i belong in geelong.

As we mentioned before, Ben gets to do some traveling over the next few months, for various work projects. For the last two weeks he's been working in the city of Geelong, about 75 kilometres south-west of Melbourne. Because it's only an hour-long train ride from home, I had the opportunity to come out for a few visits in between various job interviews and appointments. 

I had a really, really great time. And I'm kind of in love with this city.

the Geelong carousel is a popular attraction for children, and a great place to enjoy the sunrise.

The second most populated area in the state of Victoria, downtown Geelong is right on the water, surrounding Corio Bay. This makes for some beautiful sunrises in the morning:

after enjoying a sunrise in the rain, I turned around to see this.

boats and a black swan on a mission.

Geelong is also home to the Baywalk Bollards, created by Australian artist Jan Mitchell in the late 90's. Over 100 of these painted sculptures are scattered around the city, created from the ruins of an old demolished pier. Many of them represent important figures from the history of Geelong, and some of them are decorated with fun props such as bikes and umbrellas.

each bollard is unique, detailed, and beautiful.

The wool industry is an important part of Geelong's history. It was the home of the first woollen mills in the 1800's, and for many years was known as the "wool centre of the world." The National Wool Museum features three floors of detailed and informative exhibits, as well as an actual working loom that makes beautiful carpets (for sale at the gift shop, of course!). The museum chronicles the history of wool in Australia - from the arrival of sheep on the first fleet in 1788, to the living conditions of shearers and mill-workers, to the transformation of coarse wool into colourful fabrics.

 

the still-working Komet Knitter machine, knitting socks with ease.

wool exhibits.

a real, working 1910 Axminster Jacquard carpet loom in action.

A few blocks away from the wool museum is the Geelong Gallery, a free art museum and one of Australia's oldest regional galleries. It holds a large collection of Australian and international paintings, artefacts, and mixed media, ranging from the colonial period to modern day. My favourite works were part of a temporary exhibit called Ex libris, a collection of art inspired by the physical form of books, featuring eight contemporary artists. I had an amazing time here, and highly recommend visiting the gallery.

The Eastern beach is a beautiful area in Geelong, with a large children's swimming pool and a recreational swimming area enclosed within a circular boardwalk. The palm trees give it a resort vibe, and it's a great place for families to relax and hang out.

view from the boardwalk

Finally, I got to spend some time exploring the Geelong Botanic Gardens. Established in 1851 and renovated in 2002, the gardens are a collection of diverse plants from all over the world. There are weekly guided tours given by volunteers every Sunday, and the gardens are also used as a venue for weddings and other functions. 

It's a bummer that Ben is usually hard at work during my adventures. We did have some free time on Saturday, so I was able to show him the Eastern Beach and Botanic Gardens, which he loved.

I had a great time exploring the city, and am so happy that it's only an hour away from Melbourne. Hopefully we'll be able to return for a long weekend getaway, so I can show Ben more of my favourite spots. I can totally see us settling down here - a cosy area surrounded by art, beautiful sunrises on the water, community events, and just a great vibe in general.

I belong in Geelong.

Or at least, somewhere like it.

CK