Drive. Take Peninsula link from Frankston until you reach the Dromana/Arthurs Seat exit (C789) then climb the famous route to the top of Arthurs Seat. This should take about 30 minutes from Frankston. Your first stop will be Arthurs Seat. The view from the top most days is breathtaking and captures Port Phillip Bay and through to the Moorooduc Plains. From here follow Arthurs Seat Road, then turn right into Main Creek Road. Follow this through until you meander to the end of Purves Road.

Do. Stop at Artists Proof, Johnny Ripe and Main Ridge Dairy for some incredible art, food and farmgate experiences. These places are located on Main Creek Road and are within a stones throw of each other. They all have variable operating hours so please check beforehand. Along Main Creek Road you will be driving though beautiful country roads, market gardens, wineries, beautiful homes, properties and farm-gates – road conditions vary but you will mainly encounter sealed single lane roads in each direction.

Drive. As you come to the end of Main Creek Road, turn left into Purves Road and continue until you get to the intersection of Browns Road and Baldrys Road where you will veer left into Baldrys Road and follow this all the way to Mornington-Flinders Road where you will turn right and continue for approximately 250m. As soon as you see Meakins Road, turn right and follow this through until you reach Boneo Road (C777) where you will turn right and head to Flinders.  All up, this route should take approx. 40 minutes – you will mainly encounter unsealed country roads so please take care and take in the incredible scenery.

Do. Flinders is a great stop to stretch your legs, grab a coffee or sit down for a main meal and there are many good options including the Flinders Hotel and Pony Express to name only a couple. If your after some organic fare go to Flinders Sourdough or if your after snacks and a coffee then head to the Flinders General Store.

Drive. From Flinders head north east on Frankston-Flinders Road (C777) and by the time you reach Shoreham turn left onto Red Hill Road. Continue on this road until you reach Arthurs Seat Road where you will turn left. Follow this until you reach Arthurs Seat – you have come full circle. From here head back on to the link – your homebound. All up this route would take no more than 60 minutes but there are plenty of interesting places to see and do – weight up the time of day, season and your mood and go from there.

Do. If you’re looking for some inspiration in the garden then a stop at Nobbies View Plant Farm in Shoreham is a must. In Red Hill South there’s coffee time at The Cellar & Pantry (a local institution) Darling Park Winery (casual European fare), Polperro (sophisticated surrounds and menu) – two top notch experiences involving wine and food on the Peninsula.

Make sure you enjoy the ride but above all drive safely.

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The Ranch is more than just an adventure park; it’s a utopia for bonding and self-discovery. With an array of activities suited for the young and the young-at-heart, the space adapts to your idea of adventure:

• Horse Riding: Experience the Peninsula’s natural splendour on horseback, forging a genuine bond with nature and these magnificent creatures.
• Camping: Disconnect from the world and forge lasting memories beneath the stars.
• Family Stays: Reconnect with loved ones in our comfortable lodgings.
• Adventure Weekends: From dawn to dusk, prepare for an adrenaline-packed weekend you won’t forget.
• Special Events: Be it camps or weddings, The Ranch provides an extraordinary backdrop for your memorable moments. Group bookings / camps eg: father son camps, family camps and big group bookings.

Highlight Activities

Fully supervised horse rides for beginner top experienced riders. The spectacular scenery, beautiful horses and their helpful, friendly staff all combine for a memorable experience.

Mountainboarding: this is a crossover between skateboarding and snowboarding. The Ranch is home to the only purpose built Mountainboard Park in Australia. Boasting beginner downhill trails, a border cross track for the more experienced, as well as a freestyle area to practise jumps and tricks for the more advanced. Their world class course is one-of-a kind, and their team of expert instructors can teach and develop skills and techniques in this truly unique sport. Since introducing the sport to school camps, they have taught hundreds of kids, and the feedback has been positively overwhelming.

Be it a private lesson, group lesson or birthday party – Hit the Switch give it a go!

Launch Activities: Launch yourself from their Flying Fox starting platform before flying through the air for 270m! The Ranch’s team of experienced staff will strap you into your harness before you sail through the skies taking in the views of Bass Strait and rolling hills. Giant Swing: This is all about teamwork and courage. Their experienced team will strap you into your harness before your team start to pull you up. Once you have reached the height you want to go and you say stop, it is then all up to you to pull the rope to release the swing Pamper Pole: Climb to the top of an 8-meter pole and balance on the top. Your guarantee that your heart will be racing! If this doesn’t move, you then it is time to test your courage with the Leap of Faith. Climb to the top of the 10m pole onto the platform before preparing to take the Leap of Faith to touch the buoy.

Crate Stack: The aim of this fun exercise is to build a tower of crates as high as you can before it topples and comes crashing down.

Requiring balance and confidence, this activity will push you to your personal limits whilst encouraging teamwork and communication.

Their current record stands at 24 for adults and 19 for kids… Can you beat it?

Rock Climbing: They have two different grades of difficulty on their rock wall that you can test your skills on. Their experienced staff will strap you in and spot you as you work your way to the top before abseiling back down to the bottom. It’s a great place to build confidence, courage, and test how high up the wall you can go.

Archery: Learn the safe and correct way of shooting a bow and arrow at their practice targets. Advance your skills under the guidance of their experienced team.

Family at Heart, Adventure in their Soul The Ranch is a family-run business and they have been sharing it with the world for six incredible years. Over time, year on year they keep making numerous improvements and changes to ensure your experience is the best it can be. Their mission is simple yet profound – to get all people outdoors, having FUN in a safe and welcoming environment. The team at The Ranch invite you to ‘Hit the Switch’ on your daily routine and immerse yourself in The Ranch experience. Discover the thrill of adventure, the beauty of nature, and the warmth of their welcoming community.

The Ranch is not just a place; it’s an invitation to embrace the extraordinary. The team here believe that adventure knows no boundaries,  they are here to prove it and we believe their conviction wholeheartedly. Come on down! ‘Hit the Switch,’ and unlock everything that The Ranch has to offer. We have, and we challenge you to do the same.

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In 1924, Merricks General Wine Store opened to serve a variety of needs of the local community. Built in a prime location on Hastings-Flinders Road, between Balnarring and Shoreham, it was a central point where locals could stock up on household items as well post mail, make phone calls at the phone booth, do banking and fill the petrol tank – a one-stop shop with friendly, familiar faces.

However the winds of change leave no establishment untouched, no matter how embedded they are within the community. The era of the general store came to an end as commercialism ramped up over the decades and it became clear the era of the general store had passed. When the large, modern Balnarring shopping centre opened, the general store closed and fell into disrepair, merely a decaying reminder of what was left behind as we moved into the new world of consumerism.

Fortunately, in 2004, three prominent families of the peninsula saw an opportunity to restore the general store to its past glory and re-establish it as a place for the community to come together, though giving it a new, somewhat different function inside its doors.

The Myer, Baillieu and Quealy families are prominent names in the local wine industry, and through their vineyards came together to breathe new life into the general store as a cellar door, modern bistro and café. Serving country style breakfasts, gourmet lunches and snacks like their famous scones and cakes, it is once more a popular meeting spot for locals and visitors alike. The menu draws from local produce and all food is made fresh daily.

Tapping into the general store vibe, they have also included a produce store, selling a range of locally harvested jams, relishes and sauces, as well as some of their own produce such as marmalade, pickled onions and pasta sauce.

The renewal project is a tribute to the buildings 80-year history, and picked up the Architectural Excellence Award for Best Building Conservation (Commercial) at the 2005 South East Awards. The well preserved building offers a glimpse into the past as a typical example of the rural general stores that were once such a central hub of community life. The charming rustic building, with gable bays and verandah, and a tree-shaded deck with outdoor fireplace, provides the kind of setting that somehow seems to infuse itself with the tastes on offer.

The cellar door celebrates the local region through its food and wine, with the entire range of wines from the Elgee Park, Baillieu and Quealy vineyards available for tasting and sale, as well as local beers and ciders.

In keeping with the theme of bringing people together, Merricks General Wine Store now also hosts weddings and other private functions, and a variety of their own monthly events such as lunches with artists and evenings with jazz and blues music.

It is only fitting that Merricks General Wine Store is once again a highly popular establishment among the local community, and draws visitors from near and far. The old building with its new purpose offers a celebration of good food and wine, good company and feel-good nostalgia. What more could you ask for?

For further information, visit their website

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From meeting in Western Australia more than two decades ago – where Sue was working as a nurse and Greg in the corporate world – their journey to Green Olive at Red Hill required much patience and hard work. But it has been no less fruitful than their olive trees, cultivated by a passion for good food and fresh, local produce, built on a philosophy of the quality and virtue of sustainable farming.  After travelling together and working in Europe, the couple moved to inner-Melbourne and dreamt of building a business around their love of food and travel experience. One day, while passing through Red Hill to visit Sue’s parents, they spotted a piece of land in Red Hill that was for sale. They promptly hopped out of their car, jumped the fence and envisaged their dream, seeing through the sea of cows.

Their first venture into the culinary world, and the first incarnation of Green Olive, was a café in the main street of Sorrento that opened in the thick of peak season, in December 2003. Sue admits that they “had never done food in our lives,” but had “eaten a lot of it”. Be it an entrepreneurial knack, or simply a strident belief in doing what they loved, the café thrived, serving 150 breakfasts, and as many lunches, each day. They also sold around 350 coffees daily – surely a solid measure of a quality café – despite having no professional experience making coffee.

Back on the Red Hill property at around the same time, and inspired by their time in Europe, Sue and Greg planted an olive grove, unsure of how well they would grow in the area, but willing to take a chance.  In 2008, after several years hard work in setting up and establishing the successful business, including many long days and nights, while raising two young children, Sue and Greg sold the Sorrento café.  Their initial idea for accommodation on the property had been caught up in council processes, so the café’s brand shifted to the farm, and Green Olive at Red Hill was born.

Through the farm they have continued to build the Green Olive at Red Hill brand and reputation for quality produce including lamb, relish, chutneys, jams and marmalades; dukkah and salts; bread; wine (Kelpie Bridge, in honour of the farm kelpies); and, of course, olives. Much of the cooking is done in a woodfire oven, adding yet another touch of earthy, natural quality to the food.  Broadening the food experience on offer at Green Olive, they also run three food courses – ‘Sausage Making’; ‘Olives, Olive Oil and Pasta’; and the on-demand ‘Coffee Lovers’.

However, the food is just the final result, with family and a love of the land important ingredients in Sue and Greg’s passion for the business.

Their children, Sam and Sophie, and Sue’s parents are all involved. The kids help out on the farm and love to cook – buy one of Green Olive’s tarts and you might be sampling the treats of a budding ‘masterchef’.

Their focus on sustainable farming has helped to establish Green Olive at Red Hill as a place synonymous not only with high quality foods, but also a leader in sustainable practice. The couple keeps the process as natural and local as possible. Onsite they grow olives, grapes, herbs and veggies, roast coffee beans, bake bread, raise sheep, chooks and fish and produce fine food using their own and local farmers’ harvests.

Their efforts have been recognised through ‘best bites’ awards in all five categories: energy and water, recycling of waste, nutrition and allergens, tobacco and alcohol, and access for disability.

Green Olive is Sue and Greg’s life, but they love what they do, and sharing it with family, the community and visitors to the Mornington Peninsula. Despite the time and effort required to put into the business, Greg is also a big campaigner for the region, and sits on the Mornington Peninsula Tourism Board.  Urban Melbournians can enjoy food from Green Olive at a pop up shop at either Chadstone or Westfield Doncaster each Christmas, but for the full farm experience, best head to Red Hill!

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Bless, bless, bless Vanessa Johnson, who, with her husband Joel has seized the opportunity to bring a country market to her home in Balnarring.  Vanessa and Joel have lived on the Peninsula for pretty much their whole lives and adore the diverse and unique offerings of craft and food this beautiful region has to offer, their families all live here. The market is happening because of their intense love for the region and their desire to promote it. Vanessa has a background in graphic design having trained as an Art Director at RMIT, while Joel is a physiotherapist with his own local practice. When they moved to Somers, one of their favourite weekend activities was hitting up the Balnarring Racecourse Market.

Vanessa is hugely involved with fundraising for Somers Pre School and organised the Somers Winter Market over the past couple of years. An idea was born when she realised there was room for one more market – one that truly celebrated what the Peninsula had to offer – amazing produce, incredibly talented artists and designers, artisan food and outstanding local wines – and the idea of Emu Plains Market was sparked. Vanessa and Joel believe that a local community needs somewhere to buy directly from local growers and artisans.

There will be over 140 stallholders including That Little Shop pop up shop, Succulence, Pop & Boo, Bobishi, Itchy Bird, Artatak, Belle and Jay, Barefoot Body Balms, Izzy’s Closet, Maisee Dee, Milly and Mack, Ninotchka Designs, Ockerish, Little Wise Owl, Miss Penelope, Keep Resin, Arrow Divine and Mabel & George. Vanessa’s favorite vintage stallholders include Twice Baked and Retrospective. Click here for a full list of current stallholders.

Emu Plains Market is for the whole family, with some incredible activities for kids. Vanessa and Joel have two small children and they are going to love the jumping castles, pony rides, face painting, train rides and fantastic kids’ playground in the heart of the market. As well as activities, there will be live music from resident musicians Whisky Gypsy.  Food is going to be huge at the market, with stallholders including Gidget’s Beach Cantina, Mushiki Dumplings, Harry Hoo’s, Saucepan in the Stars pop up restaurant, Franklin Coffee, Gino’s Pizza Shack, The Flying Calamari Bros, fresh baked Taste Matters scones, Red Hill Roast Coffee, Gary’s Poffertjes, Golzeme Queen, Lekker Lekker Dutch Donuts, Handmade Icy Pops, Bretzil Biz and new cupcake provider Two Parts Sugar Cupcakes (we highly recommend the caramel cheesecake cupcakes!!!).

For take-home goodness there is Amy’s Macarons, Miss Teas’e organic teas, Nentis Estate fresh veggies, Cotton Tree Fairy Floss, Creative Hunger, Flinders Sourdough, Main Ridge Dairy, Olivetto Olive Oil, Hot Choccy, French Island Olives, Elgee Park Wines, Mrs Nicks Wines, Crumbles Muesli, Bakery Made, Bass & Flinders distillery, Girrahween Family Farm Eggs, Twins Pantry nuts, Tanglewood Herbs and just in time for Christmas – you can pick up your puddings from Grandmas puddings.

Markets are important in keeping the identity of regions intact and strong. People enjoy buying food and goods directly from the seller. Vanessa believes this is vital in Balnarring and the surrounding Peninsula districts.  People want to know where their food, produce and craft is made and that it supports the local community. Buying directly from the seller and producer is a perfect way to reduce any unnecessary carbon emissions through transport, packaging and retailing. Vanessa and Joel are harnessing a lot of goodwill and encouragement from the local community – word of mouth is the best way to promote an endeavour like this one and we are sure it will continue to grow.

Vanessa and Joel don’t have a lot of time for anything else. In their spare time they explore the markets and often go on the hunt for treasures at the many fantastic op shops on the Peninsula. Stopping in for a delicious bite to eat at the Somers General Store in Somers, Two Sams in Balnarring, The Piazza at Montalto, or Dee’s Kitchen in Dromana also rates very highly. They love the many festivals – from The Winter Wine Festival to the Montalto Olive Festival, Between the Bays and The Somers Arts Fair.  If you’re looking for the family they’re usually in one of the many parks playing with the kids or at the beach enjoying all this amazing region has to offer. For more information visit their absolutely cracking website emuplainsmarket.com.au

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Recently constructed to impressive proportions, the contemporary homestead with an expansive wraparound verandah and alfresco-living zone includes 2 living areas and an epicurean kitchen with stone benchtops and generous butler’s pantry your guests will admire.

Beyond double doors, the expansive hallway branches off to 4 large bedrooms plus study, a spacious family bathroom and full ensuite with soaker tub in the master, while hardwood timber floors, soaring 10ft high ceilings, 2 gas log fireplaces, split-system air conditioner and ducted vacuuming deliver plenty of comfort and quality throughout the home.

Meticulously laid out within a tree lined perimeter the property features 23 paddocks with electric fencing, 22.5x12m multipurpose shed (currently housing 4 stables, shower/toilet and kitchenette facilities), 24 x 12m machinery shed, 10 loose boxes, a round yard, 800m riding track, arena, hayshed, washdown bay and lockable storage area.  The immaculate establishment is ideal for a broad range of lifestyle farming pursuits, agistment or to simply soak up the country-meets-coast lifestyle.

Among the inclusions are a fully insulated 4-car garage-come-mancave with wood heater, a chicken coop, fruit orchard, veggie garden, 100K+ litres of tank water storage – and so much more!

Capturing the best of Peninsula living, the dream lifestyle property is ideally positioned between the serenity of seaside Somers and all the amenities of the Balnarring village.  Travel to these destinations by car in minutes, by bus at the local bus stop situated 500m away or take a leisurely stroll or cycle on the dedicated pathway.

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A place of perfect peace and harmony set on 51 acres of rolling green pastures atop the Mornington Peninsula’s Arthurs Seat, this pastoral paradise with an architect-designed seven-bedroom, 4.5 bathroom home with swimming pool and grand-slam tennis court brings resort-style luxury to the country.

Right in the very heart of wine country and surrounded by endless beaches and golf courses and just over an hour to Melbourne, this rare offering showcases a lifestyle opportunity that’s nothing short of spectacular – perfect for horse lovers, hobby farmers or those simply yearning for their own slice of serenity.

Within a commutable distance to the CBD and backdropped by picturesque green acres, the two-storey designer residence boasts three stunning living areas, a formal dining zone and an epicurean kitchen with vast stone island bench, all-Miele appliances, dual ovens and induction stove, while the indoor swimming pool, home gym and expansive alfresco deck gazing out over the mod-grass tennis court depicts the family dream by anyone’s standards.

Complete with a self-contained office/studio, strapper’s cottage with bathroom and kitchenette, equine and dressage arenas, stables, round yard, machinery shed, spring-fed ornamental dam and abundant room for home-grown veggies, fruit trees, chooks and ponies, the ultimate country escape awaits.

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305 MUSK CREEK ROAD, FLINDERS

Mastering a striking synergy between rural serenity and contemporary comfort, the quintessential country escape awaits in this five-bedroom home with tennis court on 10 acres, backdropped by rolling green hills and Western Port views beyond the treetops.

Less than 10-minutes’ drive to beaches, golf courses and Flinders town centre, the location is loaded with lifestyle appeal, while the generous parcel spilling down to Musk Creek is suitable for any number of hobby farming pursuits or simply soaking up the bliss with ample room for chooks, veggie gardens and even a pony or two.

Newly refurbished and set to impress, the two-storey residence features three spacious and light-filled living and dining areas flanking a new kitchen, while downstairs another lounge with a folding concertina wall would make a sensational rumpus area for the kids on the same level as the junior bedrooms and family bathroom.

Tall windows and skylights draw in the ever-green landscape and fresh natural light throughout the home igniting an instant calm for relaxed daily living, while a choice of alfresco decks provide plenty of space for the biggest of parties – with nary a neighbour in sight.

An enormous master bedroom gazes out across the hills and offers a two-way ensuite connecting with the second upstairs bedroom, which is perfect for overnight guests, a baby’s nursery or home office.

Freshly painted and carpeted, “Minyaka” also includes an open fireplace, ducted heating, split-system, dishwasher, powder room, garden gazebo and powered workshop, providing the perfect package for tree-changers.

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The cottage offers ample space with indoor and outdoor lounging areas, is light and airy and is dressed to impress with its classic contemporary charm – best of all is situated on a quiet country lane and away from any traffic. Everything is at your fingertips – beautiful beaches, wineries, walks, markets, restaurants – there is so much to enjoy. Their neighbours, Merricks General Wine Store & Stonier Wines are only a 2-minute walk down the lane and another bonus is that pampered pooches are welcome.

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