As a travel editor, I am often asked for my can’t-live-without travel product recommendations and while this isn’t that, it is an item I never considered until recently.
Normally, we’re looking for products that make life easier when travelling – from packing cubes and tech kits to hydrating travel beauty routines or the perfect tote bag – but this item isn’t necessarily essential, yet it is guaranteed to add a memorable element to any Aussie getaway. It’s more about enriching a moment than making life easier.
When I was a kid, Friday evenings were known as homemade family pizza night in our household. I loved choosing the toppings I’d add, kneading the dough and watching it rise in the oven as it cooked. It definitely wasn’t the best-tasting pizza of my life, but it was fun and it’s a great memory. Unsurprisingly, making pizza at home has advanced since the nineties, with numerous backyard pizza ovens now on the market. And it got me thinking. Can you travel with a pizza oven? It turns out you can.
I personally put the Ooni Koda 2 gas-powered pizza oven to the test on a recent girls’ trip to Robertson in NSW and was pleasantly surprised by just how easy it is to make gourmet pizzas on the road.
Checking the temperature. (Image: Katie Carlin)
The Ooni Koda 2 (RRP $749) weighs in at only 16kg, features collapsible legs and a handy Carry Cover with compartments to store the hose and gas connector, as well as straps to carry it with ease. You just need access to a gas cylinder (I checked with our Airbnb host ahead of the trip), a couple of extra tools (including the Ooni Pizza Turning Peel and Ooni Digital Infrared Thermometer, both sold separately), your ingredients (hot honey is essential), and you’re good to go.
Stretching out the dough. (Image: Katie Carlin)
I’ll admit I cheated and bought pre-prepared dough balls from my local gourmet pizza shop before I left Sydney – I hadn’t tested the oven out just yet, and I was a bit nervous about spending all that time perfecting the dough in case the pizza oven ended up being a steep learning curve. But with a 14-inch cooking area that reaches 500°C, professional-level pizza is actually incredibly easy to achieve – in fact, it takes less than 90 seconds to turn out a perfectly blistered pizza with oozy melted cheese. Two of my friends have already gone out and purchased their own – it’s that good.
The finished product. (Image: Katie Carlin)
We spent the evening under the stars, taking turns to use the pizza peel, drinking wine and catching up on each other’s lives. The pizza was delicious, but the memory tastes even better. I will be packing it into the car on every trip I take this summer.
Disclosure: The writer received the product to test for review. All thoughts are her own.
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Katie Carlin is Australian Traveller's Head of Content and when she’s not travelling or behind her computer, she’s hosting a dinner party (likely cooking an Alison Roman recipe), at brunch, working on extending her running k’s, or has her nose buried in a book.
She joined Australian Traveller in 2018 and is responsible for leading the editorial team across print, digital, social, email and native content. Her job is to make sure we create content that connects readers to incredible experiences in Australia and beyond. In addition to sharing her expertise on travel through industry speaking engagements, Katie appears onToday, A Current Affair and various radio segments.
With a BA in Communications majoring in Journalism and a career that has spanned roles at Fairfax Media and Are Media writing for titles such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and various lifestyle brands, she brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her most impactful trip to date has been swimming with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef. For her next trip she is longing to experience the romance of train travel – hopefully on The Ghan or Indian Pacific.
The Mornington Peninsula might be synonymous with summer, but winter offers equally compelling reasons to visit.
Come winter, the Mornington Peninsula transforms into a relaxing and rejuvenating escape. Think misty trails and dramatic ocean views along the rugged coastline, drinking and dining by crackling firesides, fewer crowds and a more small-town feel – the perfect ingredients for a slow and restorative weekend.
If you want a truly local winter experience, here’s where you need to go.
1. Sample spirits at local distilleries
Sample small-batch rums and cane spirits at JimmyRum. (Image: Visit Victoria)
No matter your tipple, you’re bound to find a Peninsula distillery to suit. Chief’s Son is beloved by locals and visitors alike for its award-winning range of single malt whiskies. Make sure to try the Black Forge – a heady combination of whisky and coffee.
JimmyRum is the Mornington Peninsula’s first and only craft rum distillery. Enjoy a tasting to sample small-batch rums and cane spirits, or book a table to feast on generous share plates and creative cocktails.
Bass & Flinders is another must-visit, and something of a local icon. It was the Peninsula’s first distillery and remains a favourite for craft gins, brandies and fruity liqueurs. Pick up a bottle (or two) to take home and toast your winter getaway.
2. Warm up in the hot springs
Dive into Alba Thermal Springs & Spa.
Locals know winter is the best time to visit the famous hot springs. With the air cool and crisp and the springs reaching temperatures up to 43 degrees, the experience is akin to a warm embrace.
If you’re travelling with kids or want something more laid-back, Peninsula Hot Springs is your best bet. Spanning 42 acres and with an organic vibe, the complex has hillside pools, saunas, bath houses and family-friendly spaces perfect for all ages.
Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is slightly more luxe, with 25 thermal pools amid architectural surrounds. The on-site restaurant, Thyme, is a highlight, featuring seasonal lunch dishes, high teas and picnics, and a beautifully designed interior.
3. Coastal walks feel more dramatic
Take in gorgeous seaside scenery on Millionaire’s Walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)
The Peninsula is situated between Port Phillip Bay and the wide expanse of the Southern Ocean, giving it front-row access to stunning sea vistas. In winter, and especially on rainy days, the outlook is incredibly dramatic, with waves crashing against the clifftops and a steely hue. The trails hugging the ocean are also much quieter and mostly filled with locals.
Make sure to drop by Cape Schanck Lighthouse on your coastal walk – the lighthouse was built in 1859, making it one of Victoria’s oldest. Climb the stone stairs all the way to the top and take in panoramic, windswept views.
Millionaire’s Walk in Sorrento is another local favourite. This easy 1.5-kilometre coastal trail takes you past gorgeous seaside scenery and some of the grand homes the town is famous for.
4. Sip on world-class pinot noir
Stop by Red Hill’s cellar doors, like Green Olive. (Image: Visit Victoria)
If you’re a fan of the light-bodied and elegant red, your winter escape should include a stop at one of the Peninsula’s many cellar doors.
The hinterlands around the township of Red Hill are particularly renowned for pinot noir (and chardonnay) thanks to their cool maritime climate and red clay soils. There are more than 50 boutique cellar doors to choose from, where you can sample a selection or do as the locals do: take a bottle back to your accommodation to savour by the fireside.
5. See misty rolling hills from above
Get a bird’s-eye view on Arthurs Seat Eagle. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Peninsula winters bring with them a thick mist and fog, which make for atmospheric and dreamlike scenery. Shroud yourself in the clouds with a gondola ride at Arthurs Seat Eagle. The summit is 305 metres high, giving you a genuine bird’s-eye view of the entire Peninsula region and Port Phillip Bay in their moody and misty glory.
6. Dine beside a roaring fire
Enjoy food and wine beside a roaring fireplace at Rare Hare Wine & Food Store. (Image: Visit Victoria)
The Peninsula is an essential part of Melbourne’s “food bowl”, with 70 per cent of the region a designated Green Wedge zone. It’s little surprise, then, that there are so many opportunities to try its fresh produce. Visit farm gates like Torello Farm, Hawkes Farm and Tully’s Corner to sample the region’s winter harvest: apples, root vegetables, mushrooms and truffles.
Nothing beats a fireside feast in winter, and several local dining venues offer exactly that. Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill is a two-hatted restaurant with a roaring fire, Crittenden Estate does seasonal dishes and estate wines amid a cosy indoor space, and Rare Hare Wine & Food Store has a double-sided fireplace that anchors the warm and welcoming dining room.
If the sun is out, enjoy a picnic amid the sprawling grounds of Montalto Winery. You’ll kick off with a tasting before heading outdoors to a covered picnic table, where you’ll feast on starters, mains, desserts and more wine.
7. Go whale watching at Cape Schanck
Look for whales between May and October. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Beyond the spectacular lighthouse views, Cape Schanck is also an excellent place to watch whales migrating through the Bass Strait. Between May and October each year, particularly during June and July, Southern Right and Humpback whales make their way past the area, and can sometimes be spotted just 150 metres from the shoreline. Many locals watch for free from the cape’s boardwalks and viewing platforms, but you can also book a boat tour.
8. Explore Point Nepean National Park
Follow over 80 walking and cycling tracks. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Point Nepean National Park is on the Mornington Peninsula’s tip, just outside Portsea. Set right beside the clifftops, it’s wild, windswept and defined by its rugged terrain.
Locals love the national park for its more than 80 walking and cycling tracks, and you’ll often spot them getting a winter workout in. But if you’ve never been here, make sure to discover its rich history.
It forms part of an Indigenous cultural landscape on the lands of the Bunurong People, and holds significance as a site for early settlement and military operations. Numerous historical buildings – including the heritage-listed Quarantine Station – still stand today.
