Soak, Relax, Repeat

At the heart of the Peninsula’s wellbeing scene are its renowned geothermal springs. A visit to Peninsula Hot Springs is almost a rite of passage. Nestled among rolling dunes, this award-winning wellness destination offers over 70 globally inspired bathing experiences.

Slip into naturally heated mineral pools, ranging from tranquil hillside baths with sweeping views to intimate cave-like spaces perfect for quiet reflection. The waters, rich in minerals, are known for easing muscle tension and promoting deep relaxation — ideal after a busy week in the city.

For those seeking a more elevated experience, the Spa Dreaming Centre offers private bathing, luxurious treatments, and serene spaces reserved for adults. It’s the kind of place where time seems to pause, allowing you to fully switch off.

A New Era of Wellness

For a contemporary take on relaxation, discover Aurora Spa and Bathhouse. This modern wellness sanctuary blends sleek design with immersive experiences, creating a space that feels both grounding and indulgent.

Aurora’s bathing rituals are thoughtfully curated, combining geothermal pools, steam rooms, and saunas to guide you through a journey of hot and cold therapy. It’s not just about relaxation — it’s about rejuvenation, circulation, and restoring balance.

Your Perfect Reset

Whether you’re planning a weekend escape or a longer retreat, the Mornington Peninsula offers something increasingly rare — space to slow down. Here, wellness isn’t rushed or complicated. It’s as simple as soaking in warm mineral waters, breathing in fresh coastal air, and allowing yourself the time to truly unwind.

You’ll arrive feeling like you need a break — and leave wondering why you didn’t come sooner.

The post Slow Down and Reconnect appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

Join Ruth Woods, author of Finding Form with Fibre, for a hands-on workshop focused on making coiled baskets using plant fibres gathered from the garden.

In this 2.5-hour session, Ruth will guide you through identifying suitable plants, sourcing and preparing them for use, and creating your own natural, plant-based basket using the coiling technique. Participants will also receive a detailed plant list to support their ongoing exploration of locally available fibres

This relaxed and creative workshop celebrates simple materials, sustainable making, and the beauty of working with what’s already around us.

The post Baskets from the Garden at Heronswood appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

Ever feel like you don’t want the weekend to end? Begin your afternoon by soaking in the hot springs, before making your way to the Bath House Café, where gentle acoustic sounds by Harper Bloom set the scene for a serene Sunday afternoon.

From 12pm each week, talented local musicians bring the Bath House Café space to life, offering soothing sounds to accompany nourishing food, fresh juices, or a light seasonal bite. Whether you’re sinking into a peaceful moment after bathing or gathering with friends to savour the final hours of the weekend, Sunday Sessions invite you to pause, refresh, and embrace the week ahead with renewed energy.

Complimentary with bathing.

Weather conditions may impact this experience.

The post Sunday Sessions with Harper Bloom at Peninsula Hot Springs appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

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

The post Free face painting at Arthurs Seat Eagle appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

Discover the timeless art of traditional soap making in a truly special, hands-on workshop at our beautiful Rosebud factory on the Mornington Peninsula, guided by Jude Steele, founder of Olieve & Olie.

First launched in 2010, these much-loved workshops quickly built a devoted following. When COVID forced us to pause, the requests never stopped. And now, we’re absolutely delighted to finally bring them back! The response in the past has been incredible, with participants raving about the experience and many still asking when they could return to the soap room.

This immersive, small-group workshop will give you the confidence and knowledge to make your own traditional olive oil soap at home. You’ll learn about ingredients, equipment, sourcing tips, and receive comprehensive course notes and tried-and-tested recipes to take home, empowering you to continue your soap-making journey long after the day ends.

Everything is thoughtfully provided: all equipment, premium ingredients, protective clothing, detailed notes, plus a beautiful lunch and refreshments to enjoy. You’ll head home with the gorgeous soap you’ve made on the day, along with the skills to recreate it yourself. As a special bonus, you’ll also have the opportunity to purchase products from our factory shop at a discounted rate.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or have always dreamed of learning traditional soap making, this is a rare opportunity to learn in a relaxed, inspiring environment from one of Australia’s most experienced artisan soap makers.

Participants must be 16 years or older.

The post Soap Making Workshop at Olieve & Olie appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

A masterpiece of contemporary living with soaring ceilings and polished concrete floors, the residence wows at every turn with an array of indoor and outdoor living zones united by floor-to-ceiling bifold glass doors opening to a selection of terraces.

A gourmet’s kitchen with vast stone island and stainless-steel appliances, microwave and coffee machine anchors the expansive open-concept multi-living area on the upper level, which is flanked by concertina doors off both living zones opening to a choice of alfresco-entertaining areas backdropped by the bay and countryside.

A lavish master suite with dressing room, contemporary ensuite with soaker tub and an office/retreat is flanked by box glass windows framing the bay, while downstairs a luxe games room opening to the lower terrace and generous rear lawn is complemented by a deluxe wetbar.

Footsteps to the beach and a short zip to yachting facilities, Tulum Store and the cafes, bakeries, restaurants and boutiques of Balnarring village, this exclusive home includes a full second bathroom, powder room, in-floor heating, split-system airconditioning, ducted vacuuming, water tank, double garage and plenty of room to add a swimming pool (STCA).

The post Beachside Luxury appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

Set at the end of the long tree-lined driveway only a few minutes from Balnarring village and ready for relaxed rural living, the five-bedroom home offers dream accommodation for a large family including two huge living areas, ensuites to two bedrooms and loads of storage.

A wood burner built into a stone feature wall and timber floors adorn the main living area where sliding glass doors open to the large covered alfresco deck offering sun and shelter along with sweeping views down the property.

A family room offers space for a lounge suite and billiards or table tennis table. The spacious kitchen has a stainless steel cooktop and dishwasher along with ample bench space. A frameless glass shower and freestanding bath feature in the main bathroom. Parents enjoy their own sanctuary with an ensuite and door directly onto the rear deck.

Split-system air conditioning throughout the home, low-maintenance landscaped gardens, a basketball practice area for the kids, post and rail fencing around three pony paddocks and a day yard all help paint a picture of easy rural living ready to step straight into.

Other features include an oversized double garage its own powder room. storage and washrooms and internal entry in to the home, two large bird aviaries, a second double garage and the enormous 24x9m four-bay work shed with its own bathroom.

The post Refined Country Living On 5 Acres appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

Tucked into a modern building on the first floor in Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula, this is not a salon built around mirrors and machinery. It’s built around light. Around openness. Around the idea that creativity works better when it can see the light and it submerge into its surrounds.

Rethinking the Traditional Salon

Bec Ditterich didn’t set out to replicate what already exists. After more than twenty years in the industry — working with global brands including Schwarzkopf, Wella, Aveda, Matrix and now Keune — she’d seen the standard model up close.

Rooms filled with mirrors. Stations lined like lanes. Wash basins creating divisions. Stylists working in parallel but rarely together. Clients staring at their own reflection under artificial lighting for hours. It works. But it can feel restrictive.

Bec envisioned something else. A space without those rigid separations. A studio that felt open rather than compartmentalised. One that supported collaboration between stylists and allowed clients to feel connected to the outside world instead of enclosed within four walls. That idea became Zella Hair Studio in 2023.

The Big Room & The Balcony

Zella unfolds across two distinct yet connected spaces: The Big Room and The Balcony. The Big Room is exactly that — expansive, open, filled with natural light pouring through large windows. Gum trees frame the outlook. Cockatoos pass by. Kookaburras occasionally make their presence known. The wildlife isn’t decorative — it’s part of the experience.

The Balcony offers a different rhythm and it’s there if you want to go outside and take in the elements. Elevated, airy, slightly removed. It’s where you feel almost suspended among treetops rather than sitting inside a commercial space. Depending on the day and the needs of each appointment, these spaces can operate individually or together. But the intent remains consistent: light over glare. Maritime air over enclosure. Flow over fragmentation.

Creativity Needs Room to Move

Hairdressing is equal parts science and instinct. Colour formulation is technical. Cutting is architectural. But there’s also intuition — the pause before the first snip, the assessment of tone in changing light, the consideration of how hair will sit on a real person in real life.

Natural light changes everything. It reveals depth in colour. It shows gloss honestly. It allows stylists to work with precision rather than approximation.

At Zella, the environment supports that thinking process. The openness allows collaboration. The serenity reduces distraction. The absence of harsh artificial surroundings keeps both stylist and client grounded.

It’s not about trend-chasing. It’s about considered work.

A Personal Approach

At the centre of it all is Bec. Her two decades in the industry aren’t just about brand affiliations — though being a proudly Keune Colour Concept salon does matter. Keune’s colour systems are known for delivering vibrant, long-lasting, glossy results, supported by a care and styling range that feels refined and luxurious without being overdone.

But the real value is in the consultation. Bec works closely with each client to shape their desired look — whether that’s a chic, confident cut, a lived-in blonde that grows out gracefully, or a bright blonde that reflects Peninsula sunlight.

There’s no conveyor belt feeling here. No rush. The focus is personalised service delivered in a space that feels warm, calm, and genuinely inviting.

Designed for Wellbeing

There’s something quietly powerful about not being trapped in a reflection for three hours. Zella Hair Studio was intentionally designed to soften the traditional salon experience. Air. Light. Movement outside the windows. Interior choices that feel natural rather than clinical.

For clients, that means less of the fatigue that can creep in during long appointments. For stylists, it fosters artistic comfort and sustained focus.

It’s a small architectural shift with a meaningful psychological impact.

A Studio That Reflects Its Surroundings

Balnarring is not about hustle. It’s about rhythm. It’s coastal bushland meeting community. It’s space to breathe. Zella Hair Studio mirrors that energy. Commercial in function, but nature-integrated in spirit. Professional without sterility. Elevated without pretension.

In a world where many salons chase noise and scale, this studio has chosen atmosphere and intention instead.

Because yes, you might be rooted there for hours — for vanity’s sake, of course. But when the light is good, the conversation is easy, and the environment feels expansive rather than enclosed, time moves differently.

Good hair shows. A good space stays with you. It’s why we love Zella Hair Studio.

The post Zella Hair Studio, Balnarring  appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

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!)

The post Sunday Terrace Tunes at Crittenden appeared first on Love the Peninsula.

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.

The post St Andrews Kitchen appeared first on Love the Peninsula.