View source for Queenscliff, Victoria

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                     = town
| name                     = Queenscliff
| state                    = vic
| image                    = Queenscliffvic-airview-0508-2601-63.jpg
| caption                  = Looking east over Queenscliff to Sand Island. On the left is [[Swan Bay]] and the right is [[Port Phillip Bay]].
| image_alt                = 
| use_lga_map              = yes
| relief                   = 
| coordinates              = {{coord|38|16|0|S|144|39|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label_position   = 
| map_alt                  = 
| pop                      = 1,516
| pop_year                 = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes            = <ref name="ABS"/>
| poprank                  = 
| density                  = 
| density_footnotes        = 
| established              = 
| established_footnotes    = 
| abolished                = 
| gazetted                 = 
| postcode                 = 3225
| elevation                = 15
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| area                     = 
| area_footnotes           = 
| timezone                 = 
| utc                      = 
| timezone-dst             = 
| utc-dst                  = 
| dist1                    = 104
| dir1                     = S
| location1                = [[Melbourne]]
| dist2                    = 30
| dir2                     = SE
| location2                = [[Geelong]]
| lga                      = Borough of Queenscliffe
| region                   = 
| county                   = 
| stategov                 = [[Electoral district of Bellarine|Bellarine]]
| fedgov                   = [[Division of Corangamite|Corangamite]]
| url                      = 
| maxtemp                  = 
| maxtemp_footnotes        = 
| mintemp                  = 
| mintemp_footnotes        = 
| rainfall                 = 
| rainfall_footnotes       = 
| near-n                   = [[Swan Bay, Victoria|Swan Bay]]
| near-ne                  = [[Swan Island (Victoria)|Swan Island]]
| near-e                   = ''[[Port Phillip Bay]]''
| near-se                  = ''[[Port Phillip Bay]]''
| near-s                   = ''[[Port Phillip Bay]]''
| near-sw                  = [[Point Lonsdale, Victoria|Point Lonsdale]]
| near-w                   = [[Swan Bay, Victoria|Swan Bay]]
| near-nw                  = [[Swan Bay, Victoria|Swan Bay]]
| near                     = 
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Queenscliff''' is a town at the south-eastern end of the [[Bellarine Peninsula]] in southern [[Victoria, Australia]]. It lies south of [[Swan Bay]] at the entrance to [[Port Phillip]].  It is the administrative centre for the [[Borough of Queenscliffe]].  At the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Queenscliff had a population of 1,516.<ref name="ABS">{{cite web | title=2021 Queenscliff (Vic.), Census All persons QuickStats &#124; Australian Bureau of Statistics | url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL22135 }}</ref>

Queenscliff is a [[seaside resort]] known for its [[Victorian era]] heritage and tourist industry and as one of the endpoints of the [[Searoad ferry]] to [[Sorrento, Victoria|Sorrento]] on the [[Mornington Peninsula]].

==History==
Prior to European settlement, it was inhabited by the Bengalat Bulag clan of the [[Wautharong]] tribe, members of the [[Kulin nation]].

European explorers first arrived in 1802, [[John Murray (Australian explorer)|Lieutenant John Murray]] in January and Captain [[Matthew Flinders]] in April. The first European settler in the area was convict escapee [[William Buckley (convict)|William Buckley]] between 1803 and 1835, who briefly lived in a cave with local [[Indigenous Australians|Aborigines]] at [[Point Lonsdale]], above which the [[Point Lonsdale Lighthouse|lighthouse]] was later built.

Permanent European settlement began in 1836 when squatters arrived.  Shortland's Bluff was named in honour of Lieutenant [[John Shortland]], who assisted in the surveying of [[Port Phillip]]. Land sales began in 1853, the same year the name was changed to Queenscliff by [[Charles La Trobe|Lieutenant Charles La Trobe]], in honour of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]].<ref>[http://www.queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=45 Borough of Queenscliffe Frequently asked questions] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060918060530/http://www.queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=45 |date=18 September 2006 }}</ref>

The Post Office opened on 1 May 1853 as Shortland's Bluff and was renamed Queenscliff in 1854.<ref name = "a">{{Citation| last = Phoenix Auctions History| title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Queenscliff* | access-date = 5 April 2021}}</ref>

Originally a [[fishing]] [[village]], Queenscliff soon became an important [[cargo]] [[port]], servicing [[steamship]]s trading in Port Philip. A shipping pilot service was established in 1841 to lead boats through the treacherous [[The Rip|Rip]], and its two lighthouses, the [[Queenscliff High Light|High]] and [[Queenscliff Low Light|Low Light]]s, were constructed in 1862–63.  Queenscliff also played an important [[military]] role.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.greatoceanroad.org/bellarinepeninsula/queenscliff/history.asp |title=Queenscliff history and heritage |access-date=30 October 2006 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927225926/http://www.greatoceanroad.org/bellarinepeninsula/queenscliff/history.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Fort Queenscliff]] was built between 1879 and 1889, and operated as the command centre for a network of [[fort]]s around the port.<ref>[http://www.queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/Directory/S2_Item.asp?Mkey=574&S3Key=89 Fort Queenscliff tours] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901033220/http://www.queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/Directory/S2_Item.asp?Mkey=574&S3Key=89 |date=1 September 2007 }}</ref>

===1880s seaside resort boom===
[[File:Admans grand hotel queenscliff in 1882.jpg|thumb|left|Adman's Grand Hotel in 1882]]
[[File:Queenscliff ferry, Ozone. State Library Victoria H33027-37b.jpg|thumb|right|Queenscliff ferry, Ozone. State Library Victoria.]]

Queenscliff became a [[tourism|tourist]] destination in the late 19th century, visitors arriving from [[Melbourne]] after a two-hour journey on the [[paddle steamer]], ''[[Ozone (paddle steamer)|Ozone]]''.<ref>[http://home.vicnet.net.au/~maav/ozone.htm ''Ozone'' 1886-1925]</ref>

The opening of a [[Port Fairy railway line|railway line]] to [[Geelong railway station|Geelong]] in 1879<ref>[http://www.bpr.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=64 Bellarine Peninsula Railway history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410210717/http://www.bpr.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=64 |date=2012-04-10 }}</ref> brought more tourists to the area, and numerous luxury hotels (or [[coffee palace]]s) were built to accommodate them. The Palace Hotel (later renamed Esplanade Hotel, now known as the Queenscliff Brewhouse) was built in 1879, the Baillieu Hotel was built in 1881 (and later renamed Ozone Hotel),<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Baillieus-lead-fight-to-save-Ozone/2005/04/03/1112489345427.html News item on the closure of the Ozone hotel]</ref> the Vue Grande Hotel in 1883, and the Queenscliff Hotel in 1887.

===Decline===
The advent of the [[motor car|car]] saw Queenscliff drop in popularity as a tourist destination, as tourists were no longer dependent on its role as a transport hub. The railway ceased weekly passenger services in 1950, and was closed in 1976. In 1979 the [[Bellarine Railway|Queenscliff Railway]] reopened as a Heritage Train Service, running between Queenscliff and Drysdale stations with mid-point stops at Laker's Siding and Suma Park.

===Revival===
[[File:Queenscliff Hesse Street.JPG|thumb|Hesse Street, the main street of Queenscliff]]
The 1980s saw a return in the town's tourist popularity.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/victoria/queenscliff/2005/02/17/1108500207244.html ''The Age'' Travel]</ref>

In 2005, the area previously holding the Fort Barracks was subdivided into residential blocks and renamed Shortlands Beach in honour of the town's prior name. The proposed redevelopment drew fierce criticism from some sectors of the community, who feared loss of an important heritage site. The original fort remains on site.

===Heritage listed sites===

Queenscliff contains several [[Victorian Heritage Register]] listed sites, including:

* 1 Weeroona Parade and 2 Wharf Street, [[Fisherman's Shed, Queenscliff|Fisherman's Shed]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/6164 | title=Fisherman's Shed (H2074) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 44 Gellibrand Street, [[Lathamstowe]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/1648 | title=Lathamstowe (H1052) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 42 Gellibrand Street, [[Ozone Hotel]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/4159 | title=Ozone Hotel (H1142) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 60-62 Gellibrand Street, [[Pilots Cottages, Queenscliff|Pilots Cottages]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/1650 | title=Pilots Cottages (H1618) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 16 Gellibrand Street, [[Queenscliff Hotel]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/4249 | title=Queenscliff Hotel (H1141) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* Symonds Street, [[Queenscliff Pier|Queenscliff Pier and Lifeboat Complex]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/2596 | title=Queenscliff Pier and Lifeboat Complex (H1515) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 20 Symonds Street, [[Queenscliff railway station]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/2692 | title=Queenscliff Railway Station (H1586) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 26 King Street, [[Rosenfeld, Queenscliff|Rosenfeld]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/1662 | title=Rosenfeld (H1134) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 42 Mercer Street, [[Roseville Cottage]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/1670 | title=Roseville Cottage (H1148) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 16-26 Hobson Street, [[St George the Martyr Church and Parish Hall]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/4824 | title=St George the Martyr Church and Parish Hall (H1125) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 80 Mercer Street, [[Warringah, Queenscliff|Warringah]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/4826 | title=Warringah (H1177) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* Corner Wharf Street and Gellibrand Street, [[Wreck Bell]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/13040 | title=Wreck Bell (H2070) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>
* 133-135 Hesse St, Shortlands Bluff<ref>{{Cite web |title=VHD |url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/200972 |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au}}</ref>

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Queenscliff Town Hall in October 2025 for Literary Festival.jpg|thumb|The town hall during the Queenscliffe Literary Festival]]
[[File:Queenscliff Anglican Church 001.JPG|thumb|Queenscliff's parish church of [[Saint George]]]]

===Festivals===
The Queenscliff Seafood Feast,<ref>[http://www.seafoodfeast.org/ Queenscliff Seafood Feast] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708182600/http://www.seafoodfeast.org/ |date=8 July 2008 }}</ref> a culinary festival using fresh seafood donated by local fishermen, is held annually on Good Friday to raise funds for the Royal Children's Hospital.

Queenscliff is also home to the [[Queenscliff Music Festival]],<ref>[http://www.qmf.net.au/ Queenscliff Music Festival]</ref> a popular annual music festival, held on the last weekend of November, which attracts both local and international acts and is an important part of the town's tourist industry.

The Queenscliffe Literary Festival is an annual literature festival in the town, first established in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Claringbold |first1=Ellie |title=The literary festival that could: QLF celebrates 10 years with star-studded line-up |url=https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/bellarinetimes/news/the-literary-festival-that-could-qlf-celebrates-10-years-with-star-studded-line-up/ |access-date=17 September 2025 |work=[[Bellarine Times]] |date=8 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917003155/https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/bellarinetimes/news/the-literary-festival-that-could-qlf-celebrates-10-years-with-star-studded-line-up/ |archive-date=17 September 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref> Its 2025 edition took place in Queenscliff and the neighbouring town of [[Point Lonsdale]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Claringbold |first1=Ellie |title=Big names and bold ideas set for Queenscliffe Literary Festival |url=https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/bellarinetimes/news/big-names-and-bold-ideas-set-for-queenscliffe-literary-festival/ |access-date=17 September 2025 |work=[[Bellarine Times]] |date=12 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917003610/https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/bellarinetimes/news/big-names-and-bold-ideas-set-for-queenscliffe-literary-festival/ |archive-date=17 September 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Museums===
Queenscliff has three museums; the [[Queenscliffe Historical Museum|Queenscliff Historical Museum]], [[Queenscliffe Maritime Museum|Queenscliff Maritime Museum]], and the Fort Queenscliff Museum.

===Sport===
The [[Queenscliff Football Club]] is the town's [[Australian rules football]] club which participates in the [[Bellarine Football League]].

Golfers play at the Queenscliff Golf Club at Swan Island.<ref name = "golf">{{Citation  | author= Golf Select | title = Queenscliff | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=312 | access-date = 2009-05-11}}</ref>

===Media===
The ''Queenscliff Herald'' was founded in 1999 by Greg Wane, who edited and managed the newspaper until 2004, when the Murphy family bought the masthead and continue to publish the newspaper.

The final elimination on [[The Mole (Australia season 2)|the second season of ''The Mole'']] took place here in late 2000.

=== Tourist attractions ===
As a popular tourist destination, Queenscliff has numerous tourist attractions including the [[Bellarine Railway]], the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre and Queenscliff Harbour.

==Transport==
[[File:Searoad Ferry 'Queenscliff', Queenscliff, jjron, 06.07.2010.jpg|thumb|right|Searoad Ferry ''Queenscliff'' docking at Queenscliff]]

As it is located on a peninsula, the [[Bellarine Highway]] is the only road connecting it to Point Lonsdale and Geelong running west.

[[Searoad Ferries]] provides transport from Queenscliff to [[Sorrento, Victoria|Sorrento]] on the [[Mornington Peninsula]].

It was once connected by railway to Geelong; however, the [[Bellarine Railway]] now runs as a tourist railway only to Drysdale. The [[Bellarine Rail Trail]] is a 32&nbsp;km walking and cycling track that follows the route of the former rail line.

==Climate==

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location = Queenscliff, Victoria
|Jan high C = 	22.4
|Feb high C = 	22.5
|Mar high C = 	21.2
|Apr high C = 	18.3
|May high C = 	15.7
|Jun high C = 	13.5
|Jul high C = 	12.8
|Aug high C = 	13.8
|Sep high C = 	15.7
|Oct high C = 	17.6
|Nov high C = 	19.2
|Dec high C = 	20.9
| year high C = 	17.8
|Jan low C = 	14.1
|Feb low C = 	14.7
|Mar low C = 	13.6
|Apr low C = 	11.5
|May low C = 	9.4
|Jun low C = 	7.7
|Jul low C = 	6.7
|Aug low C = 	7.1
|Sep low C = 	8.4
|Oct low C = 	9.8
|Nov low C = 	11.3
|Dec low C = 	12.8
| year low C = 	10.6
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 	34.6
|Feb rain mm = 	38.0
|Mar rain mm = 	43.1
|Apr rain mm = 	48.5
|May rain mm = 	56.8
|Jun rain mm = 	56.0
|Jul rain mm = 	57.0
|Aug rain mm = 	60.8
|Sep rain mm = 	59.8
|Oct rain mm = 	57.1
|Nov rain mm = 	49.7
|Dec rain mm = 	42.4
|year rain mm = 	604.0
|unit rain days = 1.0 mm
| Jan rain days = 	4.7
| Feb rain days = 	4.3
| Mar rain days = 	5.9
| Apr rain days = 	7.8
| May rain days = 	10.1
| Jun rain days = 	10.6
| Jul rain days = 	11.2
| Aug rain days = 	11.6
| Sep rain days = 	10.4
| Oct rain days = 	9.5
| Nov rain days = 	7.5
| Dec rain days = 	6.0
| year rain days =	99.6
|source 1 = Australian Bureau of Meteorology<ref name="BoM" >{{cite web
| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_087054_All.shtml
| title = Climate statistics for Australian locations- QUEENSCLIFF
| date = 8 July 2024}}</ref>
}}

{{clear|left}}

==Notable people==
*[[Thomas Howard Fellows]] (1822-78), rower and politician ([[List of Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria|Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria]])
*[[Darcy Gardiner]] (born 1995), footballer ([[Brisbane Lions]])
*[[Les Jones (footballer, born 1907)|Les Jones]] (1907-82), footballer ([[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]])
*[[Ron Shapter]] (1905-77), footballer ([[Sydney Swans|South Melbourne]], [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]] & [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]])
*[[Harry Smith (footballer, born 1893)|Harry Smith]] (1893-1960), footballer ([[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]] & [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])
*[[Peter Stephens (footballer, born 1879)|Peter Stephens]] (1879-1946), footballer ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])
*[[George Todd (Australian footballer)|George Todd]] (1903-86), footballer ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])
*[[Jim Warren (footballer)|Jim Warren]] (1903-77), footballer ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]])

==See also==
* [[Port Phillip Bay Bridge proposals]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.queenscliffe-history.org/ Queenscliffe Historical Museum website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080920001213/http://www.zades.com.au/qcliffhs/ Queenscliffe Historical Museum]
* [http://www.maritimequeenscliffe.org.au/ Queenscliffe Maritime Museum]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110730164156/http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/great-ocean-road/Destinations/queenscliff.aspx Queensclliff - Tourism Victoria]
* [http://www.fortqueenscliff.com.au Fort Queenscliff Museum]
* [http://www.queensclifflonsdaleanglican.org/saint-george-martyr-queenscliff Saint George The Martyr Church Queenscliff] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707195053/http://www.queensclifflonsdaleanglican.org/saint-george-martyr-queenscliff |date=7 July 2013 }}
* [https://www.visitgeelongbellarine.com.au/destinations/queenscliff/ Queenscliff Visitor Guide]
* [https://www.visitgeelongbellarine.com.au/destinations/pointlonsdale/ Point Lonsdale Visitor Guide]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Towns in the Borough of Queenscliffe}}
{{Bellarine Peninsula}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Towns in Barwon (region)]]
[[Category:Borough of Queenscliffe]]
[[Category:Bellarine Peninsula]]
[[Category:Coastal towns in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in Australia]]
[[Category:Port Phillip]]
[[Category:1836 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Fishing communities in Australia]]