Make your way to the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula and uncover the best of old and new in this historic seaside village. Take in heritage streetscapes filled with elegant Victorian-era hotels, stately churches and fishermen’s cottages and then walk on to the modern waterfront development, the perfect base for adventures in Port Phillip Bay.

Reminders of Queenscliff’s elegant past are everywhere you look – especially the huge military fortress guarding the entrance to Port Phillip – but there’s more to Queenscliff than nineteenth century history.

Wander along Hesse Street and find art galleries, shops and great places to dine. Unwind with a quiet brew at a local cafe, suit up and enjoy fine regional cuisine or stock up on fresh produce at specialty shops and community markets. Alternatively, just grab a parcel of fish and chips and enjoy a seaside picnic under the giant pines.

Queenscliff attracts visitors who come to enjoy the beach and the history, the buzzing arts and crafts scene and the sweeping golf greens. Check out local galleries, play a round on the island golf course, or rev it up on the Blues Train with some of the best blues artists in the country.

Take your pick of countless opportunities for water-based fun, from swimming and sailing to water-skiing, fishing, or even swimming with dolphins and seals. The bay’s southern reaches also offer some of Australia’s best diving on reefs and shipwrecks, with abundant marine life to see.

Celebrate the onset of summer at the Queenscliff Music Festival. Join musicians and music fans when they converge on Queenscliff for the annual festival, which boasts an eclectic mix of Australian artists and international guests.

Ferries sail regularly between Sorrento and Queenscliff taking around 40 minutes to transport passengers and their cars from one side of Port Phillip Bay to the other.

Queenscliff is 103 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, or about an hour-and-a-half by car on the Princess and Bellarine Highways.