Hi there Reader
This week has been a doozy.
- Recorded lots of training videos for my team
- Met up with a potential partner to map out how we can work together in 2025
- Saw inbox zero for about 2 minutes
But somehow I’ve made it to the end of the week (Friday morning counts as end of week, right?) AND found the perfect winter getaway itinerary for families on the Bellarine Peninsula.
This family-friendly guide is packed with cozy cafes, indoor activities, and winter adventures that’ll make the colder months feel like the perfect time for a local escape.
LET’S GOOO! CHECK OUT THE WINTER BELLARINE ITINERARY RIGHT HERE.
Okay. Off to do school drop-off now!
Joyce xx
P.S. School holidays are coming up soon! Check out my post on the 39 best things to do in Geelong with kids for some ideas.
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- National Celtic Festival (Friday 6 Jun – Monday 9 Jun) Immerse yourself in a diverse celebration of Celtic culture on the Bellarine Peninsula with live music, visual arts, dance, food and workshops featuring both traditional and contemporary performers.
- Geelong Brick Show (Saturday 7 Jun – Sunday 8 Jun) Get ready for some serious brick-building fun at Geelong West Town Hall with custom LEGO displays ranging from Star Wars to Marvel, plus hands-on play tables where the kids can unleash their creativity.
- Mini Railway Extra Running Day (Sunday 8 Jun) Bring the family for an extra King’s Birthday long weekend running day from 11am-3pm with plenty of room to run, play and soak up the sun.
- Life in Australia: Geelong (1966) (Daily until Wednesday 18 Jun) Step back in time with this nostalgic 20-minute film showcasing 1960s Geelong life, screening nightly from dusk at Shorts Place Projection Space as part of the Australian Heritage Festival finale.
- Janenne Eaton Exhibition (Daily until Sunday 17 Aug) Discover four decades of powerful artwork from this eminent Australian artist whose paintings and installations tackle environmental, political and cultural themes that shape our modern world.
- Giant Chocolate Lollipop Making Day (Monday 9 Jun) Celebrate the King’s Birthday public holiday by making your own delicious chocolate creation loaded with toppings for just $10 per person at the Surf Coast Chocolaterie—no bookings required.
- Mini Masters at MoPA (Daily from Tuesday 10 Jun – Friday 4 Jul) Budding artists can create their own framed mini masterpieces based on works from the greatest master artists—the cutest way to introduce tots to incredible art, included with your MoPA ticket.
- Storytelling with Miniatures (Thursday 12 Jun) Join award-winning picture book creators Jules and Pierre-Jacques Ober at Biyal-a Library to discover their miniature photography process, then try toy photography yourself with library iPads or your own device—perfect for tweens exploring photography and storytelling.
- Artists Assemble! (Friday 13 Jun) Let imaginations fly with hands-on painting, origami, cutting, pasting and all things arts and crafts for creative legends aged 5-18, with activities varying each week.
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Who says winter can’t be delicious? Tastes of Greater Geelong combines a series of events, such as the cozy Tastes Winter Festival featuring fire pits for marshmallow toasting, silent discos, and light projections. Plus, there’s the Secret World of Food at your local library, where kids can play their way through the entire food system while you pick up practical tips for making healthy eating enjoyable at home—it’s education disguised as play, and we’re totally here for it.
📍Various locations in + around Geelong
📅 Friday 20 Jun – Sunday 20 Jul
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Sometimes the best family holiday is the one that doesn’t involve a three-hour car trip with “Are we there yet?” on repeat—Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula are packed with family-friendly Airbnbs that welcome families with open arms, no “couples only” nonsense or age restrictions, so you can discover what your own backyard has been hiding all along.
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PARTNER CONTENT
This sunrise hot air balloon flight over Geelong, coastline and rolling countryside is the kind of bucket-list experience that turns regular parents into storytelling legends at the school gate—watching the first light paint the sky while you drift above Port Phillip Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula creates memories that’ll have your family talking about “that time we flew in a balloon” for years to come.
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The Geelong Nature Festival in July is set to be an outdoor classroom for kids to discover nature beyond screens. With over 40 activities, including guided walks and the “Give a Hoot” owl celebration, families can enjoy planting events, nocturnal spotlight tours, and quality outdoor time, proving that the best playground is right outside.
📍Various locations in + around Geelong
📅 Saturday 12 Jul – Sunday 27 Jul
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The Sustainable Fashion Prize Exhibition will showcase 20 extraordinary garments from emerging designers proving that eco-conscious can be absolutely stunning, and while your kids might not be ready for runway critique, they can still vote for their favourite outfit in the People’s Choice Award—who knows, you might be nurturing the next generation of sustainable fashion advocates, one stylish museum visit at a time.
📍National Wool Museum, Geelong
📅 Saturday 14 Jun – Sunday 30 Nov
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