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.

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

These are the top things to do on the Mornington Peninsula