About Bellarine AI
Local expertise.
Real implementation.
Bellarine AI is an AI systems practice based in Clifton Springs, Victoria, founded by Aaron McLeay. We work hands-on with local trade and service businesses, and you'll always deal directly with the people doing the work — so nothing gets lost between what you need and what gets built.
Hi, I'm Aaron McLeay
I didn't come up through tech. I spent over a decade in food processing and manufacturing — starting on the floor and working my way up into Quality Assurance. After that, a few career changes eventually landed me in the hire industry, working alongside small business owners every day in a customer-facing role.
Through all of it, I was always the one who enjoyed figuring out how things worked — processes, systems, getting things running properly and keeping them that way. When AI capabilities started moving fast, it clicked. I could bring together the things I genuinely enjoy — problem-solving, building systems, helping people — and do it on my own terms. So I started Bellarine AI.
I grew up in the northern suburbs of Geelong and moved to the Bellarine about ten years ago. I'm not flying in from Melbourne for a meeting and flying back out. I know what the day looks like for a local operator — the urgent call that upends everything, the admin that gets pushed to after hours, the feeling that you're always catching up. If a system doesn't make that reality easier, it won't last.
What I've actually built
Lead Capture Automation
Built and deployed the Speed To Lead System — form trigger, AI classification, instant reply, follow-up sequences, and Google Sheet logging — running live for local businesses.
Free GEO Snapshot + Full Business Audit
Developed a scored GEO audit framework covering ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Gemini — delivered as a free 1-page snapshot or a full $249 PDF report with prioritised fixes.
Website Rebuilds
Rebuilt static sites for local businesses from the ground up — clean HTML, fast load, schema markup, and structured for AI search visibility from day one.
Database Reactivation
Packaged a re-engagement system that works an existing contact list through segmentation, personalised AI-drafted outreach, and automated follow-up sequences — no cold list required.
GEO + Marketing Audits
Delivered a combined GEO and marketing audit for a local photography business — they implemented the findings and improved their AI search visibility across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity.
Background includes Cert IV qualifications in Quality Assurance and Meat Safety — a foundation in process discipline, documentation standards, and getting things done right the first time.
How I work
These aren't marketing lines — they're the rules I actually follow when building systems for clients.
No lock-in contracts
Month-to-month on everything. You own your workflows, your data, and your accounts from day one. It should be the quality of the work and the assistance we provide that keeps clients coming back — not a contract that makes leaving difficult.
Documentation is part of the build
Every system comes with a handover pack — what it does, how to monitor it, how to change it, and the SOPs to operate it day-to-day. You shouldn't need to call me to run your own business.
Human approval before anything sends
No AI automation sends an email or message without a review step — unless you specifically want it to. Least-privilege access, approval gates, and rollback plans are built in from the start.
Boring reliability over clever features
Every system includes logging, retries, and a human fallback. I'd rather build something that works quietly for years than something impressive that breaks when you need it most.
Who I'm not a good fit for
If you want something rushed and you're not fussed about how it works under the hood — I'm probably not the right fit. I prefer to get it done once and done right. That means taking the time to understand your business properly before building anything.
I also work best with business owners who are willing to be involved. You'll need to put in a couple of hours for the audit, be available to review outputs before anything goes live, and engage with the process. The result is something that works properly and that you actually understand — not a black box you're dependent on someone else to manage.
Why local matters
I grew up in Geelong and moved to the Bellarine about ten years ago for the quieter pace and the community feel. It's growing fast, and I'd love to have a business that's genuinely part of that — helping local operators thrive here, not just servicing them from a distance.
Local service businesses don't operate in a clean, predictable way. The day is constantly interrupted — urgent jobs, customer calls, admin that gets pushed to after hours. A city agency doesn't see that. I do. If a system doesn't make that reality easier, it won't last. That's the lens everything gets built through.
Between the coast and the farmlands — it's the quieter lifestyle without being too far from the city when you need it.
Bellarine
Peninsula
Geelong
Greater Region
Based in
Clifton Springs, VIC 3222
Want to see if it's a good fit?
Start with a free GEO Snapshot — a quick look at how your business shows up across AI search tools. No obligation, no sales pitch. If there's something worth fixing, I'll show you what it is.