With lovely bays, waterfront restaurants, wall-to-wall wineries, lively local markets and amazing art galleries, the beautiful Mornington Peninsula has always been Melburnians favourite getaway spot. And with the new freeway, the trip going from Melbourne is just over an hour. Below, we’ve listed our top things to do when heading on down south to the peninsula.
Board the Arthur Seat Eagle or a gondola and fly over the state forest to the highest point on the peninsula, where the views will take your breath away. You will be torn between looking at the spectacular vista across the bay to the city or down the bay, and spotting the wildlife, as you soar high above the trees.
Discover a little slice of the French Riviera down under at the Pillars, Mt Martha. It is considered as one of the best places to go cliff jumping.
Get the opportunity to climb the stone stairs to the lamp room of the beautiful and historic Cape Schanck Lighthouse which provides panoramic views of the ocean. One can even spot whales through the waters during the migration season.
Unwind in thermal pools scattered amongst an Australian bush setting. The Peninsula Hot Springs offers a truly tranquil experience with its 20 bathing experiences including a cave pool, Turkish steam bath, reflexology walk, mineral showers, hilltop pool and more.
Go and learn about Australia’s diverse history at the old Fort Nepean. You’ll be amazed at the tunnels, bunkers, cannon and infrastructure left in place from the turn of the last century are beautifully maintained and curated with lots of audio visual prompts to recreate Australia at war.
Take the old steam Mornington Railway that chugs between Moorooduc and Mornington. It’s a lovely way to remember a bygone era.
The Peninsula’s love affair with wine, fresh produce, seafood and bountiful food on the table becomes evident as you drive through the region. It’s all here- casual cafés, chic restaurants, award-winning restaurants with decks and terraces overlooking vineyards or kitchen gardens, winery restaurants and fine dining both in our coastal villages and our hinterland hamlets.
Mornington Peninsula boasts two unique bays, Port Phillip and Western Port, which offer hundreds of exciting sites to explore and fascinating marine life to see. In the summer months, swim with fur seals and dolphins in the Peninsula’s perfect waters. You can also meet cheeky Australian fur seals, or snorkel with delicate weedy sea dragons.
Play a round on a magnificent cliff top golf course. The peninsula is Australia’s number one golf destination with 15 clubs and 20 outstanding courses. It boasts spectacular coastal views, excellent on-course accommodation and great packages.
You’ll find weekend markets, mid-week markets, markets with a focus on food or crafts, markets with entertainment, breakfast and brunch. You can buy organic vegetables and fruit, sourdough breads, mussels, grass-fed meats, cheese, wine, free-range eggs, pasta, jams, olive oils and more.
