The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, surrounded by Port Phillip, Western Port Bay and Bass Strait. A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. "Port Phillip" may also refer to a Local Government Area called the City of Port Phillip. Western Port, sometimes referred to as Western Port Bay, is an inlet on the southern coast of Australia from Bass Strait and the Pacific Ocean Bass Strait (bæs is a sea Strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland ( Victoria in particular
A tourist region with a variety of beaches (both sheltered and open-sea) and seaside resorts, much of the area is now regarded as a part of greater Melbourne. It is known simply as "The Peninsula" to locals and Melburnians alike.
The Melbourne suburb of Frankston is sometimes known as The Gateway to the Peninsula, being where the peninsula joins the mainland on its northern boundary. Frankston is a seaside suburb of Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, Australia.
The peninsula tapers away and terminates at Point Nepean. Point Nepean marks the southern entrance to Port Phillip Bay Victoria, Australia.
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History
Before the arrival of white settlers, Mornington Peninsula was the home of the Bunurong tribe whose six clans lived along the Victorian coast from the Werribee River across to Western Port Bay and Wilsons Promontory. Bunurong (also spelt Bunwurrung Boonwerung Bunurowrung Boonoorong and Bururong) is the language and name of the Bunurong people, an Australian Aboriginal The Werribee River is located on the plain west of Melbourne, Victoria Australia. Western Port, sometimes referred to as Western Port Bay, is an inlet on the southern coast of Australia from Bass Strait and the Pacific Ocean Wilsons Promontory National Park, commonly known as Wilsons Prom or The Prom, is a national park in the Gippsland region of Victoria ( Australia
At the time of European settlement, much of the Mornington Peninsula was covered with she-oak forests. These were quickly cleared to provide firewood for the growing city of Melbourne, and much of the peninsula was subsequently covered with fruit orchards. Nevertheless much natural vegetation still exists, especially in an area of bushland in the south known as Greens Bush, and the coastal fringe bordering Bass Strait and Western Port Bay. Bass Strait (bæs is a sea Strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland ( Victoria in particular Western Port, sometimes referred to as Western Port Bay, is an inlet on the southern coast of Australia from Bass Strait and the Pacific Ocean Most large areas of bushland are now included within the Mornington Peninsula National Park. Mornington Peninsula is a national park in Victoria ( Australia) 77 km south of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula.
As serious farming has declined, hobby farmers with an interest in the aesthetic and the natural environment have taken over much of the peninsula. This has led to an expansion of natural bushland on private property, and many native species, such as koalas, are becoming increasingly common.
Transport
The peninsula can be reached via several routes and modes of transport.
By road: The Peninsula is easily reached from Melbourne by car via the Nepean Highway. / Nepean Highway runs south from Melbourne city in Victoria Australia to Portsea, along the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay. Another route is via the Frankston Freeway to Frankston, and then via the Moorooduc Highway. Another option is via the Monash Freeway (M1) and the Western Port Highway to the eastern side of the Peninsula.
By public transport: A bus service (number 788) runs along the entire length of the peninsula to Portsea, departing from Frankston Railway Station in metropolitan Melbourne. Portsea is a resort town located across Port Phillip from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Frankston is a Railway station located on Young Street in Frankston, Victoria, Australia. It should be noted that Metcard tickets are not valid on this bus as it runs outside the metropolitan area, but will be soon. Metcard is the brand name of the ticket used to access Public transport in Melbourne, Australia.
A number of bus services (numbers 781, 784 and 785) run partway down the peninsula from Frankston Railway Station along the Nepean Highway. These run to various destinations such as Mount Martha and Mornington, via Mount Eliza. Mount Martha is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 60 km south-east of Melbourne's Central business district. Mornington is a sea side town in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 57 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district Mount Eliza is an outer suburb south-east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Metcards are accepted on these services (Zone 2).
V/Line have a rail service from Frankston to Hastings and Stony Point, from where a ferry can be taken to French and Phillip Islands. V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. A bus service also runs to Flinders on the south coast.
Tourism
The Mornington Peninsula has a long history of being a favourite holiday destination for the people of Melbourne.
At the very tip of the peninsula, former government land long closed to the public was opened as Point Nepean National Park. Formerly used as a quarantine station and by the military for various purposes including a gunnery range, the site is now very popular as it is largely undeveloped. Sections of the park are still closed due to unexploded ordnance. Unexploded ordnance (or UXO s/ UXB s sometimes acronymized as UO) are explosive Weapons ( Bombs Bullets shells
Also popular is Mornington Peninsula National Park. Mornington Peninsula is a national park in Victoria ( Australia) 77 km south of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula.
On the Northern/Western side of the peninsula, facing Port Phillip Bay, several popular holiday spots are to be found. These include Dromana, Rosebud, McCrae, Sorrento and the more exclusive Portsea, sometime referred to as 'The Playground of the Rich', due to its lavish properties and expensive real estate. Dromana is a Suburb south of Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria, Australia, and is located on the Mornington Peninsula. Rosebud is a seaside resort town approximately 75 km southeast of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia. McCrae is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula. Sorrento is a township in Victoria, Australia, located on the shores of Port Phillip Bay on the Mornington Peninsula, about one and a half
On the South/Eastern side of the peninsula, facing Western Port Bay and Bass Strait, good surf beaches are to be found, such as that at Point Leo. Point Leo is a town in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia.
Also on the Western Port Bay side of the peninsula is the naval base HMAS Cerberus, which has a long history, evident in its museum. HMVS Cerberus HMAS Cerberus is a Royal Australian Navy training establishment located at Crib Point on the Mornington Peninsula, south of At Hastings, is an ex-Royal Australian Navy decommissioned Oberon class submarine, which it is hoped will develop into a viable tourist attraction. Hastings is a town on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. The Royal Australian Navy ( RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Design and construction The Oberon class was based heavily on the preceeding ''Porpoise'' class of submarines Glass-reinforced plastic was used in
A little to the north of Hastings at Pearcedale is the Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, which runs nightly walks showcasing many of the nocturnal animals that used to be found in the region. Pearcedale is a township 10 km south of Cranbourne Victoria, Australia. Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park is a Biopark within the Pearcedale Conservation Park located at Pearcedale on the Mornington Peninsula
At Shoreham is a popular maze attraction featuring hedge and rose mazes. Shoreham is a town south of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the southern Mornington Peninsula region on the Western Port A maze is a complex Tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route A hedge is a line of closely spaced Shrubs and bushes planted and trained in such a way as to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area A rose is a perennial flowering Shrub or vine of the Genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species
Popular day trips from Melbourne include Red Hill and its popular monthly market, and the town of Mornington. Red Hill is a small rural community located in the hinterland of the Mornington Peninsula about an hour's drive south of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia
At Dromana lies one of the few remaining Drive-in Theatres left in the state. A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen a projection booth a Concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles Its three screens remain popular with the people from the peninsula, and also with those from the southern suburbs of Melbourne.
At the top Arthur's Seat is a lookout where a magnificent view of Port Phillip Bay can be found, as well as a Chairlift ride to the bottom. Arthurs Seat is a hill and locality on the Mornington Peninsula, within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, about 75 Km south east of Melbourne A chairlift (technically an elevated passenger ropeway is a type of Aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating Steel cable loop strung
The region draws many visitors to its outstanding golf courses. The rolling sand-dune links land is home to layouts such as Moonah Links, The Dunes, Portsea, St Andrew's Beach and The National Golf Club.
The Mornington Peninsula is also known as a temperate water scuba diving destination. Scuba diving is swimming underwater, or taking part in another activity while using a Scuba set. The shore dives at Mornington Pier, Rye Pier, Blairgowrie Pier, Portsea Pier and Flinders Pier give an outstanding variety of experiences on day and night dives. Portsea is also where many divers depart on charter boats to dive sites in Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait. Portsea is a resort town located across Port Phillip from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. There is a remarkable variety of diving environments including wrecks, reefs, drift dives, scallop dives, seal dives and wall dives.
Produce
The Mornington Peninsula is a notable wine region, producing small quantities of high quality wine from around 60 wineries. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice While most varieties are grown, the cool, maritime climate of the Peninsula is particularly noted for pinot noir. Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Many wineries are open for public tastings, and several have quality restaurants.
Apples were the staple product of the Peninsula for several generations, with whole trainloads being dispatched to the city and ports. The number of orchards has been dramatically reduced, however there are many other producers on the Peninsula, specialising in berries, cherries, and other fruits, as well as market gardens. There is increased interest in organic production, and there are even organic beef producers.
The Peninsula not only produces fresh products, with small-scale manufacturers of niche products as diverse as cheese, chocolate, chutney, jam, and olive oil. Local produce is also to be found at markets held around the Peninsula, such as the monthly market at Red Hill. A local organisation, Mornington Peninsula Gourmet, has been set up to support the many small producers on the Peninsula.
Harold Holt Disappearance
On 17 December 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt went swimming at Cheviot Beach on what is now Point Nepean National Park. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Harold Edward Holt, CH (5 August 1908 17 December 1967 was an Australian politician who became the 17th Prime Minister of Australia in 1966 Cheviot Beach is a Beach near Point Nepean in Victoria, Australia. At the time this was still a restricted area.
Mr. Holt, who was 59 and had had a recent shoulder injury, plunged into the surf. He disappeared from view and was never seen again. Despite an extensive search his body was never found. He was officially presumed dead on 19 December 1967. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar.
See also
External links
The Shire of Mornington Peninsula is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic