Geelong waterfront is a tourist holiday area on the Corio Bay's northern shores. The area was once part of the city harbour, which was abandoned for many years and was given a new lease of life in the 1990s.
Today, the city's waterfront offers many opportunities for entertainment and recreation. In the mid-1990s, local artist Ian Mitchell created the Baywalk Bollards, a sculptural composition of wooden sculptures with drawings depicting the history of the town. There are more than 100 of them in total and they are installed along the seafront between Rippleside and Cape Limeburners. At the western end of the seafront is the Deakin University campus, which has around 1500 students in fields such as architecture, construction management, nursing and occupational therapy.
At the end of Yarra Street is the wharf, which is now home to many restaurants. From here, helicopters take to the air for sightseeing tours. Much of the wharf was destroyed in a fire in 1988, but some of the structures have been rebuilt. The other wharf on the waterfront - Cunningham Wharf, is home to one of Geelong's finest restaurants, bars and cafes, offering, in addition to a gourmet menu, great views of Corio Bay and the city.
Moorabool Street, which fronts onto the waterfront, ends at Steampocket Wharf, where ferries, seaplanes and other vessels dock. At the Carousel Pavilion one can an 1892 steam-powered carousel and a Gavioli organ, made in 1898. The Royal Yacht Club is also housed here on the seafront Geelong, established in 1859, and built in the 1980s specifically for yachts Bay City Marina.
A favourite with residents and tourists alike is East Beach, also located on the Geelong waterfront.
