Mornington Peninsula, Travel Information

Eastern Victoria’s cosmopolitan playground

The Mornington Peninsula, just an hour from Melbourne, is imbued with a touch of the old school tie. The hills around Arthur’s Seat and Red Hill are a tapestry of small orchards, vineyards and farms. Wineries and restaurants overlook the blue waters of Port Phillip Bay to the west and Western Port Bay to the east.

Unique accommodation Mornington Peninsula

The Mornington Peninsula’s orchards and small farms once provided food for Melbourne and fresh produce can still be bought on the roadside. Many small farms produce gourmet food, wine, cheese, bread and fruit for the local restaurants. The peninsula feels like an island, with a mighty ocean to the south, and bays and sheltered beaches on either side. Fertile hills roll down to the beaches and harbours and soft bay views are everywhere. It’s also only a short ferry ride across Port Phillip Bay to the start of the Great Ocean Road, one of Australia’s most spectacular thoroughfares.

The National Golf Club is Australia’s largest private golf facility, with three courses – Moonah (designed by Greg Norman), Old Course (Robert Trent Jones) and Ocean Course (Thomson) – set on a stunning coastal stretch of dune land at Cape Schanck. Access to this private club is available to members, guests of members and golf-club members from interstate and overseas. The Moonah is currently ranked eighth in Australia, while Old Course is rated 22nd. Moonah Links is another newcomer that bolsters the peninsula’s claim to being Australia’s golfing heaven.

Nostalgia buffs can get their fix with a ride in the classic railway carriages of the Mornington Railway Preservation Society, hauled along a scenic nine kilometre route by a steam locomotive. The service runs between Mornington township and Moorooduc on the first three Sundays of the month, and the price of a return ticket is just $10 per adult. Mornington Peninsula National Park runs from the old fort at Point Nepean alongside pristine ocean beaches past Cape Schanck and towards Flinders. This is the perfect place to walk off some of those excess calories eaten at the tempting cafes and restaurants on the peninsula.

Wine-tasting while horse riding is one of the novel experiences awaiting you at Spring Creek Farm. Professional horseman Terry Scott takes his guests along the equestrian trails of the beautiful Red Hill vineyard, with its spectacular valley and sea views. Along the way you’ll have the chance to sample the products from a number of boutique wineries that dot the area. “The Mornington Peninsula produces some wonderful cool-climate wines, especially pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc,” says Terry, who also offers homely farm stay accommodation.

The peninsula has been an artists’ retreat for more than a century. The Artists’ Trail from Frankston to Cape Schanck highlights the scenes that inspired some of Australia’s best-known painters. Regular craft markets are held at Red Hill, Mornington and Balnarring. Stony Point, near Hastings, is a departure point for boat trips to see French Island’s koalas and Phillip Island’s penguins.

On the Port Phillip Bay side, the Sorrento and Portsea piers host fishing, dive tours and dolphin and seal swims. An hourly car ferry leaves Sorrento for Queenscliff and the Great Ocean Road. Some of Australia’s best sandy beaches can be found between Cape Schanck and Portsea, and along Port Phillip Bay’s shores. Every kind of water activity is available, from sailing to surfing, diving and fishing, as well as majestic coastal walks past dunes, beaches, cliffs and lighthouses.

Major Events

Major events on the Mornington Peninsula:

Festival Activities & Attractions