About This Guide
Victorian law lets licensed venues open from 12 noon on Good Friday — Geelong is not NSW, and there is no blanket closure. On Anzac Day, alcohol sales are restricted until noon regardless of how early a venue opens. Five venues have the strongest track record for public holiday trading; all carry the same caveat: published hours are unreliable on public holidays, so phone ahead before you go.
Quick Reference
| Venue | Address | Reliable holidays | Phone first for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge Geelong | 6-8 Eastern Beach Rd | Easter Monday, King's Birthday, NYE, New Year's Day | Christmas Day, Good Friday |
| Sailors' Rest | 3 Moorabool St (Cunningham Pier) | Most holidays | Christmas–Boxing Day window |
| The Arborist | 75 Little Malop St, CBD | Anzac Day, Easter Sunday, Boxing Day, NYE | Christmas Day, Good Friday |
| Barwon Club Hotel | 509 Moorabool St, South Geelong | Most holidays; bistro dinner Mon–Sat | Monday public holiday start time |
| Little Creatures Brewery | 221 Swanston St, South Geelong | Anzac Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day | No Easter Mon, King's Birthday, Cup Day 2026 |
1. Edge Geelong — Public Holiday Trading Confirmed
The only venue in this guide that explicitly confirms public holiday trading on its own website. Edge Geelong at 6-8 Eastern Beach Road opens from 11am on Monday public holidays — including King's Birthday and Easter Monday — with a 15% surcharge in effect. Bar and all-day dining on the waterfront, adjacent to Eastern Beach Reserve; useful proximity to the foreshore for New Year's Day crowds. Phone 03 5222 2666 to confirm specific times for Christmas Day and Good Friday.
2. Sailors' Rest — Waterfront, Open 7 Days from 11am
Sailors' Rest at Cunningham Pier runs a 7-day restaurant service from 11am until late, which covers most public holidays without special arrangements. In a prior year the venue took a small number of extra days off across the Christmas period; whether this applies in 2026 is unconfirmed, so phone (03) 5224 2241 before the Christmas–Boxing Day window. Seafood and cocktails with al fresco bay views at 3 Moorabool Street make it the strongest waterfront option for New Year's Day.
3. The Arborist — CBD, Lunch and Dinner 7 Days
The Arborist at 75 Little Malop Street in the CBD runs lunch seven days from 12pm and dinner seven days from 5pm, which covers Anzac Day, Easter Sunday, and Boxing Day without needing to check ahead. For New Year's Eve, the rooftop bar opens from 12pm with cocktails and nibbles — a deliberate extension of the regular Friday service. Phone 0409 749 489 to confirm Christmas Day and Good Friday, as trading on both is unconfirmed.
4. Barwon Club Hotel — Est. 1859, Reliable Bistro Trading
Established in 1859 at 509 Moorabool Street, South Geelong, the Barwon Club operates 7 days: Monday from 3pm, Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30am, Sunday from 11:30am. The bistro dinner service runs Monday to Saturday from 5:30pm — a reliable pick for a holiday evening meal when the tourist-facing waterfront venues are at capacity. No public holiday-specific hours have been confirmed; phone (03) 5221 4584 before a Monday public holiday, as the 3pm Monday start may shift.
5. Little Creatures Brewery — Wed–Sun Only (Know the Limitations)
Little Creatures Brewery at 221 Swanston Street, South Geelong trades Wednesday through Sunday from 11am — closed Mondays and Tuesdays. This rules it out for Easter Monday (6 April), King's Birthday, and Melbourne Cup Day 2026 (Tuesday 3 November). On public holidays that fall within its window — Anzac Day 2026 (Saturday 25 April), Boxing Day 2026 (Saturday 26 December), New Year's Day 2027 (Friday 1 January) — it opens at 11am on regular service. Brewery tours are not available on public holidays; phone (03) 5202 4009 to confirm Christmas Day 2026, which falls on a Friday within the regular trading window.
Plan Your Visit
A 15% public holiday surcharge applies across the industry. Not every established Geelong pub trades through the holiday cluster: The Elephant and Castle Hotel on McKillop Street in the CBD is confirmed closed on Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day — and is also closed every Monday and Tuesday as regular days off. Ring ahead before committing to any venue not on this list.