Eastern Beach to Rippleside

Eastern Beach to Rippleside created by Victoria Walks

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Summary

This great walk that has lots of different things to stop, look at and do. It could be broken up into lots of short walks or made longer (eg Limeburners Point, the Botanic Gardens or into the city).

Description

The walk starts at the historic Eastern Beach Bathing Complex 'Promenade' over the boardwalk on the shark proof barrier around the sea baths and continues along Eastern Beach to Western Beach and Rippleside Park. The walk is popular throughout the day and all year round that offers something for everyone. It can be quite magical in early mornings, particularly on windless sunny days. Evenings are also great and the area can become a hive of activity during the day.

There are many seats and stopping points to watch people, anglers, boats, birds and the world go by.

One of the real highlights is that it is part of the waterfront 'Bollard Trail'. In 1995, the City of Geelong commissioned artist Jan Mitchell 1995 to transform reclaimed timber pier pylons into these works of art. Over 100 carved bollards of historical can contemporary characters that have influenced Geelong can be found along the walk. Numerous other public art works can be found along this walk.
Read more about Geelong's Arts & Culture Walking Trails.

The walk could be completed in 45 minutes or so but as there is so much to do and see it can often take longer (allow 2 hours if you can).

If you are driving there, don't try and park too close on a busy day, it is a waste of time and not much fun: park and walk!

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Points of Interest

1. Eastern Beach Bathing Complex Promenade

The sea baths were opened in 1939 and restored in 1993. It is great to walk around and look at to sea, back to land or swimmers in the baths. Click link for a video.

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2. Eastern Beach Life Savers (5) bollard

There is a grassed area in front of the pool, as well as Art Deco buildings and a kiosk. The life savers bollard includes a likeness of local identity Billy Coyte who taught many children to swim.

3. Strolling along the wide footpaths

Looking towards the Ferris Wheel, the walking paths are wide and smooth and the perfect place for an early morning romantic stroll.

4. Nathan Deakes world record walk

Plaque in the sea wall that commemorates the time and place (yes, right here) that Australian Olympian Nathan Deakes broke the world record for the 50 meter race walk on 2 December 2006.

5. The giant shipping buoys

The giant shipping buoys (port side for red and starboard for green) add a wonderful splash of colour. They look surreal on the grass and path! Photo: Visit Victoria Geelong and the Bellarine

6. The Carousel (merry-go-round)

This amazing steam driven, hand-carved wooden carousel was constructed in about 1892 and is one of only 200 in operation around the world. It has 36 horses and 2 chariots and restored after 1996.

7. Volunteer Rifle Band (5) bollard

This bollard of the band playing The Geelong Polka outside the Carousel seems to appeal to children. Maybe it is the real instruments and the uniforms.

8. 'North' sculpture by Mark Stoner

This sculpture consists of seven randomly of placed dramatically. The sculpture was commissioned by the City of Greater Geelong.

9. Cunningham Pier

It is not that much fun to walk out because it is really a giant car park with a restaurant out the end, but it is nice to look at from up on the small hill to Corio Bay beyond.

10. Poppykettle Playground

These bronze Peruvians, created by Jenda Bucek, are based on Robert Ingpens book Voyage of the Poppykettle, a Geelong-based fable about sea-faring Hairy Peruvians who landed at Limeburners Point.

11. Cunningham Pier Playground

Next to the Poppykettle Playground, this is a great playground that is set in some rolling little hills with lots of hideaway places for kids slides, climbing tower, plastic green dragon and more.

12. The Skate Park

The skate park is one of the best going around, it has lots of challenges for skaters but also has a basketball hoop, lots of other stuff and looks like a giant sculpture.

13. The track splits (high road or low)

The track splits soon past Cunningham Pier. You can choose between the very quiet beach trail (watch out for cyclists) or the track up near the road (more traffic noise but better views).

14. Walk West Sculpture Trail (Western Beach)

Two art works up near the road that were designed by Tania Virgona and Mark Trinham in 2003 & connect the Central Geelong Arts & Culture Walking Trails & the Walk West Urban Sculpture Trail

15. Walk West Sculpture Trail

These sculptures represent grass blades (stainless steel and marine grade steel), and new growth forms and change (stainless steel and timber from Geelong Botanic Gardens).

16. Looking back to Cunningham Pier

The walk is a lot quieter around on Western Beach. You can choose between the very quiet beach trail (watch out for cyclists) or the track up near the road (more traffic noise but better views).

17. Nancy Nattynickers bollard

One of my favorite bollards is of Nancy sitting astride her velocipede (early bicycle). The first velocipede was made in Geelong in 1869. The bollard is nestled in the grass just off the track.

18. Western Beach boardwalk

The boardwalk is a fabulous to stop and sit right over the water (there are a few seats). In the early morning you can watch the sun come up over the bay and see the odd fish jump out of the water.

19. Dog swimming spot

Spot where dog owners often take their dogs for a swim. It is great to watch the dogs having so much fun chasing balls into the water. It often smells of seaweed here smells a bit like oysters.

20. 'No mixed bathers' bollard

This bollard always make me smile, described as: A pair of sheepish bathers who have transgressed bathing regulations.

21. The anchor

The walk has to stop somewhere, so it might as well be the anchor. But you could keep on walking to Rippleside Park (playground and toilets) or beyond!