Best Beaches On The Mornington Peninsula

Dive into the waters of these sandy bay inlets, traverse the heights of clifftops and ride the waves at the wild surf beaches of the Mornington Peninsula.

Each year, Melbourne residents flock to the Mornington Peninsula in the thousands for its stunning coastline and collection of seaside towns. A holiday here will transport you a million miles away from city life, and the best way to ease yourself into the slower pace of life is to find a sandy spot to park yourself on one of its many beaches for the day. Here, find a handy overview of the Mornington Peninsula’s best beaches to help you narrow down your beach hitlist.

Point King, Portsea

Few people spot it, but tucked below Portsea’s mansions is a pretty sandy beach known as Point King. To find it, walk to the end of Point King Road until you reach the hidden path that leads to a set of wooden stairs and make your descent to the beach. On your way back up the stairs you’ll spot a monument commemorating the first hoisting of the Union Jack in 1802. This marks the date when the British first took possession of Port Phillip Bay, originally known as Boon Wurrung/Bunurong country to the traditional owners of the land. Don’t miss the cliff-top Millionaires Walk for a peek at the better homes and gardens of the Portsea Mansions above the beach.

Point King is a pretty sandy beach tucked below Portsea’s mansions.Point King Beach (Image: Visit Victoria)

Mount Martha and The Pillars

The white sands of Mount Martha mark the beginning of the Mornington Peninsula beaches. Lined with multi-coloured bathing boxes (and price tags that would make you wince) take a stroll along the calm, protected shores under the backdrop of Martha Cliff. At two kilometres in length, this is one of the longer beaches in the ‘ninch – divided into two halves by Balcombe Creek mouth. On colder days, the beach is just as marvellous to enjoy from the car thanks to the stunning views out over the water, and a drive that is reminiscent of the Great Pacific Drive’s twists and turns. The Pillars of Mount Martha have become an Instagram hotspot over the years; reminiscent of a tiny Italian beach with clifftop rocks jutting out over the bay. Unfortunately, clifftop erosion has made it unsafe to venture down to the cliffs and warning signs have since been erected. Play it safe and visit the Pillars via boat to soak up those Italian beach vibes from the water.

the Mount Martha Pillars — Due to clifftop erosion, The Pillars at Mount Martha are now best enjoyed from the safety of a boat.

Mothers Beach, Mornington

There are many lovely beaches to choose from within the sheltered waters of Port Phillip Bay, but Mother’s Beach in Mornington is definitely one where you can avoid large crowds. The tranquil, calm waters can be accessed via a long pathway from Schnapper Point Drive, or via Shire Hall Beach which is at the eastern end. Once you arrive the day is yours to swim, walk the shores and enjoy a picnic if you’re so inclined. There are rows of colourful beach boxes to marvel at, as well as kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards available for hire.

Safety Beach

Safety Beach is so named for its calm and shallow waters, thanks to its position within a protected cove. I’m a big fan of Safety Beach," confided George Calombaris to us in 2015. “It’s a little gem. I reckon it’s one of the safest and cleanest beaches in the country." In fact, he put his money where his mouth is, too, with the spot also home to his family’s beach house. “If you’re standing on the beach, to your right are the picturesque hills of Mt Martha and if you look south, you look into Red Hill and its beautiful wineries. I love it dearly – the whole area also has great energy because there are a lot of artisans and a creative community. “And only an hour from Melbourne with the Peninsula link," he adds.

Sorrento and Portsea Back Beaches

For wilder ocean beaches along the rugged, southern coastline of the peninsula, check out Sorrento and/or Portsea Back Beaches for bodyboarding, surfing and coastal walking. Both beaches are patrolled on summer weekends and holidays. They are about 10 minutes’ drive from each other, and surfing conditions vary based on the winds of the day. On high-wind days, precarious environments can make the water a bit how ya goin’ for novices. If you aren’t sure where you stand, wait in line at a local café and listen for someone to confirm that “it’s a back beach day". Facilities at Sorrento Back are minimal, however a recent refurbishment has made the Portsea SLSC the place to be on long summer days. The multi-million dollar clubhouse is perched on a clifftop overlooking the sand; stop for a burger and a sundowner.

Sorrento Back Beach — Portsea Back Beach is for surfers in search of wilder waters. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Number 16, Rye

We are hoping we don’t get any locals coming after us for including Number 16 in this list. The beach is delightfully secluded; find it sandwiched between Diamond Bay and Rye Back Beach. Alongside barrelled waters primed for surfing, Number 16 is full of rock pools to swim in, hidden caves to explore and trickling waterfalls fed by the waves. Make sure you stop to take a photo of “Dragon Head Rock" if you’re a budding photographer.

Make sure you stop to take a photo of Dragon Head Rock.

Fossil Beach, Mornington

This is not the sandy stretch paradise you might expect from the Mornington Peninsula. Instead, Fossil Beach offers budding geologists a picturesque limestone cliff-lined walk packed with history and natural wonderment. In 1845, geologist A.R.C. Selwyn reported a multitude of fossils in the limestone cliffs along a stretch of Rocky Bay Beach between Mornington and Mount Martha. They showed evidence of Australian sea life from 10-15 million years ago and have since attracted a multitude of aficionados. Visitors are encouraged to complete a sign-posted walk that indicates sites of significance regarding the original Aboriginal inhabitants and the first European settlers. The beach is located within the Fossil Beach Geological Reserve.

Bridgewater Bay and Blairgowrie Jumping Rock

On the ocean side of the peninsula, the natural amphitheatre of Bridgewater Bay provides a sheltered solace from the neighbouring back beach winds. Additionally, the limestone rock formations and the countless rockpools provide another main drawcard. The most popular of the bunch is known as the Blairworie Jumping Rock. This tiered rock features three jump spots increasing in height up to seven metres. Daredevils will line up to complete this freefall jump, landing into a three-metre deep rockpool, which stays full regardless of the tide. Enter at your own risk.

Bridgewater Bay Mornington Peninsula — Set eyes on the picturesque beauty of the natural amphitheatre at Bridgewater Bay.

Read our guide to the best places to stay on the Mornington Peninsula.

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat , now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate , whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor , who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will , who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods . “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield , embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House .

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument , which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds .

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens , hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

The best beaches on the Mornington Peninsula you can’t miss