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The bollard walk in Geelong takes you along 104
sculptures. A Koori family and English explorer Matthew Flinders and a Portuguese explorer which stand overlooking Corio Bay near the Limeburners Point start of the walk. Lifesaver bollards painted in the same colours at various points create a visual thread. Lifesavers are the symbol of Australian beaches in their distinctive red and yellow caps. At Eastern Beach, you can see bathing beauties from the 1930s and Ian McDonald, the city surveyor who drew the plans for the landmark sea baths. Further on are sea captains, inventor and newspaper editor James Harrison and a family group posing for photograph.
Koori family: This bollard group represents the original inhabitants of the area, the Wathaurong tribe who lived in the area for thousands of years before white exploration and settlement. They are depicted dressed in possum skins carrying hunting implements and fish.
Portuguese explorer: There is some speculation Portuguese explorers entered Corio Bay nearly 500 years ago, centuries before English Captain James Cook "discovered" the east coast of Australia. This bollard represents Captain Cristavo De Mendonca who is said to have sought the shelter of Corio Bay during a voyage in 1520.
Matthew Flinders: This intrepid English navigator and explorer entered Corio Bay on May 1, 1802 and climbed the You Yangs, the distinctive rocky outcrop on the northern horizon. Flinders' bollard is painted in the finery of a British navy uniform.
Volunteer Rifle Band: This group of five bollards, in smart uniforms with instruments and music, represents the band that regularly performed in the Botanic Gardens from 1868.
Robert De Bruce Johnstone: Johnstone was mayor of Geelong from 1865 to 1867 and was known as the "parks and gardens" mayor. During his three terms, the Botanic Gardens were established. A city park was also established in his honour.
Ian McDonald: Geelong's Eastern Beach is much-loved city attraction. McDonald was the city surveyor responsible for drawing the plans for this seaside icon. McDonald's bollard is painted in a 1930s-style grey striped suit, shirt and tie holding a beach toy to signify his connection with the beach front.
Bathing beauties: Beauty contests were all the rage along the foreshore during the 1930s and 1940s. The four bollards in this series represent some of the city's beauties contesting the "Miss Geelong" title.
Footballer: The Australian Rules Geelong Football Club is one of founding members of the competition. This bollard represents a player from the early 1900s. Nearby Transvaal Square was once a paddock where the local team trained.
Scallop fishermen and woman: The bollards depict the local fishing industry around the 1900s.
Peter Lalor: The man who led Australia's famous Eureka Stockade rebellion at Ballarat went into hiding in Geelong after the event in 1854. This bollard is decorated in miner's clothing and carries a Eureka flag.
James Harrison: The bollard shows Harrison in his role as founding editor of the Geelong Advertiser in 1840. But Harrison had another side - he was an inventor. He is credited with developing commercial refrigeration and being the first person to commercially make ice.
Family group: The six bollards in this group represent a family posing for a photograph by the seaside during the first world war.
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