Great places for picnics in parks near Geelong

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BY SALLY NOWLAN, PARKS VIC

There are plenty of great places in parks for family picnics and exploring nature within a short drive of Geelong.

*The Brisbane Ranges National Park is just over half an hour’s drive from Geelong, and has lots of good spots to visit that are ideal for all ages.

*Anakie Gorge Picnic Area, off Staughtonvale Road, has gas and wood barbecues, toilets, a great gorge walk, and plenty of space for kids to run and play.

*Stony Creek Picnic Area, off Switch Road has wood barbecues, toilets and great kid-friendly walking tracks such as the one to Lower Stony Creek Reservoir.

*Grahams Creek Picnic Area, off Grahams Creek Road, is smaller and more secluded with a wood barbecue.

*Steiglitz Historic Park is also just over half an hour’s drive from Geelong and is a fascinating trip back in time. Dogs on leads are allowed here.

*Bert Boardman Recreation Area, on Maude Steiglitz Road, has gas and wood barbecues, toilets and lots of great open spaces for kids to explore.

*Steiglitz Township itself has some great open grassy areas to stop, handy toilets and wonderful historic buildings to check out.

*The Crossing Picnic Area, on Hut Road is more secluded and a great spot for kids to get engaged with nature. It has picnic tables, a wood barbecue but no toilets.

*Werribee Gorge State Park is around an hour from Geelong, and has some beautiful spots to stop, swim and picnic. No dogs allowed.

*Meikles Point Picnic Area, on Myers Road, has a wood barbecue, toilets, a swimming hole, wonderful walks, and stunning sunsets on the Werribee River.

*Quarry Picnic Area, on Myers Road, also has some terrific walks with wood barbecues and toilets.

 

*Closer to Geelong is the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve which is a great nature playground for kids. Building cubbies and creations from the large amount of timber on the ground is a favourite pastime here. There are also wallabies to watch and an amazing number of different kinds of birds. Tables and toilets are provided at this special reserve which has the last remaining stand of original woodland on the Bellarine Peninsula.

*Serendip Sanctuary is always a great spot to spend some time among exotic bird life and special native animals. There is one picnic area with free undercover electric barbecues and seating. A group barbecue area with a wood fire can be reserved for a small fee. The toilets are suitable for people with restricted mobility. There are four excellent walking trails through the sanctuary, all of them no longer than two kilometres return. The wildlife walk is the most popular for its close encounters with native wildlife like emus and kangaroos. There is a fantastic bird watching from viewing areas, bird hides and in large aviaries.

*Great Otway National Park also has some excellent family picnic spots, within an hour or less from Geelong. One of the most spectacular is Sheoak Picnic Area, just inland from Lorne, which has huge trees and beautiful forest scenery. The site is secluded, cool and quiet with picnic tables, toilets and gas barbecues. There is a lovely short nature walk with signage along Sheoak Creek and plenty of space for family barbecues. Several walking tracks leave from here including the Canyon Loop walk (2-3 hours), Sheoak Falls-Castle Rock walk (2 hours) and the Kalimna Falls walk (1.5 hours).

*Near Aireys Inlet there are two good picnic spots for family outings. Moggs Creek Picnic Area is on flat ground in a natural bush setting just inland from the Great Ocean Road at Moggs Creek. There are picnic tables, toilets and wood barbecues. The Moggs Creek Circuit is an interesting walk that follows the fern-lined creek down through the valley, and then climbs up to a vantage point before returning to the picnic area. It’s 1.8km long and takes about 30 minutes. Ocean View walk is a loop walk from here with spectacular ocean views and wildlife sightings. It’s about an hour return.

*Distillery Creek Picnic Area is also just inland from Aireys Inlet off Bambra Road and has two picnic areas with tables, toilets and wood barbecues. There are four walking tracks starting from here, ranging from 30 minutes to four hours. The Nature Trail is a short walk with a great range of native plants and flowers. It also has interpretive signage about the nature and history of the area.

*Around half an hour from Geelong at Point Addis is the Ironbark Basin Picnic Area. This site has picnic tables but no toilets or barbecues. However nearby, 100m north of Addiscott Lookout, is the Point Addis Koori Cultural Walk – a clearly marked interpretive trail with signs describing different aspects of the Aboriginal, or Koori, way of life in this area. The walk forms part of the Surf Coast Walk and connects to the longer Ironbark Track. This is also a great place to see many different kinds of sea birds.

 

Tips for taking the family for a picnic in a park.
* Leave your dog at home – they are not allowed in National Parks or in most State Parks and Reserves.
* Take all your rubbish and picnic gear home with you, and leave the site clean
* BYO wood if you want to use the wood barbecues
* Make sure wood fires and barbecues are completely out before you leave