact of Covid-19.

The theme for this year’s GDW is taur which translates as "belonging" in the language of the Wadawurrung people, Traditional Owners of Djilang (Geelong).

Wadawurrung artist Deanne Gilson has created a piece of artwork - Yalik Beek Murrup (Water, Country, Spirit) which will be the signature design for all the event signage.

Featuring the traditional mark of the wave pattern used by Deanne’s ancestors, the artwork’s synergy with the city by the sea is reflected.

More than 6000 people attended GDW in 2021, with 69 events held across the region.

This year's events will be grouped under the banners of eight themes including: Art, Craft, Fashion; Culture and Heritage; Equity, Inclusiveness and Encounter in the Built Environment; Learning, Knowledge and Research; Social and Community Services; Sustainability; Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing and Visual Communications and Multimedia.

Several of those sound like they could only have been thought of by a committee of numbskulls. "Equity, Inclusiveness and Encounter in the Built Environment"? Seriously?

Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan said the 10-day program will boost Geelong’s reputation as a design-focused city, while also providing a boost to the local tourism, arts and hospitality sectors.

“Geelong is a city that continues to reinvent itself through the use of creative design,” he said.

“Design is fundamental to the way we live. The revitalisation of our CBD with new cultural institutions and a rich design culture shows that Geelong continues to change and grow.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors from our region and beyond, as we proudly present this inspirational, educational and dynamic event program.”

Go to www.geelongdesignweek.com.au for more information on the event program.

Turning back time as a new whisky makes its debut

Meet Bad Boy Billy, the first whisky to be made in the Geelong region for four decades that will be released on April 26. 

Billy is the first barrel of single malt whisky from Bellarine Distillery. 

The release maintains the tradition of naming their products after the family’s four-legged friends with the honour of the first barrel goes to Billy the Staffordshire terrier distillery dog.

 Bad Boy Billy will be the first whisky to be made, matured and bottled in the Geelong region since the closure of Corio Distillery in the 1980s.

 

Bellarine Distillery was established in 2015 by Russell Watson & Lorelle Warren, with the dream of making a single malt whisky.

 

Commercial production began in 2017, when distillery manager Craig Michael joined the team and in 2019 he and his wife Nicky came on board as business partners.

 

While Bellarine Distillery’s much anticipated whisky was maturing, the team were working on releasing their award-winning gin range.

 

Bellarine Distillery’s cellar door, The Whiskery, opened in 2018 and has proved immensely popular in showcasing the gin range, including the popular Teddy & The Fox. 

“Since opening early 2018, the cellar door has proven to be a popular venue for visitors both local and far and wide, with our gin products now being sent all over Australia,” says Russell Watson. 

  

“From the beginning, however, the dream was to produce our own single malt whisky, made, matured and bottled on the Bellarine.” 

 

Bad Boy Billy - a single-cask release - will produce a very limited number of bottles but the team has been constantly laying down barrels to secure greater volume releases in the future.

 

See www.bellarinedistillery.com.au 

Putting on the Ritz: hotel reopens after 40 years

The Ritz Hotel Geelong, a heritage-listed landmark building in the heart of the city, has sat neglected for nearly 40 years. 

Now, after an extensive makeover, it will re-open its doors to the public on March 1.

Formerly known as the Belle-Vue Hotel, the Bay View Hotel, the Ozone Hotel and The Ritz Flats, the original building was constructed in around 1854. 

The Ritz will launch with 128 rooms and apartments over nine floors. Many rooms will have views over Geelong's north-facing waterfront and city skyline. 

It’s fair to say the modern facade will not please everyone  

Just five minutes' walk to Eastern Beach, Ritz Hotel Geelong aims to offers visitors a 4.5-star full-service hotel experience with hotel rooms, one- and two-bedroom self-contained apartments, pet-friendly apartments and a 24-hour reception desk.

All guest rooms are air-conditioned and have LCD TV, free high-speed wifi, free cable channels, refrigerator, espresso machine, tea and coffee making facilities, room safes, and laundry facilities.

The apartments have a full kitchen with a microwave, dishwasher and cooking facilities.

The building has been designed for energy efficiency, with solar panel roofing, 7-star energy ratings in the guest rooms, plus argon gas-filled windows for heat and sound proofing.  

The hotel provides guests with seven levels of secure undercover car parking including a dedicated bike parking area, plus two solar powered electric-vehicle charge stations.  

The on-site Ritz Cafe, overlooking Austin Park towards the bay, will serve breakfasts. 

The property is located within an easy walk to Westfield Shopping Centre, Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Geelong's waterfront restaurants and cafes, hospitals, universities and cultural attractions, local golf course, and with easy access to the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast.  

It has in the past been used as a coffee shop and a boarding house. 

As much as possible, interior fittings and furnishings have been sourced from local Geelong, and Australian makers. Local companies worked on room interiors, beds are made in Victoria, tables made in Geelong and artwork from Melbourne.

For bookings see www.ritzhotelgeelong.com.au