Do I need to charge between Melbourne and Geelong?

No, for most modern EVs. The route is around 74 km via the Princes Freeway, well within the real-world range of any EV sold in Australia today. Leave Melbourne with a reasonable charge and you'll arrive in Geelong with plenty left. Only very small-battery EVs or those starting the drive very low need to consider a stop at Werribee along the way.

How far is Melbourne to Geelong by EV?

Via the Princes Freeway (West Gate Freeway to Princes Freeway), it's approximately 74 km. Drive time is around 1 hour without stops. It's one of the shortest freeway EV drives in Australia and requires no charging strategy for most vehicles.

Where are the EV chargers in Geelong?

Geelong has around 30 public charging stations. The fastest option is the Tesla Supercharger at 470-510 Princes Highway, Corio (northern Geelong) with 6 stalls up to 250 kW, open to non-Tesla vehicles with CCS. Chargefox-operated 22 kW Type 2 AC chargers are at the Geelong Waterfront (Cunningham Pier). There are also chargers at Westfield Geelong, Market Square, and Newcomb Central Shopping Centre on the Bellarine Highway. Use the journey planner to check current availability for your connector type.

Can I use Geelong as a base for EV day trips to the Bellarine Peninsula?

Yes, but charge in Geelong before heading out. The Bellarine Peninsula towns like Queenscliff (~35 km from Geelong), Ocean Grove (~20 km), and Portarlington (~25 km) have some charger access, but coverage is thinner than in the city. A full charge from Geelong covers the peninsula comfortably. Check the journey planner before each leg if you're planning multiple stops around the peninsula.

Route Guide

Melbourne to Geelong EV Route Planner: Charging Stops and Timing

Q: Is there a Tesla Supercharger in Geelong?

Yes. The Tesla Supercharger is at 470-510 Princes Highway in Corio, on the northern edge of Geelong. It has 6 stalls capable of up to 250 kW and is open to non-Tesla vehicles with a CCS connector, 24 hours a day. It's the fastest DC charging option in the area and a good stop before continuing south to the Great Ocean Road or returning to Melbourne.

Published April 2026

Melbourne to Geelong is one of the simplest EV drives in Australia. It's 74 km via the Princes Freeway. Most modern EVs cover this without stopping at all. Leave Melbourne with a reasonable charge, drive straight through, and arrive in Geelong ready for whatever comes next, whether that's the city, the Bellarine Peninsula, or the start of the Great Ocean Road.

Do you need to stop between Melbourne and Geelong?

For the vast majority of EVs, no. 74 km at freeway speeds uses roughly 12–15 kWh for a typical mid-size EV. Even a smaller-battery car like the Nissan Leaf 40 kWh handles this with margin to spare. If you leave Melbourne with 40% or more, you'll arrive in Geelong comfortable. If you're starting very low, under 15–20%, Werribee is a sensible stop before the charge runs thin.

The only real exception is older small-battery EVs in cold weather with the heater running hard. In that case, a short top-up at Werribee takes 10 minutes and removes any doubt.

En-route charging at Werribee

Werribee sits around 35 km from Melbourne on the Princes Freeway corridor. Wyndham City Council operates public fast chargers here, up to 80 kW DC, accessible via the Chargefox and Exploren apps. There's also a U-Go station on Cherry Street with stalls up to 150 kW. A 10-minute stop adds more than enough range for the remaining 40 km to Geelong.

Check current availability at chargers in Werribee before you leave if you're planning on stopping. On most days, you won't need to.

Charging in Geelong

Geelong has around 30 public charging stations across the city. The fastest option is the Tesla Supercharger at 470–510 Princes Highway in Corio, on the northern edge of Geelong. Six stalls, up to 250 kW, open to non-Tesla vehicles with a CCS connector, 24 hours a day. If you're heading straight through to the Great Ocean Road and want a quick top-up, this is the spot.

For slower stops around the city, the Geelong Waterfront at Cunningham Pier on Western Beach Road has Chargefox-operated 22 kW Type 2 AC chargers. These are fine if you're spending an hour or more at the waterfront, but not a fast DC stop. Westfield Geelong on Malop Street and Market Square both have chargers in their car parks. Newcomb Central Shopping Centre on the Bellarine Highway is well-placed if you're heading toward the peninsula.

Networks in Geelong: Chargefox, Evie Networks, Tesla Supercharger, BP Pulse, and ChargePoint. Use the Geelong charger map to check live availability and filter by connector type before you arrive.

Continuing to the Bellarine Peninsula

Ocean Grove is about 20 km from Geelong, Queenscliff about 35 km, and Portarlington about 25 km. These distances are short, but charger coverage on the peninsula itself is thinner than in the city. Charge in Geelong before heading out.

If you're doing a loop of the peninsula, plan the route using the journey planner before you leave. The roads are mostly 60–80 km/h which helps with range, but the lack of fast DC options on the peninsula means arriving low is uncomfortable.

Continuing to the Great Ocean Road

Geelong is 30 km from Torquay and around 70 km from Lorne. If you're driving the Great Ocean Road as part of this trip, Geelong is your last reliable fast-charging stop before the coastal road begins. Fill up at the Tesla Supercharger in Corio before heading south. Torquay has some destination AC charging, but no fast DC hub. Lorne and Apollo Bay have slower chargers. Warrnambool, at the far end of the Great Ocean Road, has faster options.

See the Great Ocean Road EV route guide for the full breakdown of charging stops along the coast.

Charging strategy

Leave Melbourne with 40%+ and you'll arrive in Geelong without thinking about charging.
Leave Melbourne with under 20%: stop at Werribee for 10 minutes.
Spending the day in Geelong and returning: the Tesla Supercharger at Corio is the fastest top-up before heading back to Melbourne.
Heading to the Bellarine Peninsula: charge in Geelong first; don't rely on finding a fast charger on the peninsula.
Heading to the Great Ocean Road: full charge from Geelong. Torquay to Lorne has no fast DC charging.