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Step back in time - a few years or many
Do you love walking around grand mansions and historic gardens, or fossicking for antiques? Or would you rather jump on your bike or grab a walking map and explore some historic sites?
If you like your history on the move, you can hire a bike and cycle around Point Nepean and the old Quarantine Station, or clamber around the 1850s lighthouse and cliffs at Cape Schanck. Prefer an easier pace? Then stroll around Sorrento, the site of Victoria's first European settlement in 1803, or take tea in a grand old country estate.
The Mornington Peninsula has been creating a rich cultural and artistic history since the first European settlement was established near Sorrento in 1803. There is a huge number of historic sites across the Mornington Peninsula. Victoria's second lightstation was built at Cape Schanck in 1859 (it still boasts its original beacon and operates much as it did originally), and Point Nepean played a critical defence role from the 1880s through both World Wars.
Closed to the public for more than 100 years, Point Nepean was also home to an historic Quarantine Station which has recently been opened to visitors. You can explore all this living history and then wander through modest colonial homes and grand mansions across the Peninsula. Famous homes include the humble 1844 McCrae Homestead which takes you back to pioneer times, and stately 1895 Coolart Homestead with bird-filled wetlands. 1863 Beleura was the Tallis family summer home for many years, and is now known for its rich furnishings and the beauty of its gardens. Another opulent property is Mulberry Hill, once home to artist Sir Daryl Lindsay and Joan (Lady) Lindsay, author of 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'.
Head to the Local History Network to find our more about the regions historical and heritage sites.