7 Unforgettable Glamping Stays On The Mornington Peninsula

From spa staycations to weekends in a yurt, these seven glamping getaways on the Mornington Peninsula will have you clicking ‘book’ on your next Victorian break.

It’s a bucolic bubble, within easy striking distance of the big city. Well-known as the weekend retreat of choice for many Melburnians, the Mornington Peninsula offers nature aplenty, a beautiful coastline and a ripper food and wine scene. If you’re planning on getting closer to all the Mornington Peninsula action, and its bountiful flora and fauna, then booking a glamping stay is a great bet.

1. Peninsula Hot Springs

woman sitting on deck of Peninsula Hot Springs Glamping — Glamping accommodation is nestled in the natural surrounds of the hot springs.

A day pool hopping in Peninsula Hot Springs is a day well spent. But add the venue’s glamping accommodation to the equation, and that dreamy day can become several. Aside from enjoying access to the natural hot spring’s features (think day spa, saunas, a reflexology walk, plunge pools, a cafe, bathing pools and more), glamping guests can enjoy peak serenity in the venue’s leafy grounds, with nothing but the surrounding frog calls to lull you to sleep.

This is no twee, amateur set-up with walls that wobble in the wind and limited headspace either. Each tent sleeps a maximum of two and features an ensuite, a walk-in robe, custom-made furniture, a king-sized bed, a private deck area and thermally heated concrete floors. There’s even a mini bar, with a healthy buffet breakfast served each morning in the dining room at the Spa Dreaming Centre.

There are just 10 glamping set-ups in three different styles: garden view, lake view and secluded pavilion. For those wanting to up the luxury, the eco lodges are for you.

Address: 140 Springs Lane, Fingal, Mornington Peninsula

2. Iluka Retreat

Iluka Retreat outdoor tent — Treat yourself to a glamping experience at the picturesque Iluka Retreat.

Staying true to the more rustic-chic roots of glamping, the canvas bell tents at Iluka Retreat are kitted out with bunting, plenty of cushions, blankets and rugs, and a small private deck to boot. Moreover, they’re great for families, with space for two single-bed mattresses to be added if you plan on bringing the brood. You can even hire a fire pit to sit around and toast marshmallows over. All you need to bring is a torch or light for your tent, an overnight bag and a sense of adventure.

Set on a 15-hectare property near Red Hill South with a creek running through it, the glamping village at Iluka overlooks the lush valley, as well as the property’s lake below. Naturally, the peninsula’s beaches, cellar doors and award-winning winery restaurants are all supremely accessible, as is the nearby surf town of Shoreham.

Glamping guests share a camp kitchen, barbecues and a camp bathroom.

Address: 20 Shoreham Rd, Shoreham, Mornington Peninsula

3. Glamping at The Ranch

a look inside one of the tents at Glamping at The Ranch, Mornington Peninsula — Each glamping retreat comes with modern comforts.

The Ranch is normally a place where kids come for school camps, but Peninsula Nomads, an operation that sets up glamping retreats for events, has also pitched some teepees at this property near Cape Schanck.

Glamping at The Ranch set-ups have a diameter of either 4.5 metres or six metres; the smaller suits a couple, while the larger can have single air mattresses added for kids. Each is beautifully styled with lots of strings of lights, lounge chairs and beautifully made-up air mattresses. It’s part of a larger campsite, so you might have just a couple of glampers near you or have lots of people in caravans and campers. There’s a camp bathroom, camp kitchen and a pool.

If you like, you can also book the giant Jenga or Connect 4 or organise grazing boxes, so you don’t have to worry about supplies when you arrive.

Some of the activities you can take on at The Ranch, include horse riding, mountain boarding, archery and zip lining, so it’s a great option for families.

Address: 810 Boneo Road, Boneo, Mornington Peninsula

4. Happy Glamper

glamping tents at Happy Glamper, Mornington Peninsula — Wake up as the happiest glamper.

If you’re sold on the idea of glamping but want to choose where to stay, try Happy Glamper on for size. The company creates bespoke glamping micro-adventures across the Mornington Peninsula: all you have to do is choose when, where and how.

There are six types of bell tents from which to choose. The four-metre tent is a cosy option for couples, while the Emperor Tent is the largest, suitable for a big family or group of six mates. Best of all, Happy Glamper’s operation is far from bare-bones – all the pitching, styling, packing down and removing is included within your rate, as are an array of furnishings, features and amenities such as LED lanterns, bath towels, outdoor and indoor mats, chairs, decorative bunting, board games, books and magazines, a combination lock for the tent door, and even string lights and power points if you book a powered site. Optional extras are available too (think bar fridges, picnic kits and heaters).

The only thing that isn’t included in the price is the campsite itself. Instead, glampers book their own spot at any of the sites available on the peninsula, ranging from foreshore camping managed by the local council to privately owned holiday parks. If you’re not sure where to start, the Happy Glampers website has a handful of good ideas.

Address: 16/1921Frankston, Flinders Rd, Hastings, Mornington Peninsula

5. Mornington Peninsula Retro Caravans

If you’ve been burned by the weather on a weekend getaway before, you may prefer to stay in accommodation that is a little sturdier than canvas. If that’s the case, another option – a relatively inexpensive one at that – is to stay in one of the 13 old-school caravans permanently parked at Rye’s Kanasta Caravan Park .

They range from the adorable Peggy Sue that sleeps two to a number of other campers with annexes that sleep up to six, which makes them great for families. Some of the caravans maintain their 60s allure – Daisy’s old-school vinyl banquette, laminated table and two-tone kitchen – while others have been updated with more modern features.

Each of these caravan cuties has a TV, split-system air conditioning, linen, cutlery, crockery, tea and coffee-making facilities. Some also have an electric stove top, but you can also borrow an electric fry pan if you want to cook breakfast. What makes this more like camping than staying in a hotel is you’re using the park’s amenities block.

But you’re only a five-minute walk from Rye Beach, plus lots of cafes and shops.

Address: 1–9 Sinclair Avenue, Rye, Mornington Peninsula

6. Shipwrecked Oasis

the bed at Shipwrecked Oasis glamping in Mornington Peninsula — Rest up in the nautical space.

Here’s one for all the landlubbers out there. If you’ve always wanted to stay on a boat, but are worried about getting seasick, you should be this unique offering. The owners have taken a vintage timber cruiser and stranded it on their property near St Andrews Beach.

The interior of Shipwrecked Oasis is all original wood panelling and nautically inspired decor. There’s a comfy double bed and kitchenette on the inside. Outside, it’s completely private with a rustic outdoor bathroom and your own portaloo. There are also plenty of places to sit outside, including chairs around a fire pit (BYO wood).

This is a great place to really get away from it all. You’re surrounded by the bush and all that entails – you might, for example, get a possum on the roof during the night – and can walk to either ocean or bay beaches. Oh, and St Andrews Beach Brewery is an easy stroll down the street. You’re also only a five-minute drive from Peninsula Hot Springs, too, if you need to decrease your stress levels even more.

Accommodation doesn’t get much more unique than this.

Address: Placadena Road, St Andrews Beach, Mornington Peninsula

7. Yurt Hideaway

the glamping accommodation at Yurt Hideaway, Mornington Peninsula — Find stylish glamping sanctuaries at Yurt Hideaway.

If you’ve ever wanted to stay in a traditional Mongolian yurt but were put off by the long plane ride, book a couple of nights at Yurt Hideaway . This is a spacious glamping accommodation, with plenty of headroom for even the tallest of holidaymakers.

A queen-size bed with a canopy sets the romantic scene. There’s a full private bathroom stocked with eco-friendly amenities, a kitchenette with lots of thoughtful additions from the owner, and a gorgeous patio surrounded by plants where you can just relax and enjoy yourself.

If it’s a special occasion and you want to make the stay extra special – flowers, a brekkie box, celebration cakes, private yoga classes or passes to Peninsula Hot Springs – just add them to your booking and your hosts make your requests a reality.

Address: Meadow Avenue, Tootgarook, Mornington Peninsula

Discover the best things to do on the Mornington Peninsula.

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten , the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery , a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades .

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho , José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits . At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial , which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections .

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle , ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.

7 unforgettable glamping stays on the Mornington Peninsula