Geelong & Corio Bay
Geelong is Victoria's second city and a busy bulk port, tucked into Corio Bay at the far end of Port Phillip's western arm. For a yacht it's a long run up from the Heads through marked ship channels, ending at a city waterfront with a big yacht club. The bay is shallow outside the channels, and the bottom is soft mud with poor holding.
- 1Royal Geelong Yacht Club · OSM.
- 2Cunningham Pier · OSM.
- 3Balmoral Quay Marina · OSM.
- 4Limeburners Point ramp · OSM.
- 5Point Henry · OSM (Nominatim).
- 6Water quality buoy, Fl(2)Y.5s · Parks Victoria NtM 479-2026.
At a glance
| What it is | Ship port and city in Corio Bay, western Port Phillip |
| Channels | Point Richards, Wilson Spit and Hopetoun channels: 200 m wide, kept to 12.3 m, lit beacons (NGA) |
| Bar | Between Point Lillias and Point Henry: 5 m, drying 0.3 m in places (NGA) |
| Tides | Small: HAT 1.2 m at Geelong (NGA) |
| Port | Geelong is a commercial port; Ports Victoria issues the channel notices |
Getting in
The channels. NGA says ships approach Corio Bay through Point Richards Channel, Wilson Spit Channel and Hopetoun Channel, each marked by lit beacons numbered from seaward (IALA A). Hopetoun Channel crosses the bar between Point Henry and Point Lillias.
The bar. Corio Bay is fronted by a bar between Point Lillias and Point Henry, with 5 m but drying 0.3 m in places. A beacon stands on its east side about 0.7 mile SE of Point Lillias (NGA). Small craft outside the channel should watch the depth here.
Streams. NGA says the tidal currents in the western arm are weak and irregular, except where Hopetoun Channel crosses the bar, where the outgoing stream runs about 1 kn in its second quarter. There's a slight cross set at the east end of Wilson Spit Channel.
Ships. Keep clear of ships in the channels and swing basins, never anchor in a channel, and never tie up to a beacon (Parks Victoria). NGA lists the port's VHF channels as 12 and 16.
Anchoring and moorings
- Holding. NGA says the bottom in Corio Bay is soft mud and the holding isn't good.
- Public moorings. The Port Phillip guide says to contact Parks Victoria to use the public moorings at Limeburners Bay, near Geelong.
- Waterfront. OpenStreetMap shows the Royal Geelong Yacht Club marina, Cunningham Pier, Balmoral Quay Marina at Rippleside and the Limeburners Point ramp.
Current notices
- New buoy. A lit yellow special mark water quality monitoring buoy (Fl(2)Y.5s) has been laid in the Geelong Arm outer harbour at about 38°06.335'S 144°27.828'E (Parks Victoria NtM 479-2026, 19 October 2026).
- Diving works. From 26 October 2026, divers are taking sediment samples in five areas of the port, from the Corio Quay and Refinery Pier berths out through Hopetoun, Wilson Spit and Point Richards channels, between 0800 and 1500. Pass at under 5 kn, with minimum wash, at least 50 m off; dive boats fly flag Alpha (Ports Victoria NtM 487(T)-2026).
- Clifton Springs. Maintenance dredging at the Clifton Springs harbour entrance (Parks Victoria NtM 441(T)-2026).
Safety and radio
Geelong Coast Guard (flotilla VF8) is based in Swinburn Street, North Geelong, and covers Port Phillip (vic.gov.au). Marine Radio Victoria monitors VHF 16 (67 alternative) around the clock. In an emergency call on VHF 16 or ring 000.
Victorian rules in brief
- Heightened risk. On vessels up to 12 m underway, the Victorian Recreational Boating Safety Handbook counts these among the times of heightened risk: crossing an ocean bar, boating in a Designated Hazardous Area (Port Phillip Heads is one), boating from an hour after sunset to an hour before sunrise, in restricted visibility, or where a gale, storm force or severe weather warning is current. Lifejacket rules are tighter then; check the handbook's tables for your boat.
- Warnings. The Bureau of Meteorology issues strong wind (26 to 33 kn), gale (34 to 47 kn) and storm force (48 kn and over) warnings. Safe Transport Victoria strongly advises small craft not to go out when one is current.
- Radio. Marine Radio Victoria monitors VHF 16 (67 alternative) 24/7 out to 20 nm, gives forecasts twice daily, and broadcasts current warnings on VHF 67 at 48 minutes past every even hour (the first at 00:47), eastern standard time (handbook).
Ashore
What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. Listings as fetched from OpenStreetMap on 28 October 2026; check opening hours before you walk.
From Cunningham Pier (marina)
| Name | Type | Walk | Street address (OSM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bars, pubs and clubs | |||
| The Deck | Pub | 490 m | 2 Gheringhap Street, Geelong |
| Lambys | Nightclub | 520 m | 66 Brougham Street |
| Phoenix | Pub | 620 m | 59 Moorabool Street, Geelong 3220 |
| The Inn | Pub | 630 m | 58 Corio Street |
| Home House | Nightclub | 680 m | 40-42 Moorabool Street |
| The Brewery | Bar | 750 m | 2/73B Little Malop Street |
| plus 15 more within the walk | |||
| Restaurants and cafes | |||
| Hecho En Mexico | Restaurant | 310 m | 100 Western Beach Road, 3220 |
| Waterfront Kitchen | Restaurant | 310 m | – |
| Boat House Fish and Chips | Takeaway | 420 m | Western Foreshore Road |
| Bo Thai | Restaurant | 480 m | 7/ |
| Blis Ice Cream | Ice cream | 490 m | 8/ |
| Panache | Cafe | 490 m | 5/ |
| Fleur Wolves Cafe & Flowers | Cafe | 500 m | 49 Brougham Street, Geelong VIC 3220 |
| Shinya Ramen | Takeaway | 500 m | 8A Gheringhap Street |
| plus 92 more within the walk | |||
| Entertainment | |||
| The Carousel | Attraction | 400 m | 1-11 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong 3220 |
| Costa Hall | Theatre | 480 m | – |
| National Wool Museum | Museum | 530 m | 26-32 Moorabool Street |
| The Story House | Theatre | 990 m | – |
| plus 3 more within the walk | |||
| Supermarkets and provisioning | |||
| Bottlemart | Bottle shop | 780 m | 103 Mercer Street |
| Routleys Bakery | Bakery | 870 m | – |
| James Street Bakery | Bakery | 900 m | 10 James Street |
| Geelong Bakehouse | Bakery | 990 m | 151 Moorabool Street |
| Geelong Hot Bread Shop | Bakery | 1.0 km | 135 Ryrie Street |
| FoodWorks | Convenience store | 1.1 km | 69 Gheringhap Street |
From Royal Geelong Yacht Club (marina)
| Name | Type | Walk | Street address (OSM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bars, pubs and clubs | |||
| Royal Geelong Yacht Club | Yacht/boat club | 220 m | 25 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong 3220 |
| Malt Shovel Taphouse | Pub | 670 m | 7-21 Bellerine Street |
| Sir Charles Darling Hotel | Pub | 800 m | 38 Bellerine Street |
| Geelong Hotel | Pub | 880 m | 69 Yarra Street, Geelong |
| Jokers On Ryrie | Pub | 950 m | 211 Ryrie Street |
| Sweet Cheeks Cocktail & Dessert Lounge | Bar | 970 m | 71 Yarra Street, Geelong VIC 3220 |
| plus 1 more within the walk | |||
| Restaurants and cafes | |||
| The Yot | Cafe | 150 m | 25 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong VIC 3220 |
| Jetty Road Brewery | Cafe | 320 m | – |
| Wharf Shed | Restaurant | 410 m | 15 Eastern Beach Road |
| Gerry's Fresh Seafood | Takeaway | 450 m | – |
| Fisherman's Pier | Restaurant | 450 m | – |
| Roll'd | Takeaway | 590 m | – |
| Eastern Spice | Restaurant | 630 m | – |
| LP's Cafe and Bar | Restaurant | 650 m | – |
| plus 30 more within the walk | |||
| Entertainment | |||
| Ferris Wheel | Attraction | 300 m | – |
| Village Cinemas | Cinema | 1.1 km | 194-200 Ryrie Street |
| Supermarkets and provisioning | |||
| The Bottle-O | Bottle shop | 650 m | – |
| Westfield Geelong | Shopping centre | 790 m | 95-97 Malop Street |
| Coles | Supermarket | 820 m | – |
| Market Square | Shopping centre | 880 m | – |
| The Fresh Food Merchant | Greengrocer | 940 m | 138 Malop Street |
| 7-Eleven | Convenience store | 1.2 km | – |
| plus 2 more within the walk | |||
No marine stores or chandlers are mapped in OpenStreetMap within the walk.
Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 28 October 2026.
About this page
These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the official chart, the current notices to mariners from the Victorian port managers, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.
Official links
Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.
- Ports Victoria notices to mariners (Melbourne, Geelong, Hastings)
- Parks Victoria notices to mariners (Port Phillip & Western Port)
- Parks Victoria Port Phillip Recreational Boating Guide, 7th ed. (PDF)
- Victorian Recreational Boating Safety Handbook (Safe Transport Victoria, PDF)
- Bureau of Meteorology: coastal waters forecasts
- Bureau of Meteorology: warnings (incl. marine wind warnings)
- Bureau of Meteorology: tide predictions
- Marine Search and Rescue unit locations (vic.gov.au)
Sources & credits
Written in our own words from Ports Victoria and Parks Victoria notices to mariners and the Parks Victoria Port Phillip Recreational Boating Guide (7th edition, 2020), NGA Pub. 127 Sailing Directions (Enroute) South and East Coasts of Australia, 16th edition (2025, corrected to 30 July 2026), the Victorian Recreational Boating Safety Handbook (Safe Transport Victoria, 2024 edition), the vic.gov.au Marine Search and Rescue unit list and OpenStreetMap, all read on 28 October 2026. NGA Pub. 127 Sector 1 (1.31) for the port, channels, tides and anchorage.
Parks Victoria. Facts from the Parks Victoria notices to mariners, the Port Phillip and Western Port Recreational Boating Guides, the boating and swimming zones pages and the Gabo Island, Refuge Cove and Wilsons Promontory pages, restated and summarised in our own words. Parks Victoria web content is CC BY 4.0 unless marked otherwise; the boating guides and notices are linked, not reproduced. Not endorsed by Parks Victoria.
Gippsland Ports. Facts from Gippsland Ports notices to mariners, navigation warnings, local navigation notices and port pages, cited for fact only and linked, not reproduced. The current notices prevail.
Ports Victoria. Notices to mariners for the ports of Melbourne, Geelong and Hastings, cited for fact only.
Safe Transport Victoria. Facts from the Victorian Recreational Boating Safety Handbook (2024 edition), restated in our own words and linked, not reproduced. The handbook and the Marine Safety Act 2010 and its regulations prevail.
Bureau of Meteorology. Tide, tidal stream and forecast pages are linked, not reproduced; the Port Phillip Heads slack-water guidance is summarised.
NGA. Background from NGA Pub. 127, Sailing Directions (Enroute) South and East Coasts of Australia, U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a US Government work in the public domain. Parts of it are old; where a page leans on it, we say so. Not endorsed by NGA.
OpenStreetMap. Map tiles, facility positions and the Ashore lists © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Victorian Government. Marine search and rescue units from the vic.gov.au unit list, checked on the date shown in the rescue box.
Last checked: 28 October 2026.
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