Top Towns for 2022: The town of Sorrento is a foodie paradise

Kate SymonsBy Kate Symons
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Just a short drive from Melbourne, this coastal gem is a gateway to hedonistic delights. Here, discover why Sorrento came in at no. 38 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

Australia’s best vanilla slice. It’s a hotly contested title and the ensuing discussion has been known to cause furious debate. But I don’t need a verdict. I’m quite happy to eat my way through a shortlist, which is one delicious reason to visit Sorrento, the quaint-as-can-be seaside village on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

You’ll find The Vanilla Slice Cafe on Sorrento’s main drag and yes, you should absolutely pop in for a slice of finger-licking Australiana. As sugar-dense as this iconic slab of quivering vanilla custard is, time spent in postcard-perfect Sorrento gets a whole lot sweeter.

Vanilla Slice Cafe
Eat your way through Sorrento starting at the aptly named Vanilla Slice Cafe.

About 90 minutes’ drive south-east of Melbourne, Sorrento has the hallmark qualities you would expect from a coastal town, which is to say, irresistible vistas, laissez-faire vibes and a glut of experiences that put those dreamy ocean views front and centre.

Better yet, Sorrento is but a hop, sip* and jump away from myriad epicurean delights. *No, that is not a typo.

One of the country’s premium cool climate wine regions, the Mornington Peninsula is home to more than 50 cellar doors and wine folk here are pros when it comes to spoiling visitors.

Pt. Leo Estate
Pt. Leo Estate is one of the many wineries worth a visit near Sorrento.

Pinot noir and chardonnay are the region’s hero varieties, and the maritime influence is as crucial to the region’s wine as it is to its aesthetic appeal. This list is by no means exhaustive, but do add Pt Leo Estate, Montalto, Polperro Winery, Foxeys Hangout and Ten Minutes By Tractor to your itinerary.

For drinks of a different kind, whip over to Dromana where Jetty Road Brewery , and Bass & Flinders and JimmyRum distilleries put on a fine show, too.

On the dining front, foodies are spoilt for choice with several restaurants – winery-based and otherwise – attracting high praise from clientele and critics alike.

This writer loves Laura at Pt Leo Estate (temporarily closed, so watch this space), Doot Doot Doot at Jackalope , DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar , and Red Gum BBQ . Note: this writer hasn’t eaten everywhere on the peninsula… yet.

Doot Doot Doot at Jackalope Mornington Peninsula
Dine at Doot Doot Doot.

Sorrento is an ideal base from which to experience these and many other peninsula attractions, but it is also a destination worthy of your undivided attention.

Peppered with galleries, eateries and boutique shopping, Sorrento’s high street is wonderfully strollable, while the limestone buildings give it added heritage cred.

The Baths, Sorrento
The Baths in Sorrento.

The street is also bookended by beaches, a glamorous touch and just the start of this aquatic paradise, which is now home to the new state-of-the-art Aurora Spa & Bathhouse.

Aurora Spa Sorrento Victoria
Book into Aurora Spa. (Image: Kate Shanasy)

With close to 200 kilometres of peninsula coastline to explore, there is no shortage of water-based delights in the region. Coastal walks are spectacular and for wildlife tours, picturesque Sorrento Pier is your likely launchpad.

Explore more of the Mornington Peninsula in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.
Kate Symons
Kate Symons is a freelance writer with a particular passion for uncovering the people that make the place. On assignments near and far, she observes and absorbs, waiting for that satisfying moment when the story lede - the tale that is sure to entice - presents itself.
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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

    Megan ArkinstallBy Megan Arkinstall
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    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.

    inside the historic Bendigo Tram
    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 heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
    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
    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.

    a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
    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.

    the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
    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.