Tag: mornington peninsula

Surfing paradise at Gunnamatta beach

One experience you can only find in the Mornington Peninsula is surfing at Gunnamatta Beach! Nestled in the heart of the Peninsula, a surfing paradise lies. The beach boasts a generous stretch of coastline, complete with stunning scenery and consistent waves. Whether you’re an experienced surfer or a beginner catching your first wave, Gunnamatta Beach offers an unforgettable surfing adventure.

Perfect Waves for Every Surfer

Looking for a surfing paradise? The waves at Gunnamatta are renowned for their perfection, providing an ideal playground for surfers of all levels. The consistent swells ensure that every surfing session is a memorable one. Beginners can find their footing on gentler waves, while seasoned surfers can challenge themselves on the larger, more powerful breakers.

Breathtaking Scenery

Surfing at Gunnamatta Beach is not just about the waves; it’s also about the breathtaking scenery that surrounds you. Imagine towering cliffs framing the golden sands, with the shimmering lines of overlapping waves stretching out as far as the eye can see. This stunning backdrop enhances the overall experience, making every moment on the water even more special.

Uncrowded Waters

What truly sets Gunnamatta Beach apart as a surfing paradise is its uncrowded waters. Unlike many popular surf spots, Gunnamatta offers plenty of space for everyone. Surfers can carve up the waves without the worry of overcrowding, and families can splash around and enjoy the water without having to dodge other beachgoers. This sense of freedom and space makes the beach a perfect destination for both surfers and families alike.

Tranquillity and Escape

Gunnamatta Beach also provides a sense of tranquillity, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Whether you spend your day catching waves, soaking up the sun, enjoying quality time with family, or simply taking in the views, Gunnamatta Beach delivers an unforgettable experience. This serene environment, combined with the thrill of surfing, captures the essence of what makes the Mornington Peninsula so special.

Gunnamatta Beach is a true gem of the Mornington Peninsula, offering perfect waves, stunning scenery, uncrowded waters, and a tranquil escape. For surfers and beach lovers alike, it’s a must-visit destination that promises an experience you’ll treasure forever. Find your surfing paradise at Gunnamatta beach.

If you’re looking for accomodation in the area visit Mornington Peninsula Cottages!

A surfer emerging from the waves

A surfer walking through the waves and rocky outcrops

A way to spend time with the whole family

A surfer challenging the waves-picture on display at the cottage available for sale at $80

Open for Business in the Peninsula

There is a further easing of restrictions by the Victorian Government beginning on 1st June 2020. You will be able to stay in tourist accommodation like ours! The Beach Club cottages now accept bookings. However, the Beach Club communal BBQ and laundry must remain closed.

You can visit the Mornington Peninsula now!

We will continue to update the following list of places which are Open for Business. Social distancing rules still apply, see the Government website for more details.

Public Places & Parks

  • Beaches – Open!
  • Playgrounds and Skateparks – Open!
  • National Parks – Open except for the Point Nepean National Park and its visitor centre.
  • Fishing from boats, piers and beaches – Allowed!
  • Diving from the Rye pier – Allowed! See the popular octopus garden.

Rye Bay Beach
View from Arthurs Seat
Diving from Rye Pier
Hiking to Bushrangers Bay
Beach boxes near Safety Beach
Bushrangers Bay
Bushrangers Bay
Hiking to Bushrangers Bay
Diving from Rye Pier

Enchanted Adventure Garden

Enchanted Adventure Garden
Sky Scramble
Sky Scramble

Peninsula Hot Springs

  • Bath House bathing and café will re-open from Sunday 7th June 2020 at noon
  • Spa Dreaming Centre bathing, spa and café will re-open  from Friday 12th June 2020
  • Essential information before visiting, advanced booking is necessary, and information on our stay and bath package.
  • What to expect at the reopening of the Hot Springs.

Bathing at the Peninsula Hot Springs
Bathing at the Peninsula Hot Springs

Wineries and Restaurants

  • Pt Leo Estate – Restaurant and cellar doors opens from 1st June 2020.
  • St Andrews Beach Brewery – Restaurant opens from 1st June 2020 through booking only.
  • Crittenden Estate – Restaurant opens from 3rd June 2020.
  • Trofeo Estate – New wine room now opens for tastings.
  • Hotel Sorrento – Open from 4th June 2020.
  • Dromana Estate – Open for wine tasting on weekends 12-3pm.
  • Foxeys Hangout Winery – Open for wine sales and take-home food 11am–5pm Fri–Sat–Sun-Mon. Sit-down lunches start Monday 1st June.
  • Paringa Estate – Open on Saturday & Sundays from 11am-5pm for wine tasting, maximum 30 minutes. Wear very warm clothes for your visit. Bookings recommended.
  • Green Olives at Red Hill – Open for dine-in tapas and wine from Wednesday 3rd June.
  • Montalto Vineyard – Restaurant opens from 6th June on weekends only. Wine sales, “Heat and Eat” pizzas available for take away.
  • The Vanilla Slice Cafe – Open for take away.
  • Sisco Pizza Restaurant– 800m from the Dolphin and Starfish, opens Wed – Sunday for takeaway pick up.
  • Two Bouys – Open for take away, Winter Wine Weekends scheduled on 6-7th June.

Paringa Estate Winery
Paringa Estate Winery
Pt Leo Estate Restaurant
Pt Leo Estate Restaurant
Pt Leo Estate Winery
Foxeys Hangout
Crittenden Estate Winery
Dromana Estate Winery. They provide picnic baskets with matching wine when requested.
Fine dining at the 1930s building of The Trofeo Estate Winery
Fine dining at the 1930s building of The Trofeo Estate Winery
Many of the Trofeo Estate wine are aged in their Terracotta Amphorae.

Cinema

Dromana 3 Drive In Cinema
Dromana 3 Drive In Cinema

Golf

Moonah Links
Golf at RACV Cape Schanck Resort
Golf at RACV Cape Schanck Resort
Moonah Links
Moonah Links

More to come, please stay tuned!

A Perfect Day around the Bay

The best part of our job is to discover and trial the best travel experience for our guests. Recently we tried a new route visiting both the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsula on the same day. The suggested itinerary below includes our handpicked sites, restaurants, menu suggestions and even wine pairing. We did this not once, but twice to ensure our recommendations can consistently deliver.

The Sorrento-Queenscliff Ferry provides a great way to cross the Port Phillip Bay. Instead of doing the long drive through the congested Melbourne freeways, treat yourselves to amusing wildlife and beautiful landscape.

Viewing deck on the Sorrento Queenscliff Ferry
The front deck on the Sorrento Queenscliff Ferry.

Here is our suggested itinerary to spoil yourself and enjoy the best from both sides of the bay.

1. Wake up at our gorgeous cottages

Family and pet friendly, our cottages are just a short 15 minutes drive to the Sorrento Ferry Terminal.

private courtyard fully fenced
The Beach Club Cottage – 15 mins from the Sorrento Queenscliff Ferry Terminal.

2. Breakfast at the Vanilla Slice Cafe

Enjoy great coffee and the famous Sorrento Vanilla Slice before you cross the bay. If time allows, browse through the art galleries and historical sites around the Sorrento township. The ferry departs on the hour and you are advised to arrive at least 15 mins before. You can also book online, otherwise just queue up and pay at the drive through.

3. Hop aboard the ferry

Boarding the Sorrento Queenscliff Ferry in a car.

You can drive onto the ferry, or leave your car behind. There is parking available at the terminal. The journey takes only 45 minutes while you enjoy the view on the deck or stay warm in their comfy lounge. There is a full service bar in the lounge if you have room after the vanilla slice.

Sorrento Queenscliff Ferry
The Sorrento Queenscliff Ferry connects the Mornington Peninsula and the Bellarine Peninsula.

4. Visit historic Queenscliff

Tour the Fort Queenscliff, lighthouse, and glimpse the old days on The Queenscliff Heritage Walk.

5. Late lunch with a 270 degree view

The Bellarine Peninsula is famous for their mussels, freshly harvested daily. There is no better place to enjoy them than the Jack Rabbit Winery, just 30mins drive from Queenscliff. It offers both indoor and outdoor dining area with the same 270 degree sea view. We have been there multiple times in the last 6 years, and were never disappointed with their food, wine and hospitality. Their mussel recipe changes regularly, we had it in a red wine sauce, creamy parsley sauce, and a Thai fusion sauce with coconut cream before.

Tip: match the mussels with their pinot noir, chardonnay or sauvignon blanc depending on the mussel receipt of the day.

Photo by the Jack Rabbit Winery (actual view at the winery). They are serving sunset dinner until the end of daylight savings on Fridays and Saturdays (ends on the 4-April-2020).

6. Bring home some mussels

Available at good seafood stores around the Bellarine Peninsula, also on the Mornington Peninsula. We like them both and have a great recipe to prepare them.

Grilled Veal Rack

We are very lucky to have access to quality meat in the Mornington Peninsula like at the Hillock Downs. A veal rack is as hard to find as hen’s teeth. The Cottage Chef finds a nice rack today and here is her recipe.

Veal has its unique texture. The Cottage Chef decides to marinate it with Asian ingredients and grills them over charcoal.

IMG_1641

Ingredients:

One whole rack of veal

Marinate – green onion, shallot, ginger, Chinese cooking wine, corn starch, raw sugar, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, white pepper, cooking oil.

  1. Finely chopped all ingredients.
  2. Cut the racks into individual pieces.
  3. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and sauces and apply them evenly over the rack pieces.
  4. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.
  5. Grill over charcoal.

Tip: leave in the freezer for a day or 2, and you will get a different texture.

Wine match: Bass Phillip Crown Prince Pinot Noir

 

Peninsula Fresh Organics

We aren’t running out of ideas for this subject line nor this is an ad. We aren’t paid to write this. But the name Peninsula Fresh Organics really sums it up, we do believe it is an accurate reflection of their produce and this post.

Staff loads the produce which are always harvested the night before
Staff loading the produce which are always harvested the night before

Fresh? If you aren’t aware until now, the vegetables sold at our regular grocery shops aren’t picked when they are ripe. In facts they are often harvested early to increase their shelf life. They ripen in the trucks and insides their boxes. Many of the favours and nutritions aren’t there. It’s very apparent when you are having them as salad, or making soup or sauces. At Peninsula Fresh Organics they pick the evening before.

Organic? Detox and fasting have been popular habits lately. People become more cautious of what they put into their stomach. I’m very supportive of food science and technologies. They allow food to be grown faster and bigger, solving many crisis. But the unnatural substance introduced do accumulate in our bodies. Instead of detoxing we can simply put less harm in. The higher price of organic produce can be preventive, I admit I cannot afford it every day. However let’s support our farmers occasionally, our bodies will say thank you. The Peninsula Fresh Organics website says that their produce are certified, I ain’t lab technicians but I believe in them.

Delicious? Please try it and we’ll leave the verdict to our readers. The Cottage Chef certainly think so, see her recipe here.

A good place to visit in the Peninsula? Definitely. They have been farming at their Baxter location for more than 40 years and into their 5th generation now. Through the entrance visitors will enter the rustic property with many antique tools on display, greeted by their friendly staff, and seeing freshly harvested produce being loaded onto shelves.

Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Old truck which was actually in used during the old days, the Baxter farm has been operating for 40+ years.
Fresh produce harvested the night before they are on sale.
Entrance to the Baxter farm
Old tools on display at their Baxter farm
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics
Fresh certified produce from Peninsula Fresh Organics

Our favourite are their round zucchini and heirloom root vegetables. Don’t miss it while you’re heading down to the peninsula. It makes a great first stop on the way from the city; load up with fresh fruits and vegetables for your stay, or enjoy them back at your home.