Bars and Nightlife in Geelong: Little Malop Street, the Waterfront and Live Music

Geelong's bar and nightlife scene has improved significantly over the past decade, developing from a pub-and-RSL dominated culture to one with genuine small bar character. Little Malop Street in the CBD is the heart of Geelong's contemporary bar scene, with a run of quality independent bars, wine bars and cocktail venues in a laneway-adjacent setting. The Pakington Street precinct in Newtown extends the quality bar culture into the inner suburbs. The Geelong Waterfront has bars and restaurants suited to the visitor and local market, though with less of the CBD's small-bar character. The western suburbs' Belmont and Highton areas have RSL club and pub culture for the community social scene. The Cats Football Club's GMHBA Stadium precinct generates significant bar activity on match days. The Geelong Showgrounds hosts large-scale outdoor events with significant bar operations. Several craft beer taprooms have opened in the Geelong region, particularly on the Bellarine Peninsula at Ocean Grove and Queenscliff.