Geelong, Victoria’s second city

Geelong. Victoria’s second city, situated on Corio Bay. One of the few cities in southern Australia with a north facing aspect over the beach, which means that shadows of buildings don’t fall across the waterfront. With the Bellarine Peninsula to the east, the Otways National Park to the west, the Surf Coast and Bell’s Beach to the south, and the Great Ocean Road just twenty kilometres away, it’s a great place to live. And of course it’s home to the Geelong Cats, in the AFL football league … the greatest team of all!

Joe Mortelliti‘s life long love, from when he was first given a Brownie camera as a boy, was photography. It was the focus of his work life for many years. He loved to travel with his wife Marion to as many parts of Australia as he could. He had the ability to ‘see’ the beauty of our land in such a way that he could photograph it for the delight of others. These photos are a legacy that he has left us. Used by permission and with appreciation.

This is a pleasant image of Geelong by the water front. It was used in Richard Everist book, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, a BESTSHOTS publication. The book contains a large body of Joe’s photography. 

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St Mary’s Basilica in Geelong looks spectacular in the early morning light.

A basilica is one step up from a church in Roman Catholic usage. St Mary’s was granted Basilica status in 2004. St Mary’s has the tallest bluestone spire in Australia, at 45.7 metres (150 feet) and is the tallest building in Geelong at 64 metres (210 feet). Though the new light towers at Kardinia Park, built to enable playing under lights at GMHBA Stadium, at 73 metres high are taller. But these did not come till 2013.

More info on St Mary’s at Wikipedia

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Significant redevelopment has occurred along the Geelong water front. The art deco area of the promenade and pools has had a complete restoration. At weekends large crowds come to visit this area. This shot shows Cunningham Pier and Smorgy’s restaurant from the fore shore. 

Smorgy’s Restaurant is no more, with new businesses using the facilities at the end of Cunningham Pier. An attractive place to dine, and the water views are brilliant! Visiting ships, including cruise liners and military ships, as well as traditional sailing ships such as the sail training ships the ‘Leeuwin’ and the ‘One and All’, dock regularly at Cunningham Pier.

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Based on the rig of an 1850s brigantine, the One and All was built using modern timber construction techniques for the South Australian government in 1987. She is an official Sail Training Vessel, and is available to schools and other community groups for sail training events. Moored here at Geelong’s historic Cunningham Pier.

Like most towns around Victoria, Geelong is a football mad town. Pretty successful, too! After breaking a long premiership drought in 2007, they repeated the performance in 2009, and again in 2011. The next 11 years saw them miss out on the finals only once, and in 2022 they won the premiership again, beating the Sydney Swans by 81 points! They had the oldest – and most experienced! – team ever to win the premiership.

Celebrate the 2022 Geelong Cats premiership with Geelong Cats memorabilia!

These marker buoys are a feature on the Geelong waterfront. Originally used for marker buoys to mark the shipping channels in Corio Bay, they now grace the waterfront.

Take note of the changing light on the scene for this set of three images. The last rays of sunset skim across the bay at Limeburner’s Point Geelong. In the background are the You Yangs. Time 5.30pm. 

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The scene from Limeburner’s Point Geelong takes on a beautiful pink glow after the sun drops below the horizon.

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The cool blue light of dusk that appears after the sun slips well down past the horizon settles on Limeburner’s Point boat harbour, Geelong. Time 6.30pm.

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An old gateway, nestled in the overgrown garden of a disused home site, situated along a country lane near Batesford. The sunlight skimming through the dry grass adding warmth to this charming scene.

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The two arches of this old bluestone bridge allow both the road and the creek through under the railway line. The appropriately named Bluestone Bridge Rd runs under the right hand arch; the creek under the left. In the foreground you can see the stone walls built to direct the creek many years ago.

The Bluestone Bridge Road can be seen snaking through the right hand arch; the overgrown creek under the left. Note the bolt and re-enforcing plate at the top left near the pillar. On the hill in the background is an olive grove. Covenant College is on the other side of the hill.

 Joe’s wife’s father has always been a capable wood worker. Here we gathered some of his old tools on his bench to record a warm moody image.

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This hand held shot, pointed at clouds with the tip of the tree in middle was captured during a lightning and rain storm. The shot was taken out of the car with lens resting on the drivers window edge, and shutter kept open on “Bulb”, and then closed after a lightning flash. Captured in the rural area of Anakie township.

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Extreme lightning activity in Grovedale Geelong. Taken on a tripod with camera pointed out a balcony window. Shutter on ‘Bulb’ and kept open until a lightning flash occurred.

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I well remember them from when I was a young fella growing up, at the Harvey Agricultural Show, Western Australia, in the 1960s.

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Although many of our contributors use professional camera equipment such as the Nikon Coolpix 1000, at ThisisAustralia we usually use our mobile phone cameras. A Samsung Galaxy Note 10 +, which has been great, and we will continue to use. We have also just purchased a Samsung S21 Ultra. This has been described as an ‘insanely brilliant camera with a phone attached’. So we are expecting some really good quality pics! Some of our contributors have also used the iPhone 13 with good success.