1. Red Hill Lavender Farm and Café

There’s a unique peace that settles over you when you visit the Red Hill Lavender Farm and Café. After a brief period of closure, this beloved destination has reopened, welcoming guests with a renewed charm. With an interior refresh and lush grounds, the farm has blossomed in more ways than one. The lavender fields are in full bloom during autumn, filling the air with a calming fragrance. Visitors can enjoy a serene café experience with delicious seasonal treats, all while surrounded by the beauty of nature. It’s a place where time slows down, and you can truly reconnect with yourself and the landscape.

2. Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park

By day, the Moonlit Sanctuary is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Wander through the park, feed the Black Wallabies, and learn about critically endangered species like the Orange-bellied Parrot and the Bush Thick-knee. The sanctuary is home to a remarkable array of animals, including the Fluffy Glider and the Tasmanian Devil. As the sun sets, the park transforms into a mystical landscape during its famous lantern-lit tours. Experience the magic of nocturnal creatures like owls and gliders in their natural habitat, while the wallabies become even more active as night falls. It’s a truly unique way to connect with Australia’s wildlife.

3. Gordon Studio Glassblowers

Witnessing the delicate art of glassblowing is a mesmerizing experience, and at Gordon Studio Glassblowers, you can not only admire stunning pieces of glass art but also watch the process in action. This centuries-old craft dates back to the Roman Empire and has been perfected into functional and decorative masterpieces over time. At Gordon Studio, you can find vibrant glass artworks for sale or take a workshop to try your hand at creating your own. It’s an inspiring experience for art lovers and curious visitors alike.

4. Arthurs Seat Eagle

Soar to new heights this autumn with a ride on the Arthurs Seat Eagle, a scenic gondola that offers breathtaking views of the Mornington Peninsula. The gondola ride takes you over lush forests and rolling hills, providing a bird’s-eye view of the region’s stunning landscapes. This experience is perfect for all ages, with wheelchair and pram-friendly facilities ensuring that everyone can join in on the adventure. Whether you’re looking to embrace the exhilaration of heights or simply soak in the beauty from above, Arthurs Seat Eagle promises an uplifting experience that will leave you feeling inspired.

5. Aurora Spa and Bathhouse

Autumn is the perfect time to indulge in self-care, and what better way to do so than at the Aurora Spa & Bathhouse? Inspired by ancient bathing rituals from cultures around the world, Aurora offers a modern twist on communal bathing that promotes relaxation and rejuvenation. Located in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula, this spa experience is more than just a soak—it’s a chance to reconnect with yourself and nature. From tranquil thermal baths to rejuvenating spa treatments, Aurora is designed to nurture the body, mind, and spirit. Escape the stresses of everyday life and let the warm waters melt away your tension.

6. Red Hill Brewery

Autumn brings a flurry of activity to Red Hill Brewery, especially during the annual Hop Harvest in March. It’s the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and try your hand at hop picking, all while enjoying a delicious meal and freshly brewed beer. For beer lovers, it’s an opportunity to experience the entire brewing process, from hop harvest to the finished product. The brewery was founded by Karen and Dave Golding, inspired by the small microbreweries they visited during their travels through Germany, Belgium, and England. The family-friendly atmosphere and rich history behind the brewery make it a must-visit spot on the Peninsula.

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Weekend Five in March – bring the kids (or big kids!) for cheerful face painting sessions that transform little explorers into butterflies, tigers, superheroes and more!

Face Painting open at the SUMMIT STATION

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Sundays in February are made for long afternoons on the Crittenden Terrace.

Join us every Sunday in February for “Terrace Tunes”, with live music by local musician Alex Jozza from 1–4pm.

Sip cocktails and estate wines, graze on delicious eats from our food truck, and soak up the Peninsula summer vibes.

Kids welcome, space to roam, and plenty of room to unwind.

– Terrace opens at 12pm. Food service finishes at 5pm.

– Walk-ins only

– No BYO food or drinks

– No pets

– Cricket sets and ball games for the kids (and adults!)

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Where Tootgarook glows as a roadside beacon, St Andrews hums to the rhythm of the tides. Doors open at 6:30am, welcoming early risers with strong coffee, pastries, and the promise of a day about to begin. Surfers heading out, locals grabbing their morning ritual, walkers brushing the sand from their shoes — everyone comes through these doors.

From 8am until 2pm, the all-day breakfast and lunch menu keeps the kitchen moving. It’s food that works for all tastes and dietary needs, made with the same commitment to quality and consistency that defines The Kitchen Group. And just when you think service might slow, the doors stay open until 3pm, catching the stragglers: the late lunches, the last-minute snackers, the ones in search of a final caffeine hit before the day turns.

What sets St Andrews Kitchen apart isn’t just its hours or its menu. It’s the way it doubles as a pantry and storehouse for the community. Shelves are stacked with homemade jams, chutneys, and relishes; pies, pasties, sausage rolls, and bread; milk, gifts, and pantry staples. It’s a place where you can pick up dinner on the way home, find a jar of something new, or grab the missing ingredient without trekking into town.

New shelving arrives faster than it can be filled, but that’s part of the charm — the place is always evolving, responding to what the community needs. It’s equal parts café, general store, and gathering point.

If there’s one thing that elevates St Andrews Kitchen beyond its modest exterior, it’s the deck. Facing northwest, it catches the light in a way that makes afternoons linger. On a clear day, the sun dips and paints the space gold; in winter, it becomes a pocket of warmth against the coastal chill. It’s the kind of spot you don’t rush from — coffee in hand, chatter around you, the ocean just out of sight but always present in the breeze.

Behind it all is the same ethos that drives The Kitchen in Tootgarook. Bob Coley’s vision of hospitality without pretence, delivered alongside head chef Andrew “Sharkey” Sharkey and their team, translates seamlessly here. It’s about making people feel at home, delivering consistency every single day, and serving food with love.

St Andrews Kitchen may look like a modest brick veneer at the edge of the world, but step inside and you’ll feel its aura — warm, dependable, and deeply human. It’s proof that even at the wildest parts of the Peninsula, there’s always a place to pause, refuel, and belong.

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Open seven days from 6:30am, The Hidden Kitchen is a haven for early risers chasing caffeine or late lunchers in need of something tasty. Their shady, pet-friendly courtyard makes it perfect for a relaxed bite with your four-legged mate, while limited indoor seating offers shelter when the weather turns. Walk-ins are always welcome, and larger groups can call ahead to check for space. What began over a decade ago with a leap of faith and a tiny milk bar has grown into three thriving venues, a dedicated team of 48, and a reputation for cooking from the heart. You’ll find their award-winning goodies not only in-store but at spots like Hawkes Farm and The Peninsula Beer Garden. Wherever you find them, The Hidden Kitchen’s mission stays the same: to serve up delicious, locally made food with flavour, flair, and a whole lot of love.

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The Kitchen, with its warm glow and modest exterior, has been beckoning us for years, and only recently have we finally stepped inside to discover what it’s all about.
And here’s the truth: it’s more than a café, more than a bistro. The Kitchen Tootgarook is an oasis. Not in the dictionary sense, but in the way it restores you, slows you, and makes you feel like you’ve come to the right place at the right time.

From Darlington to the Peninsula The Kitchen is the dream realised by Robert Coley — Bob to everyone who knows him. His story is the kind that weaves continents and careers into a single thread. Born in Darlington in the north of England, Bob started working in hospitality at just 16. He cut his teeth in the UK’s bustling gastropubs before crossing hemispheres to work in Melbourne’s high-end dining scene, including time at Lindenderry in Red Hill, The Mansion in Werribee, and George Calombaris’ The Press Club. He even turned his hand to catering on a massive scale, overseeing food operations for healthcare facilities and managing meals for more than a thousand staff each day.

But experience, as Bob would tell you, only matters if it leads you somewhere real. And for the past eight years, that “somewhere” has been here in Tootgarook. In this humble shopfront, Bob has poured decades of learning, a love of food, and a belief in genuine hospitality into a place he always wanted to visit himself: consistent, approachable, and without pretence.

The Spirit of the Kitchen Call it a bistro, a bar, a restaurant — it doesn’t matter. What matters is how it feels. The Kitchen is a place where your name is more important than your wallet. A place where you feel like a regular on your first visit. Where the welcome is warm but never forced, and the service is seamless without ever tipping into fussiness.

This isn’t about airs and graces. It’s about getting the fundamentals right — every day, seven days a week. The same familiar faces behind the counter (many staff have been here five years or more), the same commitment to consistency, the same belief that a restaurant should feel like a second home. And at the heart of it all is head chef Andrew Sharkey — known simply and affectionately as “Sharkey.” For almost eight years he has helped Bob set the tempo and flavour of what follows.

What’s on the Plate Like any good oasis, the heart of The Kitchen lies in what it serves. On our visits so far, a few dishes have already carved themselves into memory.

Breakfast might mean The Keto Kick: broccoli and feta hotcakes stacked high, paired with house-made green tomato chutney, two perfectly poached eggs and a drizzle of aged balsamic. It’s a dish that wakes you up without weighing you down, a clever balance of comfort and freshness.

For something heartier, the Lamb Shank delivers exactly what you’d hope — flavour that lingers, meat that slips from the bone with barely a nudge. Eating it feels a little like the season itself: autumn giving way to winter, slow, inevitable, but welcome.

There’s also the Fettuccini Vongole, which could have wandered in from Chapel Street’s Café Cucina — all briny sweetness and silk-slick pasta; a plate that makes you stop mid-sentence, close your eyes, and savour it again.

Of course, some of the simplest things hit hardest. Their famous bacon sandwich might be the best hangover cure on the Peninsula, salty and satisfying in a way that only a perfectly built sandwich can be.

And then there’s Thursday night. The Kitchen’s ode to the Parma is the stuff of legend. Where else will you find eight different versions of the classic chicken parma, each with its own flair — traditional, Italian, Hawaiian, Spanish, Greek, Aussie, and more — served with a pot of beer or a glass of wine for just $25? It’s not just a meal; it’s a weekly ritual, a magnet for locals and visitors alike, proof that food doesn’t have to be complicated to bring joy.

More Than Food Bob, Sharkey, and their team see the restaurant as more than just a place to eat. It’s a stage for connection. That moment when a patron smiles over a plate, when friends linger a little longer than planned, when someone pops in for a coffee and ends up staying for lunch. These are the daily rewards, the icing on the cake, and the reason the doors open every morning.

Local suppliers and producers are part of the story too. Wherever possible, The Kitchen draws from the Peninsula’s own bounty — wines, ingredients, people. It’s not a slogan, but a practice, embedded in the rhythm of how they work.

Next time you see this beacon. Next time you’re driving the stretch between Rosebud and Rye, watch for that flicker of light on the roadside. What seems like a dark corner store is anything but. Inside, you’ll find a room alive with conversation, dishes that surprise and satisfy, and a team who make you feel at home from the minute you step in.

The Kitchen Tootgarook is proof that beacons don’t just guide ships at sea. On land, too, they exist — in the glow of a humble corner store, in a table where your name matters, and in a meal that restores you in the simplest, most enduring way.

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The Conti is your home ground this AFL Grand Final Day. From 1 pm, kick off with live and loud pre-game entertainment across the Beer Garden, Conti Bar, and Promenade. At 2:30 pm, watch the first bounce on big screens in every space so you will not miss a second. Settle in with delicious pub classics and your go-to game day pours while soaking up the finals atmosphere.

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Step aside wine and beer – there’s a new pairing partner in town. This spring, St Andrews Kitchen is hosting Booch & Bites, a one-off dining event where kombucha takes centre stage.

On Saturday, 11th October, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, join us for a flavour-filled afternoon featuring a four-course tasting menu created in our kitchen, each dish perfectly paired with a different kombucha from local brewers Two Boys Brew. From zingy citrus to earthy ferments, every pour has been carefully matched to complement and elevate the food on your plate.

Adding even more depth to the afternoon, James – one of the founders of Two Boys Brew – will be here in person. He’ll guide you through the pairings, share the story of how the business began, and lift the lid on the craft of turning humble tea into something extraordinary.

And here’s the best part: it’s an indulgent experience without the after-effects. Booch & Bites is the perfect outing for anyone who doesn’t drink alcohol, is taking a break, or just wants to explore something new. You’ll still enjoy all the storytelling, the pairings, and the sense of occasion usually reserved for wine dinners – just without the hangover.

Early bird tickets are just $65 per person – a rare chance to enjoy a full afternoon of gourmet food, kombucha, and local storytelling at an unbeatable price.

Seats are strictly limited, so book now and be part of this unique culinary first at St Andrews Kitchen.

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Out in the country, high on the hill, there’s a market where makers, growers, musicians and artists gather to share the bounty of the season — from fresh produce and handmade goods to vintage treasures and local art.

Whether you wind your way through the forest, follow the coast, or roll in past farmland, you’ll arrive at the Hill & Ridge Community Market, a gathering of good things in the heart of Red Hill.

First Saturday of each month (Sept – May).

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Enjoy a Sunday Session at JimmyRum this weekend with live music from Ellery Cohen.

There’s no better way to finish off a great weekend than lapping up some live tunes and enjoying the chilled vibe with a few mojitos, local beers or wines.

Reserve a table inside the distillery & bar or outside in the rum garden now (heaters and blankets will keep you warm if it’s not howling!).

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