24 hours on the Mornington Peninsula

After finishing our Great Ocean Road trip, we decided to head to Queenscliff and catch the ferry over to the Mornington Peninsula. There we were met by my favourite auntie and uncle, who were our tour guides for our brief stay.

We were lucky enough to stay in their holiday house for two nights, which was in the quiet seaside town of Tootgarook (you can see their beach shack here on Airbnb- i’m going to plug it because it sleeps 8, is super affordable and right by the beach). I have such fond memories of Tootgarook- we used to visit as kids to see my grandpa, and spend lots of time at the beach and by the boatsheds. The boatshed by great grandad built by hand still remains on the beach today, just with a new lick of paint.

Having not been to the area in over 10 years, my favourites whisked us around for the day showing us all their favourite spots. Here’s how it all went down..

Catch the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento- get your coffee fix from Roro Café and Food Store

We are always looking for where we can get our next coffee fix, and the café at the port in Queenscliff delivered. We got ours takeaway, headed outside and watched the boat roll into the harbor. Catching the ferry cost around $140.00 return, and was worth not having to deal with the crazy Melbourne traffic.

Icecream from Mubble in Sorrento

We met up with my family in Sorrento and the first thing we did was head to their favourite ice cream store- Mubble. I know why it’s there favourite, the ice cream is so bloody delicious. The scoops are very, very generous and the ice cream is so flavoursome and creamy. I had the Oreo and could have eaten it 10 times over.

Stroll along the beach, and take the beach track from Tootgarook to Rye

Once settling in we headed straight to the beach to go for a stroll- we needed to burn off the 500 calories consumed from the giant scoop of ice cream. The walk from Tootgarook to Rye is a beautiful one- there’s beach sheds dotted all along the foreshore, the water is crystal clear and you can walk right out to sea without getting soaked because of the sandbars. This is easily one of my favourite beaches in Victoria- I might be a little bit biased but its quiet, safe and just really lovely.

Pizza and Paddles from St Andrews Beach Brewery

This brewery once was a horse training facility- you’ll realise that as soon as you walk into the doors having paid tribute to their horsey-heritage in their fitout. There’s plenty of outdoor seating, as well as seating in their ‘stables’ and inside on chairs and couches. We dabbled in a tasting flight and loved their Pilsner. The perfect combo with beer is pizza (duh) so we opted for their Pumpkin, topped with goats cheese, walnuts and rocket- it was ridiculously tasty.

Visit the Old Apple Shed for cider and platters

I’m rather partial for a cider or two, so I was very excited to visit the shed. When we visited they were undergoing reno’s, but the outdoor area was perfectly sunny and spacious. I loved their whole cider range, especially the pear and passionfruit. They also make a mean ginger beer, and at 8% you’ll want to make sure you have a designated driver. While we were there we picked on a antipasto platter- it was giant and filled with plenty of crackers and meats.

Take in the view at Seawinds Gardens at the Arthurs Seat State Park

A park that was regularly visited by my grandpa, and now I know why. The view from the lookout is breathtaking. It takes in all of the bay, and on a clear day you can catch a glimpse of the Melbourne cityscape. There’s plenty of grass for picnics, walking trails to explore and is beautiful to visit in Autumn when all the leaves start to change colour.

Coffee at the Epicurean in Red Hill

If I could transport this space back to Adelaide I would in a heartbeat. We missed lunch service but had some great awesome coffee in some of the comfiest leather chairs. Their café/retail area looks like the perfect spot for a cosy lunch, and their pizza and pasta menu for dinner looks well worth the drive. We will coming back here for gnocchi on our next visit!

Give the eftpos card a work out in Red Hill and Sorrento

If you are rather partial to a spot of homewares shopping, then these towns are the place for you. I fell in love with Red Hill House (gorgeous crockery, books and more). Sorrento also has some awesome homewares and clothing stores, from independent brands and all the big names. We didn’t have a chance to stop into Rye or Portsea, but were told that they too have some beaut spots to shop.

Have a frothie at Red Hill Brewery

In the spirit of all things beer on our visit, it seemed perfect that we wound up our day at Red Hill Brewery with a tasting paddle and bowl of salty pretzels. The paddles went down a treat, and their Pilsner and Harvest ESB were the standouts.

Eat your body weight in strawberry ice-cream at Sunny Ridge

If you love strawberries then you are going to LOVE the ice-cream at Sunny Ridge. A scoop of it literally tastes like you are eating strawberries fresh from the patch. You can also get fondue, churros and all kinds of chocolaty delights here if you are feeling like something a little more substantial.

Have you ever been to the Mornington Peninsula before? What did you love to do when you visited? I’d love to know!