Getting to Queenscliff

Queenscliff sits at the eastern tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, about 105 km from Melbourne and 30 km from Geelong, overlooking the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. There are four good ways to get here: drive, cross on the car ferry from Sorrento, take the train and bus via Geelong, or ride the rail trail. Once you arrive, the whole town is walkable — see the Queenscliff map to orient yourself.

By car from Melbourne

Take the Princes Freeway (M1) towards Geelong, follow the Geelong Ring Road around the city, then take the Bellarine Highway (B110) signposted to Queenscliff. The highway runs straight into town: at the roundabouts on the edge of Queenscliff, follow the signs to the town centre and turn into Hesse Street, the main street. Allow about 90 minutes outside peak hour. From Geelong itself it is a half-hour drive along the Bellarine Highway.

Parking is straightforward most of the year: street parking on and around Hesse Street, and larger car parks at Queenscliff Harbour and the ferry terminal. On summer weekends, arrive before mid-morning for a spot near the main street.

By ferry from Sorrento

Coming from Melbourne's bayside suburbs or the Mornington Peninsula, the Searoad car and passenger ferry from Sorrento is the scenic shortcut: sailings run year-round and the crossing takes about 40 minutes, saving the long drive around the bay. In Sorrento, follow the ferry signs down to the pier; in Queenscliff the terminal is at the eastern end of the harbour, an easy ten-minute walk from Hesse Street. Cars, foot passengers and bikes are all carried — see our Queenscliff–Sorrento ferry guide for fares, timetables and tips.

By public transport

Catch a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station to Geelong Station (about an hour, with frequent services), then the Route 56 bus from Geelong Station to Queenscliff via Leopold, Ocean Grove and Point Lonsdale. The bus runs daily and takes a little over an hour, stopping in central Queenscliff near the harbour. Queenscliff is one of the few seaside towns that genuinely works without a car: the town centre, beaches, fort and railway station are all within a short walk of each other.

By bike: the Bellarine Rail Trail

The Bellarine Rail Trail runs about 32 km from South Geelong to Queenscliff along the route of the old railway, mostly gentle grades through farmland and along Swan Bay. A popular option is to ride one way and return with your bike on the Bellarine Railway heritage train between Drysdale and Queenscliff, or combine the trail with the ferry for a Bellarine–Mornington loop.

Once you are here

Call into the Queenscliffe Visitor Information Centre on Hesse Street for maps and local advice — see our visitor centre page for details. Planning the day itself? Our day trip from Melbourne and perfect weekend guides cover what to do once you arrive.