Mornington Peninsula

A seaside holiday peninsula southeast of Melbourne, with open-air hot springs, cool-climate wineries, colourful bathing boxes and clifftop walks — best enjoyed slowly over two nights.

The Mornington Peninsula lies southeast of Melbourne, jutting into the sea like a boot, with the calm waters of Port Phillip Bay to the west, Western Port to the east and the wild Bass Strait at its southern tip. Its northern end is about 60 km from Melbourne's CBD, roughly an hour's drive. Famous for its beaches, hot springs, cool-climate wines and coastal walks, the peninsula is Melburnians' favourite weekend getaway.

Areas: in the north, Mornington and Mount Martha (main street, pier and colourful bathing boxes); in the middle, Dromana and Arthurs Seat (Eagle chairlift and Enchanted Adventure Garden), plus the wineries and farms of Red Hill and Main Ridge; at the western end, Sorrento, Portsea and Point Nepean National Park (heritage buildings, dolphin cruises, fortifications and sea arches); on the south coast, Cape Schanck, Bushrangers Bay and the Gunnamatta surf beach; and on the east coast, Flinders Pier and the Blowhole.

Seasons: Dec–Mar is peak season for beaches and wineries, with sunny weather but crowded weekends; autumn brings the grape harvest and fewer visitors; winter is cool and rainy, ideal for wine tasting and hot springs. Getting around: you'll need a car, as buses are infrequent; you can take the ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff and loop back via the Great Ocean Road. Allow two nights. Note that rip currents are strong on the ocean side — swim only between the red and yellow flags.

Top sights

• Arthurs Seat Eagle – A sightseeing gondola from the seaside to the summit of Arthurs Seat, taking about 15 minutes, with panoramic views over Port Phillip Bay.
• Point Nepean National Park – A cape park at the western tip of the peninsula, with old forts, tunnels and views of The Rip. Explore by bike or shuttle bus.
• Cape Schanck Lighthouse & Boardwalk – A white lighthouse dating from 1859 and a wooden boardwalk to the cape. The walk down reaches basalt reef platforms and Pulpit Rock, with s…
• Sorrento – A seaside resort town at the western end of the peninsula, with 19th-century limestone buildings, boutiques and a bay pier. Take a boat tri…
• Red Hill Wineries – A cool-climate wine region in the middle of the peninsula, home to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wineries, farm restaurants and markets.
• Point Nepean Quarantine Station – A historic complex used as a quarantine station since the 1850s, with a hospital, disinfection rooms and exhibits on migrant stories.
• Bushrangers Bay – A secluded bay on the east side of Cape Schanck, reached by a forest trail to a wild beach ringed with boulders and crashing waves.
• Sorrento Back Beach – An ocean-facing surf coast on Bass Strait, with limestone reef platforms, rock pools and a swimming area known as the Baths, patrolled by l…
• London Bridge, Portsea – A limestone sea arch on the ocean coast near Portsea, with a viewing platform overlooking waves crashing beneath the arch and golden cliffs.
• Gunnamatta Beach – An ocean surf beach on the peninsula, backed by dunes and rolling long waves, and one of the most popular surf spots around Melbourne.
• Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens – One of Australia's oldest hedge mazes, complete with a circular lavender maze, a rose maze and gardens.
• Enchanted Adventure – A forest adventure park near the summit of Arthurs Seat, with treetop rope courses, tube slides, mazes and a sculpture garden.
• Mount Martha Bathing Boxes – Rows of brightly painted beach boxes line the bay. With calm water and sandy shores, it is a classic photo spot on the peninsula.
• Mornington Main Street & Pier – The largest town on the northern peninsula, with cafés and restaurants lining the main street. The old pier and Schnapper Point offer bay s…
• Flinders Pier – An old pier on the shore of Western Port, with seagrass pipefish living beneath it. A well-known snorkelling and diving spot in Australia.
• Flinders Blowhole – A blowhole on the basalt coast west of Flinders, where waves surge into rock crevices and spray upward. Rugged coastal scenery.
• Rye Pier – A long pier on the shore of Port Phillip Bay where you can snorkel among seahorses. The gently sloping beach in front is good for family sw…
• Searoad Ferry Sorrento–Queenscliff – A car ferry crossing the mouth of Port Phillip Bay, linking the Mornington Peninsula with the Bellarine Peninsula in 40 minutes.
• Heronswood – A 19th-century stone house and organic kitchen garden on the slopes of Dromana, and the headquarters of the seed company Diggers Club.
• The Briars – A historic estate and wildlife reserve on Mount Martha, with a Napoleon collection, wetland trails and a bird hide.
• Moonlit Sanctuary – A wildlife sanctuary on the northeastern peninsula, where lantern night tours reveal nocturnal animals such as sugar gliders and eastern qu…
• Peninsula Hot Springs – A natural geothermal spa resort on the Mornington Peninsula with dozens of outdoor pools. The hilltop pool overlooks the peninsula's farmla…

Where to eat

• Ten Minutes by Tractor – A two-hatted winery restaurant in Main Ridge, known for its seasonal tasting menus and award-winning wine list, and con…
• Doot Doot Doot (Jackalope Hotel) – A high-end restaurant in the Jackalope design hotel, serving seasonal tasting menus with Asian influences beneath a cha…
• Mr Vincenzo's Italian Restaurant – A seasonal Italian eatery on Mornington's seafront Esplanade, popular with locals for its handmade pasta and sharing pl…
• The Rocks Seafood Restaurant – A long-running seafood restaurant at Mornington's marina, where you can watch the yacht harbour while eating local muss…
• David Prosser Seafoods – A seafood shop and fish and chips takeaway on the Rye seafront, where fish is cut and fried fresh, best enjoyed on the…

Itineraries

• Mornington, Phillip Island & Wilsons Promontory – A loop southeast of Melbourne connecting the Mornington Peninsula coast, the Penguin Parade, and the wildlife-rich Wils…
• Melbourne Coffee, Markets and Wineries – Laneway cafés and three major markets, plus a day trip to the Yarra Valley wineries and a Mornington Peninsula day of c…