Mornington Peninsula: Where To Eat, Stay And Play

Whether you’re looking to lie on the beach and enjoy a low-key picnic lunch, spend a day at the winery or have a couples’ getaway with all the bells, whistles and glamping, the Mornington Peninsula is an ideal holiday destination for a day, a week or longer.

It was a joyful discovery for me as a Melbourne resident (it took me less than 1.5 hours to get there along the Nepean Highway). For interstate and international visitors, it’s certainly a great opportunity to show off Victoria’s wineries, beaches, food and walking riches, all a short trip from Melbourne.
If you’re not driving, there’s a bus from Melbourne and ferries to Phillip Island, French Island and Stony Point. The Visit Victoria website offers more advice on getting around.

Eat and drink

Store Fifteen All-Day Breakfast — If you love an all-day breakfast you’ll want to put Store Fifteen on your hit list

Pizza, smoothies and frozen yoghurt – oh my!

The Mornington Peninsula has become a foodie’s wonderland, where you’ll find an abundance of cafes, restaurants and outdoor picnic venues to meet your every craving. While dining in is recommended, takeaway to eat by the beach on a warm day is hard to resist.

There’s several cafes at the Peninsula Hot Springs, so you’ll be catered to if you want pizza and equally, if a low-carb, gluten-free salad appeals, that’s on offer too. If you opt for a glamping experience (more on that in the Stay section), there’s an on-site restaurant at nearby Blue Range Estate .

In the beach town of Mornington itself, Store Fifteen offers nutritious smoothies, coffees, teas and an all-day breakfast menu with plenty of vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options. There’s a range of juices (try the refreshing celery juice) and don’t miss its super-fresh salads. And while you’re here, it’s almost mandatory to eat frozen yoghurt. Drop into YOMG for the mango matcha frozen yoghurt or maybe the salted caramel is more your flavour? There’s a whole lot of juicy burger options if you’re ravenous too.

Dine on multiple hats at Pt Leo Estate

If you’re after a side of fine dining with your wine tasting, you can’t go past a stop in at Pt Leo Estate . Aside from world-class wines, you’ll also find Laura; the restaurant named ‘New Restaurant of the Year’ in the Good Food Guide 2019. This two-hatted restaurant offers a fine-dining experience, headed up by Pt Leo Estate’s culinary director Phil Wood.

If you’re after something a little less fancy, Pt Leo Estate Restaurant has only the one hat, but all the flavour. We especially recommend trying the snapper ceviche with avocado, coconut and chilli, and the John Dory, served with teriyaki sauce, mushroom XO and macadamias.

Gravel ant-infused gin

From a sip perspective, you can’t go past a visit to Bass and Flinders Distillery in the Mornington Peninsula. Known for its impressive range of brandies and gins, it provides an attractive alternative to a weekend packed with wine tastings – especially if you’re willing to experiment with, erm… different flavours. Bass and Flinders is known for its innovative ideas, such as its ‘Angry Ant’ premium gin, created with the addition of an edible native ant: a gravel ant that has been foraged as a food source for centuries.

Though it may sound slightly startling, the infusion of the gravel ant means that the gin is enhanced with a unique, slightly tangy flavour reminiscent of the Australian outback, which those who are brave enough to try it just love. Hand on heart.

Stay

Adults-only glamping under the stars

New to the accommodation offerings on the peninsula is Mornington Peninsula Glamping. The first glampsite to pop up on the peninsula, it’s located on the Blue Range Estate Winery , run by the Melone family.

An adults-only retreat, each of the glamping tents accommodates two people maximum. Within the five-by-five-metre tents is a queen-size bed, two lounge chairs and a coffee table. You won’t need to go device-free either, with solar power to ensure you can remain connected if you desire. Within easy walking distance is a shared cooking and dining area (barbecues, hot water and boutique coffee and tea) plus bathroom facilities, which are just as snazzy and chic as the tents.

Between Friday and Sunday, you can eat at the winery’s restaurant if embracing the great outdoors as your kitchen doesn’t appeal to you.

Art and luxury collide at Jackalope

If you’re planning a trip to the Mornington Peninsula, Jackalope undeniably needs to be a part of your itinerary – if not to stay, then to explore and appreciate.

Not only a treat for those looking for a chic place to rest their head, it’s also a deservedly acknowledged spot for the art appreciators among us to explore, as the property houses boldly curated collaborations with incredible Australian designers – some inside, some in the form of sculptures scattered around the property’s vineyard foundation.

Speaking of designers, 45 of the hotel’s ‘designer dens’ are furnished with custom-made interiors, and the hotel’s dining and drinking options are no exception to the strong art-themed decor. Flaggerdoot, Jackalope’s cocktail lounge is reminiscent of a science lab-turned penthouse, and Doot Doot Doot , the hotel’s signature restaurant will leave you floored with meals almost too beautiful to eat.

Play

Soak in the Hot Springs

For many seeking a retreat from daily life and the rejuvenating qualities of nature and water, the Peninsula Hot Springs provide much-needed respite. Choose from the pools or private baths, where natural thermal mineral waters soak tired muscles to heal and harmonise. Whether you come purely to indulge in the thermal pools or to spend an entire day, there’s plenty of choices available. The spa offers massage, facials and body scrubs. But, if you’ve got energy to burn and a curiosity about where you are, take the Indigenous cultural walk. Return in time to do the body clay ritual or take an exercise class in water. There’s two dining venues: both the outdoor cafe, offering gourmet pizza and the amphitheatre cafe where the focus is on healthy, locally harvested ingredients to deliver an organic, wholefood menu. Depending on your timing, you may be lucky enough to experience seasonal arts and entertainment on the nearby amphitheatre stage. The spa dreaming cafe is adults-only (over 16) and also focuses on nourishing and wholesome food. Fully licensed with complete table service.

Stop and smell the roses

Mornington Botanical Rose Garden offers free entry to stroll through a garden of sculptures, gazebos and – naturally – roses of all description. There’s high tea on offer. Check the website for dates and times to book ahead.

Go slow with a beach stroll

With many lovely beaches to choose from within the sheltered waters of Port Phillip Bay, Mother’s Beach in Mornington is definitely one where you can avoid big crowds, 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 geologists and budding geologists a picturesque limestone cliff-lined walk. There’s a sign-posted walk that indicates sites of significance regarding the original Aboriginal inhabitants and the first European settlers. The beach is located within the Fossil Beach Geological Reserve.

Further south between Mount Martha and Dromana, Safety Beach is another calm spot. I took a stroll along on it on weekday morning and it was relatively quiet. There was a buzz around the coffee van that sets up near a playground but apart from that, there’s some dog walkers, locals out for their usual walk and joggers. Walk all the way to the pier or stop and crack open a book as you sit and enjoy the ocean view.

Surfing and stand-up paddle boarding-a-plenty

For wilder ocean beaches along the rugged, southern coastline of the peninsula, check out Sorrento Back Beach for bodyboarding, surfing and coastal walking; or Pt Leo Surf Beach for surfing, fishing and camping on the adjacent foreshore reserve.

If you’ve never tried stand-up paddle boarding before, there’s beginner lessons with SUP Fit Mornington . You can organise individual lessons or groups with a focus on making it fun and inclusive. Their locations are varied, from Mount Eliza to McCrae and further out, but each within a half-hour drive of the other.

Discover all the region has to offer with our extensive guide to the best of the Mornington Peninsula.

A weekend of glamping at Peninsula Hot Springs turned out to be the perfect way to bond with loved ones.

We sit out the front of our Peninsula Hot Springs glamping tent, each with a glass of wine in hand and a cheese platter before us. Only the frogs chatter as much as we do as the sun goes down. Soon, we’ll head back into the famous geothermal pools of Peninsula Hot Springs, but for now, we’re just enjoying each other’s company. It’s so rare to maintain close friendships from high school well into your 30s. It’s even rarer to find opportunities to make new memories together, rather than rehashing old ones over dinners that inevitably are missing one or more of you. And it turns out a long weekend at the Peninsula Hot Springs forms the perfect background to this special celebration.

Over three days, we wander all over the hills of Peninsula Hot Springs – continuing on like Goldilocks until we find the geothermal pool temperature that is just right. When we want quiet relaxation, we head into the Spa Dreaming Centre for a more private bathing experience. When we want to be loud and laughing, we head back out into the main (and largest) area. When we’re hungry, we head back to the glamping tents to snack on cheese and wine purchased from the surrounding Mornington Peninsula area (Main Ridge Dairy and Foxeys Hangout are along the drive from Melbourne airport, and worth the stop), or order room service from the onsite restaurants and cafes. When we really feel indulgent, we split up for a massage at the spa.

It’s honestly the ultimate getaway for bonding and rejuvenating. But let me break it down.

Peninsula Hot Springs glamping

We split four friends into two glamping tents (there are 10 in total on site). We’re in the garden view tents, though lake view and a secluded pavilion options are available for those wanting to feel a little more private. We’re requested twin beds in each, but they are still surprisingly spacious.

We have a walk-in wardrobe and separate bathrooms, one housing a shower and the other a toilet (why have I never seen this in a hotel before? I hope more catch on). The main area comfortably fit a large cane armchair, the beds, a mini bar and other amenities like a kettle and tea. There was even space for a large rug and two round cushions to meditate on, if the mood took us. Everything feels very earthy, like we’re part of the elements around us. And while you may think canvas walls aren’t great for containing sound, the soothing yet voluminous chorus of frogs in the lake outside provided a private ambience.

From the glamping tents to the furthest part of the hot springs, it’s still only a 10-minute walk. Although reception staff are on call in case you’d prefer to be ferried from stop to stop on a buggy.

It’s absolutely perfect, but those wanting to up the luxury also have the option of Eco Lodges.

The Spa Dreaming Centre

Peninsula Hot Springs Spa Dreaming Centre Pools — Day guests can also purchase a separate pass to enter the magical Spa Dreaming Centre.

The Spa Dreaming Centre is aptly named, and hands down my favourite place in the hot springs. Included in the price of a stay and only offered to guests 16 and over, this calming retreat offers a place to escape the daytime crowds (particularly if your stay falls over a weekend) without giving up your bathing journey.

Here you’ll find the spa, geothermal bathing, an infrared sauna (the only type of sauna I’ll enter thanks to my asthma), a Moroccan hammam and even zen chi massage machines. It. Is. Heaven. Guests can take advantage of private bathing options (for an extra cost) and a Moonlit Bathing experience. Head into the reception area to purchase a wide range of natural beauty and bathing products, from sun creams to bath salts to serums.

As my friends and I were all celebrating a semi-milestone birthday, it was the perfect excuse to indulge in one of the spa treatments. I booked in for a relaxation massage, and boy, did it work. Entering the waiting room before my massage, I poured myself a herbal tea and chose to sit in a swinging egg chair (though there are regular couches for those without a sense of fun). When my masseuse came to get me, the first thing I noticed about the room was that the massage table was actually long enough to fit my six-foot length, and then some. It also featured armrests under the headrest, so you didn’t have to have them by your side. It was supremely comfortable.

With magic hands, my masseuse managed to remove any knots and tension the hot springs hadn’t already calmed, and I left after 75 minutes feeling like a whole new person. One who had never experienced stress.

Peninsula Hot Springs dining

Spa Dreaming Centre Restaurant at peninsula hot springs — Dining in a bathrobe is almost the best part.

The Spa Dreaming Centre is also home to a dining room, where a healthy buffet breakfast is provided each morning. Think freshly made smoothies and juices, a variety of breads, bagels and pastries, a mixture of fruits, yoghurts and muesli and a selection of hot food. Even the scrambled eggs taste good here, a huge coup for hotel buffet breakfasts everywhere.

The dining room stays open all day, offering lunch and dinner menus that also focus on seasonal produce harvested from Peninsula Hot Springs’ own food bowl, designed to boost immunity and overall well-being. As much as there is a focus on health, no need to panic; it’s still a licensed venue. And my favourite part? No matter what time of day you sit down, it’s completely normal and expected to be wearing your white bathing robe.

Elsewhere on the property, try the Bath House cafe and bar or Amphitheatre Cafe, both of which offer more relaxed, open-air dining experiences. As a glamping guest, I can 100 per cent recommend ordering the tasty wood-fired pizzas to your room for dinner.

Peninsula Hot Springs workshops

Peninsula Hot Springs Body Clay workshop — Play around with body clays, and your skin will be outrageously soft when you’re done.

I think the most surprising aspect of our stay here was the workshops provided . Some are free, some incur a $20 fee, but every single one we tried was delightful and worth the money.

We painted ourselves with four different body clays of different colours, following our leader’s directions to apply the different colours on different parts of our body, depending on whether it needed moisture, cleansing or detoxing. It might sound intimidating, or even romantic, but in reality, it’s a fun excuse to get a bit goofy. And oh my goodness, my skin has never felt softer than after we washed the clays off.

On another day, we tried the Cacao Circle. A dry activity, we entered a tented dome and sat at a low wooden table, laid with cups. Similar to a tea ceremony, our guide talked us through mindfulness questions while we sipped raw cacao with honey. Meditation isn’t for me, but this was a perfect way to relax the brain and body. It is only offered during the winter season, though.

Finally, we woke up for the daily 9 am hot spring yoga classes. There’s regular yoga too, but truly, the aim of a stay here is to spend as much time as possible in a hot spring. The classes are held in the amphitheatre, with a teacher on stage while participants fill the many pools surrounding it.

Out-of-hours geothermal pool access

Peninsula Hot Springs hilltop pool at sunrise — Catch sunrise in the Hilltop Pool.

If you think your bathing journey is done after the sun goes down, think again. An adults-only moonlit bathing experience means guests can soak under the starry sky every Friday and Saturday from 10 pm until 2 am in the Spa Dreaming Centre.

Though perhaps my favourite thing was being able to get into all the pools from the moment they open at 5 am. We followed the staff suggestion to head up to the iconic Hilltop Pool with sweeping views over the entire hot springs and beyond. While the line can get long at sunset, and time in the pool is limited to accommodate the large numbers, for sunrise, there is plenty of room. A hidden gem all glampers should try to wake up for.

where to eat, stay and play Mornington Peninsula