The Geelong Canoe Club is utilized year round providing a home for paddle sports in the Region. The tenants and regular users of the Canoe Club and its facilities have evolved over recent years to include the provision of the following primary groups:
Canoe Polo
Canoe Sprint
Dragon Boat
Outrigger Canoeing
White Water Canoeing (including slalom and down river)
Marathon Canoeing
Recreational Canoeing / Touring
Multi-sport and adventure sport
Surf Ski paddling
Ocean Ski paddling
Sea Kayaking
Ultra Marathon racing
School based paddling (limited)
Scout Group participation (limited)
The Geelong Canoe Club provides for a diverse range of participants including, males, females, seniors, juniors and education groups. The club has experienced an increase in demand for external use of the facilities to cater for pressures from local schools, scout groups, special needs groups and other education, community and sporting groups. These groups are seen as integral to the Geelong Canoe Club and its future.
Access to facilities for training, boat storage, meetings and change facilities is available 7 days per week to cater for the diverse needs and flexibility required to support each group’s participation and involvement.
The Geelong Canoe Club is an old converted soap factory situated on the Barwon River within the Balyang Sanctuary, one of Geelong's most-popular family picnic venues and waterbird havens. Over 30 years ago, much of the land beside the Barwon River was regarded as either swamp or industrial zones. Woollen mills, tanneries, paper mills, a soap factory and a host of other factories were all established beside the river. Today, most of the industry has gone and efforts to beautify the river's banks and floodplains continue, returning the land to the people as parks and walking / running / cycling paths.
Riverside walking / bike paths link the Geelong Canoe Club with other parks and facilities along the Barwon River including; the King Lloyd Recreation Reserve, Barwon Edge Boat Park, Balyang Par 3 Golf Course, Barwon Rowing Club, Corio Bay Rowing Club, Geelong Lawn Regional Tennis Club and John Landy Athletic Field.