These Are the Top Things to Do on the Mornington Peninsula

This outstanding region offers a long list of experiences you’ll want to write home about.

Melbourne’s own version of the Hamptons boasts incredible food producers, wineries, top-of-the-line restaurants, walking trails and so much more.

Sadly, many Victorians – let alone interstaters – are yet to discover the many gems hidden among the dunes and bushland of the pretty peninsula. This relaxed region stretches from Frankston to Portsea, and here’s how to get acquainted with the best things to do on the Mornington Peninsula.

1. Take a hatted restaurant tour

the Doot Doot Doot restaurant interior with a glamorous ceiling — Doot Doot Doot is located within the iconic Jackalope Hotel. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you consider yourself a gourmand, you’ll be impressed the Mornington Peninsula delivers enough world-class restaurants to keep you fed for more than a few weekends.

The first, Laura at Pt. Leo Estate, offers exquisite modern Australian cuisine championing local producers. Brigitte Hafner’s Tedesca Osteria is the very definition of a restaurant practising the principles of slow food. She serves four set-course lunches a week, each with only one sitting, changing the menu every day to account for what is best and freshest.

Celebrate incredible produce and wine from the region at Main Ridge’s Ten Minutes By Tractor. Kiwi-born chef Hayden Ellis has worked at some of the best restaurants in the world, including the Fat Duck, and makes good use of the produce from the estate’s kitchen garden.

a spread of food and wine at Rare Hare — Enjoy delicious share-style plates at Rare Hare. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Audrey’s , with its seafood tasting menu, is an homage to chef Scott Pickett’s grandma, who instilled his passion for cooking. Doot Doot Doot is Jackalope’s fine-dining restaurant. On offer is a three-course menu served with a selection of snacks (and upgrades if you’re celebrating) that make the most of the plentiful local produce.

The hotel’s more casual bistro (and food and wine store), Rare Hare , has a wood-fired oven at its heart and offers indoor and outdoor dining options. Over at Flinders, the Moke crew offers a relaxed, shared dining experience, with chef Michael Cole changing the menu each week. If you’re looking for something a little different, chef Gayan Pieris is serving a modern Asian menu inspired by Sri Lanka at Many Little Bar & Dining .

the vineyard at The Restaurant at Montalto — The Restaurant at Montalto features a menu that champions estate-grown heirloom produce. (Image: Supplied)

Chef Gayan Pieris works, this time, with Polperro ’s farmer Nick to create dishes overflowing with organic and biodynamic produce that’s picked at the perfect moment and paired with the finest proteins. Each of the four courses served during a shared meal at The Restaurant at Montalto is designed to highlight a connection between the estate gardens, the kitchen and the property’s award-winning wines.

Inspiration for the menu at Port Phillip Estate comes from Europe, but the ingredients that go into it are much more local than that. On a sunny day, ask for a table on the deck and enjoy the views of the vineyard and Western Port Bay.

Discover more great places to eat and drink on the Mornington Peninsula.

2. Mornington Peninsula hot springs

an aerial view of the Peninsula Hot Springs — A visit to the Peninsula Hot Springs is the ultimate indulgent experience. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Consistently voted as the best luxury mineral spa in the world, Peninsula Hot Springs is the real deal. Located on a 17-hectare property, it offers more than 50 hot spring pools and geothermal bathing experiences, from cave pools to Turkish steam baths, all in a natural bushland setting. There’s also a beautiful hilltop bath with an incredible view. The naturally heated, mineral-packed water is pumped from 637 metres below ground, ready to soak tired muscles.

As well as soaking, you can book a treatment, have lunch and even stay overnight. Here’s a tip: if you’re staying close by, get up early and enjoy bathing from 7am before the crowds arrive.

A newer option is Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, where you can immerse yourself in the healing waters from early morning until well after the sun sets. There are 22 pools, each beautifully designed, as well as private bathing experiences, body treatments and rituals, and lunch or high tea at the onsite restaurant.

3. Hike to your heart’s content

The Mornington Peninsula is home to a selection of trails that will give your legs a good stretch while you’re visiting.

THE BAY TRAIL

To get a true sense of the peninsula in its entirety, the 30-kilometre Bay Trail extends along the Port Phillip coast from Safety Beach to Portsea.

POINT NEPEAN NATIONAL PARK

A natural beauty at the tip of the peninsula, this walk will see you pass the historical quarantine station and WWII housing.

TWO BAYS WALKING TRACK

Trek 26 kilometres from one side of the peninsula (Dromana) to the other (Cape Schanck).

MORNINGTON PENINSULA WALK

Keen ramblers can tackle the 100-kilometre Mornington Peninsula Walk, which combines all the above. There are plenty of shorter sections if your preference is for a stroll.

4. Play a round of golf

an aerial view of the RACV Cape Schanck Resort — RACV Cape Schanck Resort features an 18-hole, par 70 championship golf course by the ocean. (Image: Supplied)

The peninsula draws comparisons to Scotland’s Fife district due to the concentration of clubs here. Go for a swing at a mix of traditional and links courses. Natural dunes create sweeping hills and natural sand traps, plus most courses offer amazing sea views while you play.

RACV Cape Schanck Resort has excellent accommodation, a lovely restaurant and stunning views. But for the keen golfer, the 18-hole, par-70 championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr is the big drawcard. Portsea Golf Club , with its links course set amid sand dunes and Moonah forest, hosts state and national events, complemented by its own prestigious Portsea Pro-Am.

With two 18-hole championship courses, Moonah Links has become one of the destinations for aficionados of the great game. It’s even hosted the Victorian PGA Championship. Built along a stunning stretch of clifftop land overlooking Bass Strait and Western Port Bay, The Flinders Golf Club is more than a hundred years old and a great place to get into the swing of things.

5. Enchanted Adventure

a man conquering the adventure course at Enchanted Adventure — Tackle the high ropes adventure courses and mazes. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you have kids, make a beeline for Enchanted Adventure at Arthurs Seat. Alongside manicured garden mazes as far as the eye can see, this playful paradise houses a tube slide ride, sculpture park, indoor maze and lolly shop. Add an extra couple of hours to your visit and go tree surfing on one of two high ropes adventure courses. There are zip lines, swinging rope bridges, suspended tunnels and a giant Tarzan swing set in the native trees of this ancient woodland. Choose from two courses: the Grand course for adults/teens and the Nippers course for kids. Make sure you check out the bookings website for additional information before you visit.

6. Mornington Peninsula beaches

the waves at Sorrento Back Beach — Sorrento Back Beach is famed for its epic surf breaks. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The sandy shores of Port Phillip Bay offer boating, fishing, safe swimming and beachfront camping aplenty. The west coast faces Bass Strait, so there are amazing surf beaches. On the Western Port side, there are more surf beaches and views across to Phillip and French Islands.

Avoid the crowds at Mothers Beach in Mornington. Take a swim, walk the shores and get out a picnic if you’re so inclined. Nearby Shire Hall Beach is home to colourful huts, along with plentiful benches, picnic tables and toilets.

Fossil Beach offers budding geologists a picturesque limestone cliff walk. There’s a signposted trail that indicates sites of significance regarding the original First Nations inhabitants of the region and the first European settlers.

Further south, between Mount Martha and Dromana, Safety Beach is another calm spot. In between Portsea’s mansions – at the end of Point King Road – a hidden path leads down wooden stairs to Point King Beach.

Surfers should head to Portsea Surf Beach, Sorrento Back Beach, Rye Ocean Beach, Saint Andrews and Gunnamatta Surf Beach.

7. Arthurs Seat Eagle

a cable car overlooking Port Phillip Bay at Arthurs Seat Eagle — Take in the views of Port Phillip Bay from a cable car. (Image: Visit Victoria)

When the ground just isn’t cutting it anymore, make your way to Arthurs Seat Eagle , which gives you the chance to soar in a cable car through the forest canopy over Arthurs Seat State Park.

The summit is 314 metres high, granting great views across Port Phillip Bay to Melbourne. Each ‘eagle’ is all-inclusive and caters to people with disabilities, as well as the elderly, frail and toddlers. It is also wheelchair and pram-friendly.

8. Bask in a brew

pizza, beer and more served by the fire at St Andrews Beach Brewery — Pop by St Andrews Beach Brewery for pizza and beers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Take a detour from Mornington Peninsula’s various vinous highlights and bask in the talent of a growing crop of artisanal brewers, distillers and cider makers.

Tar Barrel Brewery and Distillery , Red Hill Brewery and St Andrews Beach Brewery are three venues leading the charge. Each space has taps of refreshing ales and their regularly changing specialty brews, matched with no-nonsense favourites like woodfired pizza, nachos, smoked meats and burgers and fries.

There are some newer places to try too: Jetty Road , Banks and a local favourite TWØBAYS Brewing Co . It makes gluten-free beer in a variety of styles, including an IPA, stout and sour, and excellent gluten-free pizza comes from the kitchen.

a couple inside JimmyRum Distillery — JimmyRum Distillery is proudly Victoria’s first dedicated craft rum distillery. (Image: Visit Victoria)

In Red Hill, Bass and Flinders Distillery produces a range of grape-based gins, brandy and other spirits. Visitors can taste a gin paddle, order a signature cocktail or participate in a gin masterclass to make their very own batch. Single-malt whisky is the specialty of Chief’s Son Distillery , while rum and all the creations you can make from it are the drawcard at JimmyRum Distillery . The garden is dog-friendly, too. In Rye, you’ll find Penni Ave Distillery , where the makers are dedicated to vodka. Cocktails and tasting paddles are available, and there’s often a food truck parked outside for those feeling hungry.

A fifth generation of sisters is now in charge of Mock Red Hill , which brews biodynamic ciders created from dessert apples grown in a single orchard. Visitors can try a pint in the Cider Lounge with a platter of local cheeses or check out the Farmgate store.

9. Pt. Leo Estate Sculpture Park

a head sculpture at Pt. Leo Estate — The sculpture park features large-scale installations. (Image: ©CMcConville)

Pt. Leo Estate wears many hats. Owned by the Gandel family, the property consists of a 20-hectare vineyard, a cellar door, restaurants and, possibly the crowning glory of the whole project, a meandering sculpture garden.

Covering an extensive 135 hectares, the sculpture park is an outdoor gallery displaying 60 large-scale installations. The collection is made up of pieces by Australian and international artists, and this is the first time all these pieces have been brought together – in the past, they’ve either been stored or loaned out. One work was relocated from a paddock where some of the property’s hundred or so heads of Angus cattle used it as a scratching post.

Thirty and 60-minute walks see you meander through the exhibition and adjacent vines. Pieces are rendered in various mediums, from slate to wood to metal, and laid out so you can view them from every angle.

10. Mornington Peninsula Markets

There are many aspects that make the Mornington Peninsula special, and one of them is the produce and the people who grow it. The best way to find out about the food you’re eating is to have a chat with the farmer, fisherman or cheesemaker at a local market.

Farmers’ markets take place at different locations each week. A favourite is the Red Hill Community Market , which takes place on the first Saturday of the month. The more than 300 stalls are chock-full of the freshest seasonal produce, as well as plenty of value-added items, from fresh bread to condiments, as well as crafts, plants and tasty treats to eat right there. Another favourite is the Point Nepean Portsea Market , and not just for its picturesque bayside setting. Meet the bakers, makers and growers, who are ready to share their produce and passion. There are lots of crafts to check out, too.

Try something completely different at the end of the disused Mornington Railway Station. This is where you can find Food Yard , held on the fourth Friday night of each month. Grab something to eat from the food trucks serving delicacies from around the world then find a spot to sit. There’s also a bar and kids’ game area.

Now discover the ultimate Mornington Peninsula road trip.

Feast your way through Sun Country on the Murray – a beautiful and bountiful region in northern Victoria with gourmet delights galore.

Nestled on the lands of the Yorta Yorta People along the mighty Murray River, Sun Country is a truly extraordinary place. The northern Victorian enclave is a tapestry of meandering waterways, ancient forests, sandy beaches, enchanting country towns and an easy way of life.

Beyond its landscapes and bucolic charm, Sun Country on the Murray is a culinary paradise: think farm-fresh produce, family-run wineries and no shortage of places to feast.

If you’re a serious foodie or simply epicurious, here’s your ultimate guide to a gourmand Murray River getaway.

The Murray Farm Gate Trail

The self-guided Murray Gate Farm Trail lets you sample the area’s best produce while immersing yourself in the lush Goulburn and Murray Valleys. The trail has something to suit every palate and pace, but there are a few notable highlights.

1. Rich Glen

Rich Glen Provedore and Rich Glen Skin & Beauty — Stock up at Rich Glen. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Rich Glen is renowned for its award-winning olive oils. Everything is grown and created on the family farm in Yarrawonga, the results of which you can visit at Rich Glen Provedore – a treasure trove of gourmet foods, including that signature olive oil. Or explore Rich Glen Skin & Beauty, which stocks lush handmade skincare and wellness products.

2. How Now Dairy

A charming micro-farm producing ethical dairy, How Now Dairy , lets its baby calves remain with their mothers and its cows roam on rolling pesticide-free pastures. Try a selection of cheeses that do good and taste good, including a fantastic punchy blue, and velvety milk with a thick, creamy top.

3. Cactus Country

Cactus Country in the murray — Stop into Cactus Country. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Cactus Country is a 12-acre stretch of desert-like garden containing cacti of all shapes, sizes and colours. Naturally, it makes the most of its bounty at the on-site bar and restaurant, with a cactus-infused dessert menu alongside a vibrant line-up of Mexican snacks and mains.

4. The Olde Creamery

The Olde Creamery is a local icon, a former hobby farm that has flourished into a thriving purveyor of flowers and foods. The elderflower cordial and bramble gin and tonic jam are must-tries, and make for tasty mementoes of your trip.

Wineries, breweries and distilleries

The region’s sunny climate and rich soils make it a prime place for viticulture. If wine isn’t your thing, you’ll also find boutique breweries and distilleries producing top-notch beers and spirits.

1. Squires Winery

a couple sitting at the bar at squire's winery, sun country on the murray — Pop in for a tasting. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With its idyllic positioning on the Ovens River, Squires Winery is a lovely setting for a long, leisurely lunch or tasting. Enjoy a riverside sip of prosecco, rosé or cab sauv, complemented by seasonal bites and a backdrop of towering gum trees.

2. Cape Horn Vineyard

Cape Horn is one of the region’s most established vineyards. Its sparkling durif/shiraz is a crowd favourite and well worth trying on your foodie tour, especially if it’s served with one of the winery’s delicious wood-fired pizzas.

3. Byramine Homestead & Brewery

A top pick among beer, cider and history enthusiasts, Byramine serves a rotation of brews made on-site in the historic homestead. Wander through the venue and learn about its colonial past before sitting down to a freshly made Ploughman’s and cold local ale.

4. Monichino Wines

Monichino is a slice of la dolce vita in northern Victoria, producing classic Italian varietals like pinot grigio and aromatica. Drop by for a tasting at the cellar door (open weekends or by appointment) and explore everything from crisp whites to robust fortified wines, or pack a picnic and savour your glass in the picturesque gardens.

5. Corowa Distilling Co

Corowa Distilling Co crafts an incredible variety of single-malt and blended whiskies, and is a beloved spot among locals and visitors alike. Stop in for a tasting flight in the whisky room, or a hearty breakfast or lunch paired with a wee dram.

Farm-to-table dining

If you’ve got the time to linger over a gourmet spread, Sun Country on the Murray has an abundance of outstanding restaurants and cafes.

1. O’Reilly’s Food and Wine

O’Reilly’s feels much like stepping into a good friend’s home, albeit with a refined twist. The menu changes weekly and rotates through a selection of comforting yet elevated dishes – think lamb cottage pie, French-style moussaka, a perennially popular open steak sandwich and cakes that change flavours weekly.

2. Stock and Barrel

a couple eating at Stock and Barrel victoria — Soak in views of Lake Mulwala. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Tucked inside The Sebel Yarrawonga hotel, overlooking sparkling Lake Mulwala, Stock and Barrel does pub classics with a Sun Country spin. Order a perfectly seared steak and triple-cooked potatoes alongside a freshly poured pint, or try a regional highlight: local produce features abundantly across Stock and Barrel’s dishes.

3. The Bend

With spacious decks and panoramic views of the Murray, The Bend is ideal for a sun-soaked long lunch. Order a round of moreish share plates (like baja fish tacos and a warm-from-the-oven brioche loaf stuffed with cream cheese and herbs) or a signature cocktail and indulgent main – we can’t go past the slow-braised wagyu brisket.

4. Blacksmith Provedore

If you’re after a slick yet relaxed dining destination, head to Blacksmith Provedore . Perched right next to Lake Mulwala, the venue is airy and elegant, with a minimalist-chic design. The pizzas are seriously good too, made with 72-hour fermented dough and toppings sourced from Italy’s finest producers.

5. Broken Willow

As soon as you enter Broken Willow ’s front doors, you’re greeted with genuine hospitality and a classic bistro menu that has something for everyone: succulent grilled meats, parmas and schnitzels, juicy burgers, and international dishes ranging from weekly curry and stir-fry specials to zippy banh mi.

While you’re there

Thompson Beach in sun country on the murray — Discover plenty to do between meals. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Got a few hours to spare? Make the most of your trip by exploring the natural wonders and rich cultural heritage of your riverside surroundings.

Barmah National Park is a sanctuary of walks through majestic river red gums and serene wetlands. Here, a seat on board a Kingfisher River Cruise offers a different Murray experience, letting you see the vast river from the perspective of the Yorta Yorta peoples.

If you’re a watersport enthusiast, Lake Mulwala in Yarrawonga is a favourite for canoeing, cruising, fishing, kayaking and water skiing. While the silo murals at Katamatite, St James, Tungamah and more recently Waaia are essential stops in Victoria’s famed Silo Art Trail .

In Cobram Barooga, make sure to visit Thompson’s Beach, the largest inland beach in the southern hemisphere. Nearby, the Bullanginya Dreaming project is an award-winning 1.8km immersive art experience that immerses you in light and sound to tell a rich story of country, culture and connection.

Start planning a tasty getaway to Sun Country on The Murray at suncountryonthemurray.com.au.

These are the top things to do on the Mornington Peninsula