HERITAGE GEELONG

The National Wool Museum is housed in a beautifully restored 1872 bluestone wool store. You can create your own National Wool Museum adventure experience, a cultural hub in Victoria’s second largest city. A vibrant gathering place between the historic waterfront and central Geelong and a place to collect, share and create stories of our community and region. Here history, science, fashion, handcraft and art come together. Temporary exhibitions and programs combine lifelong learning, hands-on exploration and entertainment for people of all ages. The Museum is Australia's largest comprehensive museum of wool, showcasing the region's wool story - from the sheep's back to the clothes rack, and from the birth of the industry in the 1840's to its place in the world today. Central to the Museum experience is the 1910 built Axminster Jacquard carpet loom. Daily demonstrations by the Museum's skilled carpet weavers show how the loom works, and at the same time produce the Museum's own "Manor House Rug", available for purchase through the Museum Shop. The Museum Shop stocks a wide range of woollen products and unique local crafts while Denny’s Kitchen offers great food. The Museum is fully wheel chair accessible and there are accessible parking spaces located directly in front of the Museum. Bus parking and group tours are also available.

The Geelong Heritage Centre is Victoria's largest regional archive and history resource facility. The Centre provides public access to collection records for family history research, legal administrative recall, establishing citizen's rights and entitlements, cultural enjoyment and historical display purposes. The archive collection embraces the histories of locations in the City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast and Golden Plains Shires, dating back to 1838. The Geelong Heritage Centre has an extensive local and family history collection that includes council records, newspapers, reference works, maps and plans, photographs and oral histories. The Centre provides assistance and guidance to members of the general public in family, local history and school projects. The Geelong Heritage Centre has exhibitions of collection material for free public viewing all year round , and most of these displays are developed to enhance understanding of significant historic events, and, or celebrate anniversaries of major 'milestones' in Geelong and local district history. The Geelong Heritage Centre Reading Room is located on Level Two at the National Wool Museum in Geelong. The Centre collection consists of approximately 2 km of shelved archived material including over 40,000 images and more than 30km of microfilm. The Centre has a permanent staff of three, supported by a team of dedicated volunteers who help in a variety of ways. In 2012, the Centre received over 7000 visitor and client inquiries. The local community, as well as visitors from Melbourne and regional Victoria, interstate and international tourists have discovered amazing information about their ancestors who have lived, worked or travelled through the Geelong and surrounding region in the past. Visit online via the Centre's web page and access to the new historic image library is attached to it .

Taste your way through northern Victoria’s gold and wine country with a self-guided culinary bike tour from Beechworth to Milawa. Follow the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail on a leisurely downhill route, stopping along the way to sample the local bounty at organic wineries, an olive farm, a country pub and a mustard seed outlet, and savor a gourmet platter lunch at a local cheese factory. Return transport to Beechworth is included, and e-bikes are available for an extra boost.

• Semi-independent bike tour along the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail
• Cycle on a relaxed downhill route from Beechworth to Milawa
• Rest your legs with gourmet tasting stops along the way
• Sample organic wines, locally grown olives, artisan cheeses and more
• Savor a platter-style lunch at a local cheese factory
• Choose from a regular bike or an electric bike
• Includes on-call support and vehicle transport back uphill to Beechworth

Make like a VIP with your own private cabin on the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel – the perfect choice for a special celebration or romantic date night. Indulge in a lavish high tea as you soar up to 400 feet (120 meters) over the city. Enjoy 360-degree views of Melbourne on the 30-minute ride, looking out over the Yarra River, Port Philip Bay and Etihad Stadium.

• 30-minute private ride on the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel with food and beverage service
• Nibble on delicious goodies served with your choice of a hot beverage, glass of wine or sparkling wine
• Take in 360-degree views of Melbourne from the giant observation wheel
• Travel in a fully-enclosed air-conditioned cabins
• Enjoy the personalized attention of a butler during the flight
• Hear audio commentary about Melbourne history and sights like Etihad Stadium, the Docklands and Port Phillip Bay