The Dolphin Research Institute

Did you know that our dolphins share their precious home with over 4 million people who live around Port Phillip and Western Port? Did you know that there is a Mornington Peninsula based organisation that is a leading provider of research (major health studies of our bays’ dolphins), champions education (to value dolphins and reduce pollution flowing into our bays), and provides much needed leadership (working with governments for constructive and sustainable actions)?

Classic Hinterland

What can we tell you about the Cellar and Pantry? Well for starters this is a place people come from near and afar to enjoy. You can eat in, take out or take home a delectable array of local fresh produce, local and imported deli or cellar items home. Either way it is worthy of your time. On the busiest of days you’ll order coffee and something scrumptious to eat at the window, you’ll go inside to forage for pantry items to take home until your name is called out whereby you’ll stop everything to find a seat on the iconic deck to enjoy the moment. If there aren’t any?

Treasures to discover

Upon stepping through the doors of Antipodes Bookshop & Gallery you will feel the cosy calm wash over you. A sanctuary for book lovers, Antipodes’ purpose is to find and champion stories – those that enrich our lives, those that surprise and those that delight. There are other treasures to discover at Antipodes, too: beautiful Australian craft, art and jewellery and carefully curated exhibitions. We love Antipodes because of its serendipitous nature; it’s a place to experience wonderful encounters and a refuge from the outside world. As Picasso once said ‘some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun’ - it doesn’t matter which one you are, you’ll find the right spot at Antipodes.

Cooking with Kids cookery class at Georgie Bass Cafe & Cookery

This class is a fun and interactive session where your kids can get involved in the cooking process of building healthy burgers, flipping fruit piklets and baking mini pizzas, before washing it all down with colourful and tasty smoothies. Ideally suited for 12 to 16 year olds, parent's attendance required.

Suri & Huacaya

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Alpaca – they’re very intelligent, inquisitive animals that relate well to people so can make excellent pets. There are two types of alpaca in Australia - Suri & Huacaya and Pitchingga Ridge has both – mainly blacks, greys & whites, also some browns. Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in October.

Dolphin Research Institute

The Dolphin Research Institute is based at Hastings, on the shores of Western Port. DRI’s efforts are focused in the south-eastern region of Australia, especially Port Phillip, Western Port and the Gippsland Lakes.

Taste Award Winning Cheese

Springtime visitors to Main Ridge Dairy take note! Goats are kidding and all the new kids are in the paddock in front of the Cheesery - it’s here you’ll have a birds eye view of the frolicking. Whilst you’re doing that, why not enjoy a fresh coffee and treat or taste award winning cheese products made with love on site with a glass of locally produced wine.

Explore Spectacular Scenery

At just over an hour from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula has beaten the Sydney Opera House and Great Barrier Reef to make it on to National Geographic magazine’s must-see list for 2015.