GPAC and Geelong Performing Arts Centre — One Theatre, Two Names
GPAC and the Geelong Performing Arts Centre are the same venue. The full name is the Geelong Performing Arts Centre — a multi-stage theatre complex at 50 Little Malop Street, Geelong CBD, opened in 1981 and home to the Costa Hall, the Drama Theatre, the Studio and the Playhouse. GPAC is the abbreviation that's been used in marketing, ticketing and on signage since the early 2000s, and most locals (and most travelling theatre-goers) now use the two interchangeably.
For the purposes of this pre-show guide it doesn't matter which name you've searched for — the answer is the same three bars and the same restaurant on the same block. The Arborist sits directly opposite the foyer at 75 Little Malop Street; Non Disclosure is a few doors east; and The 18th Amendment is another fifty metres along the same footpath. All three are within a four-minute walk of every entrance to the Geelong Performing Arts Centre, including the Costa Hall side door on Little Malop and the Playhouse entry on Ryrie Street.
If your tickets list the show as being at "GPAC", "Costa Hall", "the Playhouse" or "the Drama Theatre", you're at the same address — 50 Little Malop Street. Allow a 2-to-3-minute walk from any of the bars on this page. The full Geelong Performing Arts Centre complex spans the block between Little Malop and Ryrie, with the main public entrance and box office on Little Malop.
At a Glance
The Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) is at 50 Little Malop Street. Three of Geelong's best bars are on the same street — The Arborist at 75 Little Malop Street is directly opposite, Non Disclosure is a few doors east, and the 18th Amendment is another 50m past that. Everything on this list is within a two- to four-minute walk from the foyer door.
| Venue | Distance | Opens | Dinner? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Arborist | Opposite · 2 min | 5pm daily (lunch from 12pm) | Yes — full restaurant |
| Non Disclosure Bar | ~100m · 2 min | Fri–Sat from 5pm | Snacks only |
| The 18th Amendment | ~150m · 3 min | Fri–Sat from 5pm | No — drinks only |
Important: Non Disclosure and 18th Amendment trade Friday and Saturday nights only. For a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday curtain, The Arborist is the single reliable option on Little Malop Street — book a table.
Arriving by V/Line? Geelong Station is a 10-minute walk from GPAC — straight up Mercer Street and across Little Malop. All three bars on this page sit between the platform and the foyer door, so a Melbourne show day works well car-free. Our Pubs Near Geelong Train Station guide flags the last sensible V/Line back to Southern Cross — important for a Friday or Saturday show, since Non Disclosure and 18th Amendment trade until 1am but the train back leaves much earlier.
Three Bars on Little Malop Street
Geelong's cocktail strip and its main theatre share a street. Walk out of GPAC, look left, and everything on this page is within sight. Here is the short list.
The Arborist
The Arborist is the pre-theatre answer for any night of the week. It's directly opposite GPAC, it serves dinner seven days, and it has a full cocktail and wine program running alongside the kitchen. The ground floor is restaurant with a proper bar; the rooftop opens Friday to Sunday from 3pm and is where the post-show crowd drifts on weekends.
Book a table for dinner from 5pm if you have a 7:30pm or 8pm curtain — the kitchen moves share plates and mains quickly when there's a show on. Bar seats work for a single pre-show cocktail; ask for a drink menu before the food menu if you're tight for time. Arborist is the only Little Malop St bar that trades Monday to Sunday, so it's the default on weeknights when the cocktail bars are shut. More rooftop bars →
Non Disclosure Bar
Non Disclosure is an intimate cocktail bar a few doors east of GPAC, open Friday and Saturday from 5pm until 1am. The room is small and the mood is vintage hotel bar — low lights, seated service, a tightly edited classic and contemporary cocktail list. If your show is on a weekend, this is the first pre-show drink: walk in from 5:30pm, take a seat at the bar, order one cocktail, keep an eye on the clock, and you'll be back on the street in time to walk the 100 metres to GPAC by 7:15pm.
The crowd is quiet, conversational and grown-up — it suits a theatre night better than a stand-up crowd. Food is snacks only, so eat elsewhere first (Arborist if you want a proper pre-show dinner). Wine & cocktail bars guide →
The 18th Amendment Bar
Prohibition speakeasy with over 600 spirits behind the bar and a theatrical cocktail program — smoke, fire, vintage glassware and considered spirit-forward drinks. Named for the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution that introduced Prohibition, the bar commits to the theme properly: the lighting is low, the bartenders work slowly, and the cocktails arrive at pace. It is the most "occasion" bar in the city.
For a pre-show drink, one round here is a full experience — allow 45 minutes to an hour and don't try to rush it. If you want post-show, walk back after the curtain: the bar runs late into the night on Friday and Saturday. 18th Amendment is a 3-minute walk east of GPAC, past Non Disclosure. More late-night options →
Timing Plans by Curtain
GPAC typically runs 7:30pm and 8pm curtains for evening shows, and matinée times vary. Here are three locked-in timing plans for the two common evening curtain times plus matinées:
5:30pm: Arrive at The Arborist (booked table) for a cocktail at the bar then share plates for dinner. 7:00pm: Ask for the bill, finish your drink. 7:15pm: Walk across the street to GPAC, seat yourself by 7:25pm. Alternative: swap The Arborist for Non Disclosure if you've eaten elsewhere — one classic cocktail at 6:45pm gives you plenty of time to walk back.
6:00pm: Start with a cocktail at Non Disclosure — one classic, no food. 6:45pm: Walk 200m east to The 18th Amendment for a second, more theatrical cocktail. 7:40pm: Leave, walk back to GPAC, seat yourself by 7:55pm. This is the "Little Malop Street" route — three venues at three different drinks, done as a leisurely pre-show crawl.
Non Disclosure and 18th Amendment are closed Monday to Thursday and Sunday. Your pre-show drink is at The Arborist — book a table for dinner at 5:30pm or 6pm, finish by 7:15pm and walk over. Every night from Monday to Sunday the Arborist serves dinner from 5pm, so this works for any curtain time on any day. For a post-show nightcap on a weeknight, the only consistent late-night option in the CBD is the National Hotel (10-min walk), which runs three levels and a rooftop.
Before: The Arborist serves lunch from 12pm daily — book for 1pm on a 3pm curtain and leave yourself 45 minutes to walk over. After: The Arborist rooftop opens at 3pm Friday to Sunday — post-matinée is the perfect 4:30pm arrival time, before the evening crowd builds up. On a Saturday the post-matinée can roll into an evening at Non Disclosure or 18th Amendment from 5pm; on a Sunday the cocktail bars are shut so Arborist is the full afternoon.
Post-Show Supper & Late Drinks
GPAC shows typically let out between 9:30pm and 10pm. By that time most Geelong kitchens have closed and your options narrow fast. Here's what's still serving or pouring:
On Friday, Saturday or Sunday the rooftop at The Arborist is the default post-show landing spot — it's 30 metres from the GPAC foyer, it stays open late, and it serves the post-theatre crowd well. Kitchen usually winds down by 9pm but the bar continues. Expect a wait if a blockbuster show has just let out.
Both cocktail bars run until 1am Friday and Saturday — plenty of time for two drinks after a 10pm curtain call. Non Disclosure is the quieter post-show room; 18th Amendment is the late-night occasion-cocktail option. Neither serves food, so eat something beforehand or order delivery back at your hotel.
The National Hotel (191 Moorabool St, 10-minute walk south-west of GPAC) runs live music Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm, plus a 3-level drinking room and rooftop. If your show lets out at 10pm on a weekend and you want a different atmosphere — louder, live band, a bigger crowd — walk down Little Malop Street, turn left onto Moorabool, you're there in 10 minutes. National is closed Mondays but otherwise open seven. More live music pubs →
Getting to GPAC from Melbourne
GPAC is walkable from Geelong Station — a straight 1.3km east along Little Malop Street. For an evening show from Melbourne, V/Line is the drinks-friendly option.
Journey time: approximately 1 hour. Geelong Station is 1.3km (17-min walk) or a short Uber from GPAC. Walk east on Little Malop Street — you'll pass the three cocktail bars before arriving at the theatre.
For a 7:30pm curtain: aim for the 5pm train from Southern Cross — you'll be on Little Malop Street by 6:20pm, seated for a pre-show cocktail by 6:30pm. For an 8pm curtain: the 5:30pm train works. Check the return timetable before the show: last V/Line services run between 10pm and 11pm most nights — if the show finishes at 10pm, plan to skip post-show drinks or book overnight accommodation. Full Geelong day-trip guide →
Park in the Westfield Geelong car park or one of the Little Malop Street off-street parking options — GPAC is a short walk from both. If you're drinking at any of the three cocktail bars, don't drive: book a hotel in the CBD or plan to take the train. Pubs with accommodation in Geelong →
Pre-Show Tips
- Book The Arborist for dinner — always. It's the only venue on this list that reliably opens for dinner Monday through Sunday, and it's the closest restaurant to the foyer. On a show night the tables go fast. Book before you buy the theatre tickets if possible.
- Non Disclosure and 18th Amendment are Friday/Saturday only. This is the single most important thing to know. If your show is on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday, don't plan to drink there — they're closed.
- Arrive 45 minutes before curtain for a single drink. One cocktail at Non Disclosure takes ~20 minutes. Add a 2-minute walk and a 10-minute settle. 45 minutes is the minimum for a relaxed round; 30 is a rush.
- 18th Amendment needs a full hour. The cocktails are theatrical — smoke, garnishes, careful presentation. A pre-show slot only makes sense if you have an 8pm or later curtain and arrive by 6:30pm. For a 7:30pm show, save it for post.
- The Arborist rooftop is the post-show default on weekends. It's 30 metres from the GPAC door, it stays open late Fri–Sun, and it's the easiest landing spot for the "one more drink after" crowd. Expect it busy after a blockbuster.
- Last V/Line train back to Melbourne is around 10–11pm. If you're coming from Melbourne and the curtain falls at 10pm, you have a tight turnaround — check the exact departure before the show starts. Alternatively, book a pub with rooms in town and make a night of it.