The Mornington Peninsula boasts some of Victoria’s most spectacular walking landscapes, and the 100km Mornington Peninsula Walk is a worthy challenge. Along the way you can explore our beautiful bushlands, spot kangaroos and birds, gaze over deserted ocean beaches of our national, marine and state parks, discover early history at Point Nepean, Cape Schanck and Collins Settlement Site and enjoy popular bay beaches as you trek the southern Peninsula. You can complete the whole walk over several days, or enjoy it over several visits.
The Mornington Peninsula boasts some of Victoria’s most spectacular walking landscapes, and the 100km Mornington Peninsula Walk is a worthy challenge. Along the way you can explore our beautiful bushlands, spot kangaroos and birds, gaze over deserted ocean beaches of our national, marine and state parks, discover early history at Point Nepean, Cape Schanck and Collins Settlement Site and enjoy popular bay beaches as you trek the southern Peninsula. You can complete the whole walk over several days, or enjoy it over several visits.
The walk takes a roughly triangular route, linking four established trails; the 'Two Bays Walk' through the hinterland from Dromana to Cape Schanck, the 'Coastal Walk' through the Mornington Peninsula National Park along the Bass Strait coast from Cape Schanck to Portsea, the 'Point Nepean Walk' in and around the Point Nepean National Park, and the 'Bay Trail' from Portsea to Dromana along the shores of Port Phillip.
From Dromana on Port Phillip Bay via Bushrangers Bay to Cape Schanck, this 26km walk will take you through a great variety of habitats as you cross the Peninsula, including steep gravel sections around Arthurs Seat and gently undulating tracks through Greens Bush, the largest remnant bushland on the Peninsula. The initial winding climb to Arthurs Seat, then travels through the back streets of Rosebud before linking into Greens Bush and descending through lovely stretches of forest, huge stands of grasstrees that may be more than 200 years old, lush fern gullies and grasslands to the dark and brooding cliffs of Cape Schanck and the Lighthouse. Keep a lookout for kangaroos and wallabies feeding in the early morning or at dusk, and birdlife including wrens, colourful parrots, kites and soaring eagles.
Traversing mainly through the Mornington Peninsula National Park, the Coastal Walk encompasses 30km of beach and cliff walks along Bass Strait from the lighthouse at Cape Schanck , the track weaves its way west through thick coastal tea-tree and drops onto yellow-sand beaches before a final stretch of alternating tight single track and cliff-top trail brings you from Rye to London Bridge in the adjoining Point Nepean National Park. Some of the sections are very suitable to do as short walks in their own right; including the 2km Farnsworth Track from London Bridge carpark to Portsea ocean beach, the 3km Fingal Beach walk to lookouts over Bass Strait, and the 4km Coppins Track walk from Sorrento Ocean Beach along the dramatic clifftop to Diamond Bay.
The Point Nepean National Park is a mix of beautiful landscape and rich history situated at the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula. There is a range of amazing walks visitors can explore and an array of historic buildings that served various purposes during the early history of the Mornington Peninsula. Walk right to the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, past the old Quarantine Station, World War Two military defences, along coastal and bush tracks. Point Nepean also offers some of the best views on the Mornington Peninsula across to Queenscliff and out the Port Phillip Bay Heads.
This trail takes you along the beaches and villages of Port Phillip Bay from Portsea to Dromana. This is one of the most scenic shared use trails on the Peninsula. Through foreshores and camping grounds, it winds its way past piers and jetties, swimming beaches and charming shopping villages and beachside homes along Point Nepean Road. It’s easy walking (or riding) and suitable for a pram along the majority of its 28 km length with wide compacted gravel, boardwalks and sealed paths. Of course being so close to the beach you can even duck off for a little stroll on the sand or a paddle in the shallows if you want.
Top tip: there is only public transport and limited accommodation accessible along the Bay Trail section of the 100km Walk, so it is necessary to plan your transfer arrangements and dropoff/pickup points carefully.
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