My earlier visit to the Peninsula was all about beautiful beaches, and bathing boxes. I even wrote a poem about it! Now I have a travel buddy and much more to explore. Sure, there will be more beaches and bathing boxes but this time, there’ll be wineries.
Our first stop heading down the peninsula was Brighton for coffee and well – bathing boxes because I’d always thought of Brighton as the quintessential home of the bathing box and hadn’t visited here on my previous visit. Yes, I’m just a little obsessed with them, their bright colours are joy and happiness rolled into one fabulous bit of cuteness, and for me there is also a wee sense of romanticism as I imagine the beach-goers of a bygone era.
From Brighton we headed to Mornington village stopping in for a Paella lunch at Casa de Playa and picking up a bit of farm fresh produce from the weekly Wednesday market at the Mornington Village. A few more stops, a few more bathing boxes then on to the old Quarantine Station in the Nepean National Park. The old quarantine station is located in a beautiful spot facing north across Philip Bay. Many of the lovely old buildings are still intact, and very easy to appreciate when you’re playing tourist but I doubt the quarantine guests of this establishment got the exceptional service I had in my two recent quarantines.
The old disinfection block however was a bit too reminiscent of somewhere else I’ve been, a place of untold atrocity. Gave me chills.
A short drive across the peninsula to Sorrento Ocean Beach, which I assume looks out across the mighty Bass Strait and as the crow flies all the way down to the Antarctic Ice Shelf.
Back bayside for a visit to the historic Hotel Sorrento and a glass of their finest before heading back to our Rye Beach accommodation in the fabulously named suburb of Tootgarook – a land of croaking frogs.
The next morning we headed east across the peninsula to Finders blowhole which was obviously having an off day, not much blow here. A venture into Flinders township, we picnicked near Flinders wharf, home-made sarnies with a great view of Phillip Island. Then time for our first vineyard visit and a wee platter of cheese and figs washed down with couple of Pinot Gris at Cups Estate, Fingal. The outlook of the Moonah Links golf course spoilt only by an unrelenting ‘breeze’!
Just a couple of minutes around the corner from the Cups Estate was our final destination for the day, the Peninsula Hot Springs Bath House. Full disclosure, I only knew of this place because of MAFS that addictive, why am I watching this shite reality show that is less reality and more, well, brain rot television. I’m loathe to admit it sucked me in, however, happy to learn of this place. Obviously, I’ll not be sharing pics of us looking hot in our bathers and I’m pretty sure we were the only two onsite that didn’t actually take our phones in with us. Anyway we did manage to soak in a significant number of the many pools scattered across the 42 acres. I even braved a dive into the cold plunge pool before hitting the Turkish steam bath. Now, possible given the the detoxifying benefits of thermal hot springs we should probably made this our final destination on the Peninsula.
Day three started with a visit to Arthurs Seat and a 180 degree view up and down the peninsula before continuing on our winery tour. Next on the wineries list (said list consisted of any open winery in the direction of travel) was the Morning Sun Vineyard and Olive Grove. And what a treat this was, even on a pretty crappy overcast and windy day we had a great outlook over the vineyard and the vibrant autumn colours of the vine leaves.
Previously an apple orchard, the Morning Sun is an outlet for Foxeys Hangout wines as well as a few of their own. We had a little sampler flight of wines, and without a single sauvignon on the wine list, it was time to try something different. The whole point of wine tasting I guess is to try different wines and learn that Pinot Grigio and Riesling aren’t always horrible sweet offerings. We accompanied these wine tastings with prosciutto wrapped figs which were pretty tasty but the real taste sensation was not the said figs but the parmesan polenta fries, outstanding!
Not far down the road was Ocean Eight Estate, which driving in did feel estate-ish, you’d be forgiven for thinking the estate was much older than it is. Beautiful manicured grounds, and a cellar door that looked like converted stables. This was our Chardonnay stop, only because they’d sold out of their Rose and Chardy was the only varietal I recognised. Actually not a bad drop!
We arrived at Mantons Creek Estate about the same time the rain did, not that it dampened our mood in any way. A few more wines and yet another tasty platter of cheesey goodness, as we reflected on the trip so far, sat back in our comfy seats at the back of the venue. Warm, cosy and pretty happy with the venture so far.
Wineries are great, but they close at a sensible hour so it was time to venture back into Rye and make our way to the Penni Ave Distillery set in what you could call an industrial area. And isn’t that where some of the best find are, set back somewhere off the main road?
It was now raining a lot heavier by this point but we rocked up just as the bar was opening and settles into the the downstairs for a wine – not what you should be visiting a Botanic Vodka distillery for but hey, this was a wine day. Fabulous staff, great industrial vibe and Walter! The perfect end to a perfect day.
Boonwurrung Country