Beaches and scenic attractions – Mornington Peninsula

Mornington Peninsula features a dazzling array of natural attractions, from Port Phillip's beautiful bay beaches to the exposed rugged coastline of the Mornington Peninsula National Park.

Golden sand fringes the calm waters of Port Phillip Bay along the Mornington Peninsula to the bay’s entrance at The Rip. This almost unbroken string of sandy beaches link Frankston with the inlets around Mount Eliza and Mount Martha and then stretch from Safety Beach to Dromana, Rosebud, Rye and on to Sorrento and Portsea. These beaches are a great place to cool off when it’s hot, take a long walks or have a picnic.

The tranquil waters of the beaches along Port Phillip Bay are in stark contrast to Mornington Peninsula's wild ocean side. A narrow isthmus of land separates the bay from Bass Strait, which is ranked as one of the world's most dangerous stretches of water. Rough seas have their indelible mark on this coastline, sculpting kilometres of sandy beaches and creating rugged, rocky basalt headlands. The tall wind- and sea-battered cliffs around Cape Schanck epitomise the rugged nature of this coastline. To reach Cape Schanck from Melbourne, drive along the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, Boneo Road and finally Cape Schanck Road to take in its rugged beauty. Other ocean-side beaches to explore include Portsea, Sorrento and Gunnamatta.

Arthurs Seat is the best place to survey Port Phillip Bay, Mornington Peninsula and the Melbourne skyline. There are several lookouts along the scenic drive winding up to Arthurs Seat, but the best views are from the summit. And don’t miss Point Nepean. Located at the end of the Peninsula the point also offers spectacular view of Port Phillip Bay and the ocean.