Just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne is the idyllic Mornington Peninsula – a thriving wine region that is also renowned for its top produce and fine dining, hot springs and plethora of art.
Dine in style at the Rare Hare Wine & Food Store
It’s 11am on the Mornington Peninsula, and I’m confidently sipping my second glass of chardonnay. Looking around Rare Hare, I’m pleasantly surprised to see I’m not alone. The glass-enclosed cellar door overlooking gentle vine-clad slopes is the perfect perch for a mid-morning imbibe. Plus, the deliciously oaky tipple helps to digest the incredible architectural drama that surrounds.
Clad in dark zinc with charred timber and black metal detailing, Rare Hare and its adjoining Jackalope Hotel could have slipped straight from continental Europe.
I’m tempted to return for lunch, and sit by the hand-crafted wood-fired oven that takes centre stage in the dining room. The executive chef is known for seasonal dishes that champion the finest local produce, each complimented by estate-made wine. Perusing the menu, my eyes are drawn to the falafel stuffed pepper and wood-fired lamb rump, and I feel my mouth begin to water.
A luxury retreat at Jackalope Hotel
My afternoon is spent at the moody Jackalope Hotel, designed by wunderkind Louis Li, who wanted to create a place for wine lovers to taste, stay and play. Inspired by the 30-year-old chardonnay and surrounding pinot noir grapes, he commissioned Carr Design Group to craft a space that leaves my jaw on the floor.
The property is filled with whimsical works of art, from the glossy seven-metre-tall sculpture of a mythical namesake Jackalope (basically a rabbit with antlers) to the electric-blue pool table in achingly cool cocktail lounge Flaggerdoot. Dark hallways lit by vivid neon installations lead to slick guest rooms and suites – mine comes with an open fireplace, vineyard views from the enormous patio and a massive black-resin Japanese soaking tub.
The big ticket, though, is the five-course evening degustation beneath a mesmerising kinetic sculpture of 10,000 light bulbs – they represent the bubbles created during the fermentation of Champagne – at fine dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot, which has been Good Food hatted for more than five years.
Other complimentary inclusions such as the infinity pool, heated spa and infrared sauna are a must try. And, in the evenings, you can take an in-room movie night to the next level with bottomless hand-deliveries of Jackalope popcorn and locally-sourced ice-cream.
Mornington Peninsula hot springs and beaches are unbeatable
The next day, I join a Mornington Peninsula hot springs tour, which starts with a relaxing morning at the hot springs – a group of thermal mineral pools complete with a reflexology walk, Turkish hamam, auna, cold plunge pool, and hilltop pool with panoramic views of the surrounding hills. The coach then takes us to Arthurs Seat, one of the highest points in the Mornington Peninsula and a great place to admire Port Phillip Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula, before heading to the Peninsula Bathing Boxes. Modelled after the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes, these colourful constructions stand out beautifully against the blue of the ocean.
In fact, the Mornington Peninsula is the perfect place to visit if you like the open sea. Head for a surf at Point Leo, or take the family to the calm waters of Portsea Front Beach.
Make sure to also check out Mount Martha, with its long stretches of white sand. Here, if you follow the tiny path leading from the road to the edge of the cliffs, you’ll find another pathway heading down the rocks to a secluded place ideal for jumping off the cliffs and into the water. Known as The Pillars, this quiet area will make you feel like you’ve walked onto a Greek island.
Art and wine combine at Pt. Leo Estate
Out the front of Jackalope, a fleet of shiny black cars are on stand-by to shuttle guests to nearby wineries, including Pt. Leo Estate.
The estate’s two-hatted restaurant called Laura at Pt. Leo Estate is headed up by culinary director Josep Espuga, with a dazzling menu based upon local produce and sustainability.
Guests can choose from a seasonal eight-course menu or a four-course signature menu, whilst those looking for something a little quicker can opt for a delightful two-course lunch menu.
Some of the many highlights include flambéed Southern rock lobster with white asparagus, and a Aquna Murray cod with Mt. Zero chickpeas, kokotxa (a Basque word used to name the lower part of the cod’s chin), served with a side of rocket from kitchen’s garden.
Tear your gaze away from Josep’s culinary creations and you’re nose-to-glass with an overwhelming collection of more than 50 large-scale modernist sculptures. Created by the likes of Tony Cragg, Inge King and Andrew Rogers, the art park is scattered around elm tree woodlands and grassy panoramas, overlooking the estate’s vineyards, and reaching right over to Western Port Bay.
Crack a cold one at Dainton Brewery
The next stop on my culinary trail is Dainton Brewery, winner of 50 awards including Champion Independent Large Brewery of Australia back in 2020.
The venue itself features 18 core and limited edition Dainton releases, as well as local guest cider, on custom taps. Overwhelmed with options, I opt for a Paddle Royal, which includes a paddle of the four most approachable beers, and another paddle with four of the most hop forward beers. It’s a great way to sample the world-class drinks made on site.
The food menu is also popular, with wood-fired pizzas and juicy burgers always on offer. The brewery hosts regular events, with live music on Fridays, weekly trivia, and limited edition beer launches.
Sorrento-Portsea Artists’ Trail
For a dose of culture, I drive a few kilometres south to the Sorrento-Portsea Artists’ Trail, which includes a clifftop track – Millionaires Walk – that winds past some of the most stunning aspects of the western side of the peninsula.
Over a 1.5 kilometre course, I stroll past interpretive signs depicting paintings by the likes of Arthur Boyd and Sir Arthur Streeton, while enjoying views of Port Phillip Bay on one side, Western Port Bay on the other, and Bass Straight just in view to the south. Each painting is positioned as closely as possible to the scene which inspired it, so I can take in my surroundings through the eyes of the artists.
A spectacular beer, cider & spirits trail
All around me, in every direction I turn during my stay, I find vineyards crisscrossing rolling hills and small farms producing fresh food including strawberries, cherries and goats’ cheese. And then there are the apples, which are transformed into biodynamic cider at Mock Red Hill.
The fifth-generation family-owned apple orchard has converted a 1945 cool store into a farm-gate shop and cider-lounge. Taking a seat, I’m handed a menu of apple-themed treats, including spiced cider, apple cocktails, and homemade apple pie. There’s even a cider tasting flight, which features the classic, pear, royal, mulled and sparkling ciders.
This is one of the places you’re encouraged to visit on the new Beer, Cider & Spirits Trail, which tracks a path between 18 brewers and distillers.
Another standout is St Andrews Beach Brewery, a stunning spot housed in old horse stables on a 92-acre property. Sample the range of home brews, before choosing from the picnic menu and heading outside to find a shady spot in the former 1200-metre race track which has now been planted with 8000 apple and pear trees for making cider.
To discover the best day trips from Melbourne, click here.
Travel to the Mornington Peninsula
Rex flies to Melbourne. Book your flight here.
