Mornington Peninsula

Driving along the Mornington Peninsula you'll be forgiven for thinking you’ve teleported to the Italian or French coast, with its picturesque bays and craggy cliffs. This scenic locale however is only an hour away from the Melbourne CBD, making it the perfect weekend getaway.

There are loads to see and do for the whole family on the Peninsula. Take a winery tour—on horseback! Visit cute and cuddly animals at Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park. Explore hedge mazes and world-acclaimed gardens at Ashcombe. Or travel back millions of years and tread (carefully) among the prehistoric giants at Dinosaur World. And with plenty of bays and beaches there’s just about every water sport you could wish for—scuba diving, fishing, sea kayaking, you name it. Towns worthy of a stopover include Mornington, Sorrento, Rosebud and Flinders.