A Family & Foodies Guide to the Mornington Peninsula Melbourne
Kate loves taking her little ones on new adventures and wrote this gorgeous article of her time on the Mornington Peninsula this year. We love this piece of Victoria and cannot wait to visit all these interesting places too one day! Thank you Kate for this beautiful piece and photos. To follow Kate’s adventures, head to her Insta page. xo Catherine
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Located just over an hour drive south from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is one of our most favourite parts of Victoria. With grandparents in Mornington, I spent many school holidays on the Peninsula and it’s been such a joy to share those special memories with the poppets + discover new things along the way too.
With its world class wineries, busy bayside villages, stunning coastline and gourmet delights, the Mornington Peninsula is perfect for families - and foodies!
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
In early February we escaped the city for a three day weekend in Rye and didn't let the rain or cooler conditions stop us from exploring this fabulous region.
Here are our TOP 10 places to visit on the Mornington Peninsula on even the gloomiest of days.
1. Peninsula Hot Springs
With over 30 globally-inspired experiences Peninsula Hot Springs’ Bath House is a bathing wonderland for families and children to discover together. Enjoy the designated family area as well as magical cave pool, reflexology walk, Turkish Hamam steam room, underground saunas and massaging thermal mineral showers.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
2. Rosebud Pier Adventure Playground
An amazing all-abilities playground with a variety of play equipment to keep children entertained from enclosed baby swings, tunnels and rope climbing walls, to net swings, a flying fox and three slides. This is a perfect spot for a family BBQ or picnic overlooking the safe swimming beach and 300m long pier. Just be mindful that in hot weather the metal slides can get too hot to use. Other great playgrounds to visit include the McCrae Foreshore Playground (also called the McCrae Lighthouse Playground), Rye Foreshore Playground and Sorrento Park.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
McCrae Foreshore Playground
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
3. Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm
There’s nothing quite like the taste of freshly picked strawberries! Set amongst scenic bushland and rolling hills on Victoria’s Hinterland property in Main Ridge, Sunny Ridge is now the largest strawberry farm in Australia. We highly recommend the fluffy scones served with house made strawberry jam and whipped cream from the Cafe.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
A farmhouse cheese factory and goat dairy, offering a true paddock to plate experience. Enjoy a cheese tasting at the counter or spot on the deck for a cheese platter and a glass of local wine. Children will love the lovely lawns to play on and they can even get up close to the goats in the paddocks too. Inside you will find a simple children's play area with colouring sheets, books and toys.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
This charming farm shop has the most impressive range of honey and bee products you may ever see. Enjoy free taste tests, see bees building honeycomb, collecting pollen and producing honey, browse the bee themed gift shop and read amazing bee facts. Be sure to buy a tub of the honey ice cream, it’s delicious.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
From homemade sweet and savoury pies, to sausages rolls, meringues and buttery croissants - not forgetting their famous cronuts - Johnny Ripe is a small home-style bakery producing seriously tasty treats. Order from the all day brunch menu or make a selection from the take-away counter and find a spot on the beautiful sheltered deck over looking the Red Hill Lavender Farm and the hills of Main Ridge.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
With a large, indoor play area, colouring sheets, change facilities, highchairs and plenty of space for little people to roam around, Red Gum BBQ is an awesome place to visit with the entire family. Best of all their Aussie-smoked, Southern American BBQ is simply the best we have ever eaten. Bookings recommended.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitkids
Wind your way down the driveway through the olives trees and grapevines to this magnificent, family friendly, whole farm experience. Offering a cafe, farm shop, kitchen garden, children's outdoor play area (complete with in-ground trampoline!), animals, farm stays and cooking classes. Their extremely popular school holiday program gives children the opportunity to meet farm animals, plant seeds, learn about where food comes from, and get dirty in the garden.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
This family-owned and operated orchard has been producing high quality, bio-dynamic fresh fruit, apple juice, apple ciders and apple cider vinegar for the local region and beyond for many years. Visit their unique cellar door space offering sensory tasting experiences within an original wooden cool store, then purchase apples to take home from the shop.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
10. Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie
Located in the charming seaside town of Flinders, the newest, petite-sized sibling of the Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road stores opened its doors late last year taking over the space formerly occupied by Mornington Peninsula Chocolates. As well as serving up chocolate (up to 180 unique varieties!) and ice cream, it also features a brownie bar and continues to make truffles in flavours made popular by the site's previous owners.
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Photo credit: @kateflatman for @busycitykids
Busy City Kids was invited to experience some of the places mentioned above for the purpose of a review. Most were self-funded. All opinions & feedback are genuine & truthful. Travel and food was self funded.
For more ideas of what to do with the kids in Melbourne, checkout our Website, our Daily Spots List, CBD Spots or Blog.
To visit Mornington Peninsula, checkout Mornington Peninsula Wine Tours. They provide tailored, hosted winery tours of the Mornington Peninsula (Inc. Red Hill) and can personalise the day so it is ideal for your group. They visit wineries, breweries, dairies, distillery, chocolate and other sights & attractions. For more information, head to their website.