The Peninsula is at its very best and busiest during the summer months but don’t disregard the winter months altogether either. Walking the beaches that line Bass Straight in the cold grey months of winter, and being witness to the drama of the oceans fury is an experience you won’t soon forget. Just bring a jacket! That said, spending a warm summers evening with some fish and chips on the foreshore watching the sun set with some friends is a great way to enjoy life.
Cities
Mornington – The largest of the towns on the Mornington Peninsula, with one long main street leading down to the beach and pier. Mornington is a beachside town that is rapidly growing in response to the growing population around it and on the Peninsula, but don’t shy away from it, it still has a wonderful atmosphere and good transport links (buses) out to the rest of the Peninsula.
Dromana- The small coastal village of Dromana sits in a valley between Arthurs Seat and Mount Martha and with a beautiful beach with brightly painted boat sheds lining the shore, its a pretty spot to spend a few days.
Boat Sheds
Red Hill- With green rolling hills, amazing wineries, fresh produce and a popular community market this is rural Australia at its best.
Sorrento- Sorrento is lucky to boast two very different yet equally interesting beaches. The Sorrento Ocean Beach is spectacular and dangerous while the bay beach is both calm and relaxing. Take your pick! Sorrento was also the site of Victoria’s first official settlement in 1803.
Portsea- Glitzy, ritzy Portsea at the tip of the Peninsula is resident to some very expensive holiday homes and the iconic Portsea Pub that sits literally right on the foreshore. From watching the sunset over a beer on the Pub terrace to catching some waves at Portsea backbeach you wont soon be bored!
Get in
Surburban Trains leave from Melbourne to Frankston daily on the hour, on average taking an hour to Frankston (where they terminate). Tickets can be purchased at stations and validated at stations.
A train line operates from Frankston to Stony Point,
From Frankston Buses run to Portsea, the most western settlement on the Peninsula – 90 minutes and Mount Martha, Flinders and Hastings. Pay driver when boarding. Or use a pre-purchased Metcard ticket.
Timetables – see Peninsula Bus Lines and Portsea Passenger Services routes at bottom of page Bus 781 Frankston to Mount Martha Bus 782 Frankston to Flinders Bus 783 Frankston to Hastings Bus 788 Frankston to Sorrento Bus 000 Frankston to Sorrento via Safety Beach
Car/passenger ferries cross the mouth of Port Phillip Bay between Sorrento and Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula. They depart each terminal on the hour every hour 7AM-6PM every day. From 26 Dec. until end of daylight saving there are also 7PM sailings. Foot Passengers Adult $8 5-15 years $6 Under 5 years $1 Foot Passenger’s Bicycle $2, Tandem $3 Passengers with Vehicle Adult $4 5-15 years $2 Under 5 years $1 vehicle rates Vary with season – car up to 5.5m between $38 and $45.
There is also a passenger ferry that crosses Western Port Bay to Stony Point from French Island and Phillip Island.
Your own transport is handy for getting around the Mornington Peninsula as public transport and taxi services are limited beyond the centre of major towns.
Mornington Peninsula Attractions
The rough and ready waters of Bushrangers Bay
- Peninsula Visitor Information Centre, Nepean Highway, Dromana.
- Frankston Visitor Information Centre, Pier Promenade, Frankston Waterfront, 1300 322 842. 7 days, 9AM-5PM. Make your first stop the Frankston Visitor Information Centre, for all of your travel needs.
- Arthur’s Seat Summit, inland from Dromana. Road goes to the 305m summit from where there are great views. The Lookout Tower is closed as at February 2004.
- Arthur’s Seat Scenic Chairlift, Arthur’s Seat Rd, Dromana. Also goes to and from the summit. Currently closed (Feb 08).
- Mornington Peninsula National Park runs from Pt Nepean to Cape Schanck.
- Point Nepean features an old fort and quarantine station. Entry fees apply.
- Coppins Track walk, Sorrento Ocean Beach.
- Cape Schanck walks including Bushrangers Bay Track which is a great place to see Kangaroos, 2 hours, 6km.
- Cape Schanck Lighthouse and Museum.
- Two Bays Walking Track is a 26km track running between Dromana and Cape Schank. From Dromana it runs through Arthurs Seat State Park, then the Greens Bush and Bushrangers Bay sections of Mornington Peninsula National Park.
- Moorooduc Quarry Flora & Fauna Park features a large lake surrounded by towering cliffs and is located near Moorooduc Railway Station.
- Mornington Railway is a heritage railway running steam and diesel trains most Sundays between Moorooduc and Mornington.
- Coolart Wetland and Homestead is a great place to see Ibis and other waterbirds, the grounds also feature an historic homestead and gardens and an annual jazz festival.
- The Briars
Do
- Wineries
- Golf
- Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park. Open daily between 11AM and 5PM for encounters with Australian animals. Feature is the guided evening walks, as most Australian mammals are nocturnal. Evening tours must be booked. Located at Pearcedale at the top of the Mornington Peninsula. Ph. 5978-7935.
- Play Tennis
- Boat hire / fishing
- Peninsula Hot Springs, Springs Lane, Fingal 3941, ☎ 61 3 5950 8777. Open 7 days a week 9AM – 9PM. For the first time in Victoria you can now bathe in the naturally healing waters of mineral rich thermal pools, up to 50ºC in temperature. These beautifully landscaped natural hot springs continue the tradition of the historic and famous spa centres of Europe, Asia, the Americas and New Zealand. (Please note: Children under 5 not currently admitted, pending construction of a family pool). $30 per adult (peak).
- Shop, Almost French, Boundary Road Shops, Dromana. Serving the fashionable homes of the Peninsula!
- Markets (this is a rough guide and may not be entirely accurate).
- Balnarring Racecourse Market – 3rd Saturday of the month from November to April. 8am – 1pm Coolart Rd. Balnarring. Enquiries Ph 03 5983 2590
- Bittern Market – every Sunday
- Boneo Community Market – Third Saturday of every month. Boneo Road (cnr. Limestone Rd), Boneo. Oct-Mar 8am-12noon Apr-Sept 9am-1pm. Ph: 03 5988 6253
- Coolstores Market – First Sunday of the month
- Dromana Drive-In Market – Every Sunday. Nepean Highway, Dromana.
- Frankston Market – every Sunday
- Hastings Street Market – Every Thursday
- Mornington Race Course – Second Sunday of the month, all year, 9am – 2pm
- Mornington Main Street Market – Every Wednesday of the year
- Oak Hill Gallery – Fourth Sunday of the month. 100 Tyabb Road, Mornington.
- Red Hill Market – First Saturday of the month. Sept – May. 8am-1pm
- Rosebud Market – 2nd Saturday of the month. Cnr. Point Nepean and Jetty Road, Rosebud.
- Sorrento Market – Fourth Saturday of the month. Sorrento Foreshore, Sorrento.
- Tootgarook Market – Fourth Saturday of the month. Tootgarook PS, Carmichael Street, Tootgarook
- Festivals
- Coolart Jazz Festival January 9th & 10th 2010
- Special Events
- Australia Day Januray 26th
- Mornington Cup Mornington Racing Club, Racecourse Road, Mornington. 17th February 2010
- Western Port Festival Hastings Foreshore. February 26, 2010 to February 28, 2010
- Balnarring Picnic Races Emu Plains Racecourse, Coolart Rd, Balnarring. March 1, 2010 to March 2, 2010
- Colour In The Sky Kite Festival Rosebud Foreshore, Jetty Road, Rosebud. March 7, 2010 to March 7, 2010
Eat
- Fork to Fork, 105 Latrobe Parade, Dromana, +61 3 5984-7318. Heronswood’s Fork to Fork café strives wherever possible to use fruit and vegetables which are in season, regional and organic. Many of our vegetables are heirloom varieties from the Heronswood garden that you may well have never seen or tasted before, purple carrots or green and yellow tomatoes all dripping with freshness and flavor. By using local growers and producers we support the local economy, using fewer food miles and promoting environmentally sustainable agriculture.
- Red Hill Cheese, 81 William Road (off Arthurs Seat Rd), Red Hill, Victoria 3937., +61 3 5989-2035. 12 noon to 5PM weekends and public holidays. A seasonal range of specialist cheese is made using fresh organic cow milk and free-range goat milk, each from a single herd. Red Hill cheeses use vegetarian rennet, and are free from genetically modified organisms, artificial stabilisers and preservatives. Please note: there are no facilities for groups of more than 10 people. Luncheon platter $25.
Stay safe
The Mornington Peninsula provides easy access to both the calm waters of Port Phillip Bay and the surf beaches of Bass Strait. The bay side is dotted with family friendly sandy beaches from Frankston in the north down to Sorrento on the southern tip of the Peninsula with foreshore camp grounds open in summer at the more popular Sorrento, Blairgowrie, Rosebud and Rye beaches.
The ocean beaches (or “back” beaches) such as Gunnamatta, Portsea Surf Beach, Sorrento Back Beach, and St Andrews Beach provide big waves to attract surfers and the more intrepid. The ocean beaches can be dangerous and only for strong, competent swimmers. All swimmers should swim between the flags at patrolled surf beaches in the summer months. Bridgewater Bay in Blairgowrie features rock pools exposed at low tide which are safe for swimming.
The ocean beaches have single large waves on rare occasions. Standing on the rocks above the shoreline is not safe; people do get swept off on occasion.
Get out
- Queenscliff is a short ferry ride from Sorrento and offers car and passenger services. Dolphins can often be seen during this journey.
- Frankston – The largest city close to the Peninsula with rail links to Melbourne and Stony Point.
- Stony Point has passenger ferry services to French Island and Phillip Island. There is also a ferry connection between the two islands. Stony Point is easily accessible by diesel train from Frankston.
