historic heritage arts culture events
The enclosed and fully accessible gondolas allow for a safe and inclusive experience for everyone. With large windows, that can be open or closed, providing abundant views across the bay, towards the city, around the coastline and beyond.
Your flight takes you 314 metres above sea level to the summit of Arthurs Seat. The perfect spot to discover local wildlife, take in more breathtaking scenery or relax and enjoy an Eagle Picnic Package.
The Eagle Café offers plenty of dining options with picture perfect views from almost every table, either inside or out on the expansive deck and the Base Kiosk provides a great spot for a quick snack or coffee to go.
Be sure to stop in at the Eagle Gift Shop to browse locally inspired and made giftware or grab a fun souvenir to remember your visit by.
A return trip takes approximately 30 minutes but you could stay up to 2 hours exploring the nearby walks within the Arthurs Seat State Park.
Arthurs Seat Eagle
Fireworks
Fireworks on Australia Day celebrations at Rye on the Mornington Peninsula Australia.
Beleura offers something for everyone interested in history, art, gardens and music.
Beleura is a state-listed 19th Century heritage house set amidst five hectares of gardens and includes a music recital centre. The House is exceptional for its collection and includes the original furnishings of its last owner John Tallis.
Beleura House
Cape Schanck Lighthouse
The Cape Schanck Lighthouse was built in 1859 as the second coastal lighthouse in the Australian state of Victoria. It is located on Cape Schanck, at the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula. The 21 metres tall tower was built from limestone.
Medical Superintendent’s House
The restoration of the Medical Superintendent’s house at the former Point Nepean Quarantine Station in Victoria was completed under the supervision of our conservation team. The large, single-storey house was built in 1899 and incorporates at least two rooms from the former doctor’s house, originally constructed in 1854. The works included the reinstatement of the original verandah, and refurbishment of four rooms at the front of the building
The Dromana Drive In is the perfect place to take in a film and enjoy the nostalhia of a Classic 60's Drive-In. The original 1961 screen is the earliest remaining in Victoria, still in use to this day.
The Dromana Drive-In also features Shel's Diner, which is modelled on the authentic 50's style American Diner and inspired by "Mels Diner"in Universal Studios California with wonderful 'back seat' bench seats in the booths and black & white tiles wrapped around the walls.
Dromana Drive In
Fort Nepean is a former defensive facility occupying part of Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia. It was part of a network of fortifications, commanded from Fort Queenscliff, protecting the narrow entrance to Port Phillip. It is now part of Point Nepean National Park and a local tourist attraction
Fort Nepean
Let the Mornington Peninsula entertain you
Year round you will find a calendar bursting with events, entertainment and activities to enjoy. Outdoor markets, food and wine festivals, family fun activities for the kids - we have you covered.
If art and music are more your muse, take a look at the ever changing program of exhibitions, music performances, dance and theatre on offer around region.
Activities and Events
Heronswood House and Garden
Heronswood is a breathtaking historic property situated on two hectares of formal gardens in Dromana. It is the home of the Digger's Club - Australia's most respected gardening organisation, dedicated to preserving heirloom seeds and the best gardening traditions.
The gardens comprise stunning perennial and annual borders as well as kitchen and vegetable parterre gardens, providing inspiration to cooks and gardeners.
The Fork to Fork cafe is located within the historic house surrounded by the stunning grounds of Heronswood gardens and sea views. The menu changes weekly and features the freshest organic heirloom vegetables and fruit from the gardens matched with local produce and wines.
Browse through the Garden Shop and Nursery and speak to knowledgeable staff for expert gardening advice. The Diggers Garden Shop stocks the complete Diggers range of heirloom seeds and plants, plus garden hardware and books for all your garden needs.
The Garden, Cafe and Diggers Garden Shop are now open with COVID safe measures in place. Visit to see what the wonderful gardeners have been up to during lockdown.
All profits from The Diggers Club are contributed to The Diggers Foundation
The Monash Light was a navigation beacon on the Monash Tower, which is on the highest point of the national park. It was erected in 1932 and extinguished for the last time in 2005. The Light played a key role in the safety of ships in Port Phillip Bay.
Monash Tower Light
Steam Train Mornington Railway
K 163: In regular service on the preserved Mornington Railway, hauling passenger services between Moorooduc and Mornington. The engine had been withdrawn from Government service in December 1968, at Ararat. It then sat idle for a few years, before being sold to the Frankston Apex Club in November 1973, and placed in the Frankston Jubilee Park. Within a few months it had been painted teal green above the frames.[10] In 1984, the engine was sold to the Mornington Railway Preservation Society, and a boiler certificate was granted in July 1985. In November that year, the engine was moved to the Cresco sidings at Hastings for restoration, and moved under its own power for the first time ten months later. Fully restored in May 1987, and painted in a bright green scheme, with a similar layout similar to that of K190 at the time.[11][12][13] By 1995 the engine had been repainted to a much darker green, with red lining and black smokebox and smoke deflectors, and as of 2004, the engine had gold boiler bands.[14][15] The engine was under overhaul from 7 February to 21 November 2010, then it re-entered service, in the same livery but with the red changed to the same dark green, and regularly running without smoke deflectors. This overhaul utilised the boiler from K 191. The engine was used as the locomotive on train scene in part 3 of The Pacific. In 2020, K163 was transferred to Steamrail Victoria's Newport Workshops depot for a visit to the wheel lathe at Downer Newport and repairs to the crankpins.
Held annually, the Peninsula Film Festival is Victoria's iconic film festival with the largest single viewing audience at it's short film festival in Victoria.
What started out as 500 people packed into a theatre, quickly turned into an annual pilgrimage with thousands of people heading to the peninsula each year to enjoy quality Australian films.
The short film festival sees up to 20 shortlisted films screened outdoors. These films are judged live by a panel of celebrity judges and awarded monetary prizes. Films are also screened in additional categories including Best Animation, Best Documentary, Best International and the Woodleigh School Emerging Filmmaker Award. All films are competing for up to $30K in cash and prizes.
The Festival is supported by the cream of Australian talent including Russell Crowe, Sam Worthington, Nash Edgerton and Rob Connolly to name a few.
Peninsula Film Festival
Delineated by indigenous flora, against a backdrop of rolling vineyards and ocean views encapsulating Phillip Island and Western Port, exists the beautiful unity between art, nature, and culture. As Australia’s foremost privately-owned Sculpture Park, the ever-evolving 16-acre outdoor gallery houses over 60 Australian and international exhibits. Experience world-class art and breathtaking work of Australian artists such as Deborah Halpern, Bruce Armstrong, Dean Bowen and Reko Rennie, as well as international artists KAWS, Tony Cragg, Jaume Plensa and Julian Opie, to name a few.
Point Leo Estate
Point Nepean Quarantine Station offers a glimpse into the early European history of Victoria. Established in 1852, explore nearly 50 heritage-listed buildings. Learn about life at this once-remote location and the station's critical role in protecting Australia from introduced diseases
Quarantine Station
Heaton’s Monument marks the location of the original cemetery established at the Quarantine Station at Portsea in Victoria which has since been relocated further inland c 1854. Upon the arrival of the tragic Clipper ship ‘Ticonderoga’ on the 22nd December 1852, a quarantine station was hastily erected at this site. Sadly, a cemetery was also immediately required as of the 170 people that died due to the Typhus Fever that engulfed the ship, 70 people were to perish upon their arrival to Port Phillip.
This striking 3.6 m (12 ft in the old measurements) high structure sits directly on the shore of Port Phillip Bay behind a white picket fence. There are no inscriptions on the monument, just the neat, clean lines that emphasize its form and structure. It greatly resembles the shape of an obelisk with a flat top. White, imposing and beautifully constructed, it has defied and survived the ravages of time, sun, sea, salt and wind . . .
Described as Neo Egyptian in style, it is claimed to be constructed of sandstone – displaying perfect symmetry in its elegance, yet simplicity – a fitting memorial to the tragedy of those who endured the lengthy passage from the United Kingdom to Australia in cramped, overcrowded conditions, often without sanitary facilities, fresh water and barely enough food – and these were the transport ships of migrants – not convicts !!!
Heaton’s Monument
It’s true … Agricultural Shows are the most popular form of family entertainment in Australia today, and here on the Mornington Peninsula we have one of the best.
Every year thousands of people attend the Red Hill Show to enjoy a great family day and be part of this wonderful community celebration. Run by a team of Volunteers, this is one of the largest Community Events on the Mornington Peninsula.
The Red Hill Show, the only event of its kind on the Mornington Peninsula… where the entertainment, exhibitions, demonstrations and animals are always top class.
Red Hill Show
Mornington Peninsula Festivals
Year round you will find a calendar bursting with events, entertainment and activities to enjoy. Outdoor markets, food and wine festivals, family fun activities for the kids - we have you covered.
If art and music are more your muse, take a look at the ever changing program of exhibitions, music performances, dance and theatre on offer around region.
Located on the Rye Foreshores on Pt Nepean Rd, our annual carnivals are a nostalgic holiday adventure for so many families. Since first running the Rye Carnival in 1955 to raise money for the rebuilding of the Rye RSL, we’ve been proud of our place in peninsula history.
Rye Foreshore Carnival
South Channel Pile Light
This remnant of 19th century channel markers that lead Melbourne bound ships through the South Channel was established in 1874. It was the front light, with the Eastern Light at McCrae the rear light.
It is a single story octagonal structure, about 9 metres across and standing on timber piles in the water. The structure is the only one of its kind still intact in Australia.
The structure included a living room with a fireplace and chimney, a bedroom with 4 bunks and an inspector’s office, which was also used as a store room. All this in a space only six metres in diameter. A hole in the floor served as a toilet.
Rainwater was collected from the roof and stored in tanks. Keepers would wait for a passenger ferry to pass each morning to receive the newspaper, which was tossed to them from the deck.
The light powered by a kerosene lantern that had to be kept alight by the keepers until the introduction of bottled acetylene gas in 1925.
The light operated for 111 years until 1985 when it was turned off for a trial period. It was never turned back on.
The structure quickly deteriorated due to lack of maintenance and vandalism. The wood was rotting, the steel was rusting and the piles were becoming unsound. The light was overrun with birds nesting inside and out.
Situated at Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula is a beautiful park known as “The Briars”. Wildlife, walks, picnics, events, a heritage homestead, great food and more can be discovered at the Briars.