Holiday houses in Mornington

A suburb of Melbourne, Mornington is situated on the Port Phillip side of Mornington Peninsula, making it an easy starting point for exploring the region. Known for its village atmosphere, the town is punctuated by a 46-metre pier built in 1858, and includes a marina that offers fishing charters. Visitors can take sunny strolls along the pier, soak up the bay views, and watch the fishermen try their luck.

Art galleries, gardens, shops, and eateries are just a short walk from the pier, and there are also several pretty beaches with gentle waves within easy reach for laid-back sundowners and refreshing morning dips. Foodies flock to the wider peninsula to sample the famous local wines. Best known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the region has plenty of places where you can pull over and enjoy perfectly paired dishes with sweeping views of the vineyards.

Mornington has an oceanic climate with warm and occasionally hot summers and mild winters where temperatures rarely get below freezing. Autumn and summer are the best times to visit, when temperatures average the low-20s Celsius. The annual Peninsula VineHop Festival in November celebrates the wine, spirits, craft beer, and cider produced on the Mornington Peninsula. The Targa Florio Australia Italian motor event also takes place in November and is a draw for car enthusiasts from around the world. With mild temperatures, winter is also a nice time to stay in a holiday rental on the Mornington Peninsula. May begins with The Mornington Running Festival, where participants run as far as 21 kilometres from Mornington to Mount Martha. The Mornington Winter Music Festival in June features four days of jazz, blues, swing, traditional, progressive, and classical music.

Beleura House & Garden

A state-listed 19th-century heritage house set amidst five hectares of gardens, Beleura House & Garden boasts a collection of original furnishings and objects such as a rare piano, ceramics by a famous Australian ceramicist, and several vintage automobiles. Built in 1863 by a Scottish immigrant and successful merchant, Beleura was bequeathed to the people of Victoria by a 20th-century composer, who lived there for 48 years.

Mornington Botanical Rose Gardens

Located in the centre of town and surrounded by two small art galleries, the Mornington Rose Garden is home to more than 4,000 roses that bloom in a lush setting of native Australian trees and shrubs. Maintained by volunteers, the garden’s design is based on Mornington’s yachting history.

Point Nepean National Park

Take an hour’s drive down the coast to explore Point Nepean National Park. Walk or cycle through rugged coastal landscape with panoramic ocean and bay views, explore military forts and tunnels, learn about the people who passed through the Quarantine Station, and see fascinating artefacts dating back more than 150 years.