SOMERS BALNARRING TYABB BITTERN HASTINGS

Western Port may not be as talked about as other Mornington Peninsula regions, but it’s filled with historical sites and dramatic scenery.

Start your exploration inland at Balnarring, once bestowed with the award for the cleanest beach in Victoria. Be captivated by the bushy headland around Cliff Rd offering spectacular views. Wind your way down to the beach, where racehorses are trained early in the morning in preparation for racecourse action. A selection of quality wineries are located in the rural areas, so drop in for a tipple and a meal.

Somers is a semi-rural seaside town looking towards Phillip Island. Its safe swimming beach runs east to Sandy Point, with tidal mudflats and mangroves north of the Point. The area is known for its substantial koala population, pleasant foreshore walks, and the Coolart Wetlands and Homestead, where visitors can tour the Victorian mansion, its beautiful gardens and wetlands.

HMAS Cerberus, the navy’s premier training establishment at Crib Point, has had almost half a billion dollars spent on an upgrade for future training needs, and the public are invited to its first open day in many years on Sunday, March 19.

The opening of the railway line from Frankston to Crib Point in 1889 saw the formation of Bittern, which has its own national park, Warringine Park. Start a walk at Jack’s Beach over the mangroves via boardwalks and end at Hastings, where you’ll find the safest, most protected small boat harbour on Western Port.

The extensive waterfront foreshore area is a combination of native bush, mangroves and large grassy areas, with a playground, walking and cycling tracks, picnic and barbecue areas, a waterfront café, and an aquatic centre. The pelicans at the jetty will keep you entertained with their fish-eating antics.

Tyabb is known for its antique stores, which range from small shops to enormous packing houses that were once cool stores for fruit growers who created one of Victoria’s first orchard areas here. The café scene is as good as anything you’ll find in Melbourne, so stop in at Mitch & Co. or Prodigal Coffee Roasters to taste for yourself as you wrap up your visit to Western Port.