Peninsula Hot Springs just got even more entertaining.
Peninsula Hot Springs, on the Mornington Peninsula just outside of Melbourne, has been a favourite destination for wellness gurus and hot spring enthusiasts since it opened in 1997. And now there’s yet another reason to go: the Peninsula Hot Springs Bathe in Cinema.
Sign up for a soothing dip surrounded by natural bushland. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Dive into pools of naturally heated, mineral-rich waters surrounded by natural bushland – and be entertained by a lineup of beloved rom-coms and tear-jerkers.
Held every remaining Thursday in May, let your body relax in one of the pools while some of your favourite films grace the screen. Perfect for a date night, friend catch-ups or a solo sensory experience that makes for the perfect mid-week mood booster.
Be entertained by 00s rom-coms.
In May, hot springs goers can look forward to:
Thursday 15 May – Miss Congeniality
Thursday 22 May – The Blind Side
Thursday 29 May – Little Miss Sunshine
Every detail in the Eco Lodges is designed for your ultimate relaxation.
Want to extend your stay? Take advantage of Peninsula Hot Springs’ on-site accommodation. Discover suites with everything needed for a restorative getaway (from a large master bedroom with views over wetlands, a kitchen, comfy sofas and a private geothermal hot pool outside), or opt for a glamping tent option.
Watch our video below for an inside look at the suites.
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Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.
It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.
Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)
The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.
The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.
A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)
An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.
A new chapter for the city’s fleet
The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.
The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)
Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.
During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.
Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)
As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.
Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.
