Mornington Peninsula

Mornington Peninsula's coastal villages and hinterland hamlets dazzle you with their concentration of heritage streetscapes, artisan food and wine, cheery pubs, luxurious spas and excellent golf courses.

You could almost be in Mediterranean Europe as you wind around the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay and the vast ocean views and sheltered beaches, but the charm, the laid-back welcomes and the village contrasts are quintessentially Victorian.

The Mornington microcosm
You can travel the region top to toe in just 30 minutes. Pass quaint bathing boxes strung along the beachfronts of Dromana, Rosebud and Mornington, and head inland through the rolling hills of the verdant hinterland to orchards, market gardens and wineries.

In one day you can be lunching and boutique shopping amid historic limestone buildings in Sorrento, teeing off from the clifftop golf course at Flinders on Westernport Bay, soaking in Rye's thermal mineral pools, studying works of art at Mornington's renowned gallery, or picking berries to accompany fresh cheeses and local wine in sleepy Red Hill.

Coastal pace
You'll be rewarded if you slow your pace. The rugged Westernport Bay villages of Flinders and Balnarring, can be perfect for restoring balance and perspective.

Linger over languorous feasts at seaside restaurants in Portsea, Mornington and Sorrento, or tuck in among the vines at winery eateries around Red Hill and Main Ridge.

On the beaches
Discover life on and underwater around Mornington Peninsula's beautiful sandy beaches. Catch the waves at surf beaches, scuba dive around the Portsea pier reef system, encounter stunning sea dragons as you snorkel the underwater trail around Rye pier and frolic with the seals and dolphins in the waters off Sorrento.

A life of luxury
Soak in thermal waters at the Peninsula's famed spas. Continue the rejuvenation in the quiet gardens of your B&B or imposing historic homesteads. Roam galleries, craft markets or artisan workshops for keepsakes.