Australia · State of Victoria · Geelong
Lara, Geelong — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Lara is a country town in the Greater Geelong region of Victoria, inland from the Princes Freeway and a short way south of the You Yangs.
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Where to stay in Lara
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Rooms here are thin on the ground. Lara sits about 18 km north-east of the Geelong CBD, close enough that most visitors book in Geelong and drive out, and the town's own beds are the handful a country town of this size keeps rather than a hotel strip. One case argues the other way.
An early flight from Avalon Airport, or a weekend at the Avalon Airshow, makes a night in Lara worth more than the same night spent on the Princes Freeway at dawn.
Few places to stay in Lara — most visitors book in Geelong nearby.
About Lara
What are the main landmarks in Lara?
Three names do the work here. Serendip Sanctuary holds the town's wildlife ground, Avalon Airport puts Melbourne's second airfield on Lara's edge, and the Avalon Airshow brings crowds to that same airfield. A few historic buildings survive along the streets.
Beyond them the view runs to the You Yangs, about 6 km north, while the town itself sits inland from the Princes Freeway on its way to Melbourne.
What is the history of Lara?
The record gives Lara no start date. Lara is set down as a country town in the Greater Geelong region of Victoria, holding a few historic buildings while new housing estates have spread along its outskirts. The direction of travel is clear.
A town once counted at a distance from the Geelong CBD now sits beside Melbourne's second airport, and the Avalon Airshow draws visitors to a place the record still calls a country town.
Where is Lara?
Lara lies about 18 km north-east of the Geelong CBD, inland from the Princes Freeway, with the You Yangs standing some 6 km to the north.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Lara?
Lara: an early departure from Avalon Airport without the drive out from Geelong. Geelong CBD: restaurants and a full choice of rooms 18 km from Lara.
More areas in Geelong
Updated August 2026