Queenscliff

Introduction

Queenscliff is a beachside town located just inside the entrance to Port Phillip Bay on the Bellarine Peninsula about 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne. This charming town perched between the shores of Swan and Port Phillip Bays is both beautiful and historic. Historical Queenscliff had been used as a military base, a fishing village and fort (which remains today). Queenscliff boasts wonderful architecture, demonstrative of the town's rich past. The beauty of this coastal town lies in the juxtaposition between the dramatic cliffs and the grand old Victorian-era hotels, the fort, the black lighthouse and the old pilot boat shed on the Queenscliff pier.

Sights and Activities

• The Bellarine Railway is a delightful old steam train running along a scenic 16kms between Queenscliff and the hinterland village of Drysdale.
• Queenscliff's Maritime Museum details the extended maritime history of Queenscliff and southern Port Phillip Bay. Including an extensive maritime library, original fisherman's cottage, and an early boat building shed, the museum is open Monday to Friday 10:30am - 4:30pm and Saturday & Sunday 1:30pm - 4:30pm.

For more ideas, stop by the Queenscliff Visitor Information Centre which provides a one-stop shop for all information on sights and activities in Queenscliff, including tour and accommodation information, brochures and maps.

Events and Festivals

• Held in November, the Queenscliff Music Festival boasts more than 100 artists on 10 stages across 3 days. Tickets usually go on sale in late August/early September.
• The Queenscliff Seafood Feast is the biggest Australian seafood festival and includes a smorgasbord of seafood delights donated by professional fisherman and prepared for the public by volunteers and local restaurants. This annual fundraising event for the Royal Children's Hospital combines superb seafood with live bands and performers throughout the day on Good Friday.

Getting There

By Plane

Melbourne's Avalon airport is approximately 50 minutes from Queenscliff and has a mini-bus service to connect travellers with Queenscliff.

For travellers flying into Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, take the Gull airport shuttle to to Geelong and make a connection with McHarry’s bus service to Queenscliff.

By Train

Regular V-Line rail services run between Melbourne and Geelong. Trains connect with McHarry’s bus service to Queenscliff.

By Car

Queenscliff is approximately 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne's CBD.

By Bus

Regular coach services operate on a daily basis from Melbourne.

By Boat

An hourly ferry runs seven days a week between Queenscliff and Sorrento with the journey taking approximately 40 minutes.

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

Australia Post is the government's postal service. Most reasonably sizable townssuburbs will have at least one post office. A standard letter or postcard sent within Australia will cost $0.55. Internationally, it costs $1.40 to send postcards anywhere in the world. Letters cost $1.45 to send within the Asia Pacific region and $2.10 to anywhere else in the world. ^[1]. It is also possible to send things as parcels or by express mail.