The harbour at Mornington
© Copyright Peter W. Wilkins
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Wilkins Tourist Maps produce a map in this area. You can pick up a Mornington map from accommodation houses and some information centres in towns in this area.
THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA
The Mornington Peninsula lies directly south-east of Melbourne and contains some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the state. It is a fertile rural area dotted with quaint fishing villages, golf courses, and National Parks set among rolling green pastures. The main towns are Frankston, Mornington, Rosebud, Sorrento, Flinders and Hastings, but there are many other smaller villages of interest to the visitor.Bounded to the east by Western Port Bay which contains the noted penguin rookery on Phillip Island, and to the west by Port Philip Bay, it is a popular weekend retreat for Melbourne residents who go there to relax and enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
The Peninsula is 'joined' to the Bellarine Peninsula by ferry from Sorrento. The ferry service operates every two hours across the entrance to Port Phillip bay, and a popular tour is to travel down the Mornington Peninsula, across on the ferry and return via the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong to Melbourne, a journey of some 280 kilometres.
The peninsula contains several National Parks including the Point Nepean National Park, Cape Schanck National Park and the noted chair-lift ride at Arthurs Seat to the top of the mountain is a breathtaking experience.
There are many walks, and the National Trust protects a host of historical buildings on the peninsula including the Nepean Historical Society Museum at Sorrento, the Quarantine Station Museum at Point Nepean, and the Bay Forts by charter boat from Sorrento.
The Mornington Peninsula also produces several cool climate wines which are well-known and respected. Some 20 wineries will be found, mainly at Red Hill and Merricks but others appear at different places in your travels.
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