Canonical: https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/insider-picks-2026-08-01/
Publisher: Peninsula Insider
Published: 2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
Modified: 2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
Format: public main text, generated from the canonical page; imagery and interactive controls omitted.
Dates and caveats below retain their page meaning; this format is not a new fact check.

Insider Edit  1 August 2026  4 min read

# Insider Picks - 1 August 2026

St Andrews Beach Brewery's Sunday roast in the old stables, a winter low-tide walk at Bushrangers Bay, and Two Bays Brewing's gluten-free pale ale that non-coeliacs keep quietly ordering.

Keep this for later

- By **The Peninsula Insider**

Insider Picks  Winter

**St Andrews Beach Brewery, Rye - Sunday Roast in the Old Stables**

The former racehorse training stables at Sandy Track were converted into one of the Peninsula’s most complete brewery destinations, and winter is when it earns that status. The lawns are empty, the heritage timber buildings hold warmth, and the Sunday roast format - a rotating centrepiece carved tableside, with sides that vary week to week - justifies the drive from anywhere on the Peninsula.

The core beer range covers the afternoon without effort: a red ale that suits the cold, a session sour for those who want something brighter, a pale ale that holds up across multiple pints. Order a paddle first to pick your pour. The kitchen takes the food seriously in a way that not all brewery kitchens do - the roast is not an afterthought bolted onto a tasting menu.

Book the Sunday roast ahead; it fills. Address: 65 Sandy Track, Rye. Allow three hours minimum.

Pair it with a slow drive back along Browns Road past the horse studs as the light drops after four.

**Bushrangers Bay, Cape Schanck - Winter Low-Tide Rock Platform**

Most people who walk to Bushrangers Bay do it in summer and get there at high tide. The rock platform south of the bay - exposed basalt columns running into the Southern Ocean - is a different experience at low tide on a grey August morning when nobody else is there.

The 5.4 km return trail starts at the eastern carpark at Cape Schanck Lighthouse. The path is sandy and narrow, with steep stairs in places. Allow about two hours plus stops, and enough daylight for the return. The unpatrolled beach has strong currents, rips, reefs and large waves; swimming is not recommended. Keep clear of wave-washed rocks and follow current Parks Victoria advice.

Check tide times before leaving - Bureau of Meteorology has the Cape Schanck station listed. No entry fee. Allow about two hours return, with extra time for stops from the car park.

Pair it with a coffee at the Cape Schanck Lighthouse kiosk before the walk if they’re open, or drive back through Fingal for a late breakfast.

**Two Bays Brewing Co, Dromana - The Pale Ale Non-Coeliacs Keep Ordering**

Two Bays is Australia’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery, which is the fact that brings people in. It is not the reason they stay for a second round. The pale ale - clean, citrus-forward, genuinely well-balanced - holds up against any gluten-containing equivalent on the Peninsula. The session IPA is the better winter choice: slightly more body, enough bitterness to make it feel like a serious beer.

The taproom on Collins Road is small and unfussy. No entertainment schedule, no lawn games, no pretence of being a destination beyond the beer and a tight food menu of pizzas, burgers, and a charcuterie board worth sharing. In winter that understatement works in its favour. There are tables, the pour is consistent, and the staff can tell you what’s currently on seasonal rotation without checking a laminated card.

Walk-ins welcome. Address: 4/3 Collins Road, Dromana. Open daily from 11am. No booking needed midweek.

Pair it with a stop at Small Stone Pantry nearby if you want to pick up something for dinner on the way home.

### This Week’s Key Details

**St Andrews Beach Brewery** 65 Sandy Track, Rye Sunday roast from midday - book ahead at standrewsbeachbrewery.com.au

**Bushrangers Bay Rock Platform** Cape Schanck car park, Cape Schanck Road Best at low tide - check BOM tide times before going. No booking.

**Two Bays Brewing Co** 4/3 Collins Road, Dromana Open daily from 11am. Walk-ins welcome. twobaysbrewing.com.au

Something wrong on this page, or is this your business? [Tell us what to fix](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/contact/?type=correction>) and you get a case reference back. corrections@peninsulainsider.com.au reaches the same desk.

Questions readers actually ask

## FAQ

When does St Andrews Beach Brewery serve their Sunday roast?

St Andrews Beach Brewery is at 65 Sandy Track, Rye. The Sunday roast runs weekly from midday. Book ahead via their website - it fills quickly in winter when the heritage stables fill up fast.

How do I get to Bushrangers Bay for the winter low-tide walk?

The Bushrangers Bay trail starts from the Cape Schanck car park off Cape Schanck Road. Allow about two hours return, with extra time for stops. Check tide times before you go - the rock platform is best at low tide. No booking needed.

Is Two Bays Brewing gluten-free for people with coeliac disease?

Yes. Two Bays Brewing Co at 4/3 Collins Road, Dromana is Australia's first dedicated gluten-free brewery. All beers on tap are gluten-free. Open daily from 11am. No booking needed for walk-ins, though weekends fill up.

Or let PI plan your day

## Where in the Peninsula is PI?

A painted Peninsula, three witnesses a stop, and the sun for a clock. Find PI before sunset and her route becomes a day you can drive.

Find her and go in the draw for $250 to dine at Doot Doot Doot, Jackalope.[Draw terms and prize details](<https://play.peninsulainsider.com.au/terms>)

[Play Case 02](<https://play.peninsulainsider.com.au/?utm_source=peninsulainsider.com.au&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=where-is-pi-case-02&utm_content=journal-inline>) Six to ten minutes. Free, no account.

Keep reading

## More from the Journal

[All stories →](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/>)

Insider Edit   7 min

### [The Sorrento Solstice Festival: A Night When the Peninsula Burns](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/sorrento-solstice-festival-2026-guide/>)

15 June 2026

The longest night of the year deserves a proper send-off. Two days on the Sorrento foreshore, a six-metre effigy on the bay, and the particular magic of a winter festival done right.

Insider Edit   10 min

### [Best Golf Courses on the Mornington Peninsula - The Tier Guide](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/best-golf-courses-mornington-peninsula/>)

14 April 2026

Not all Peninsula golf is equally useful to readers. This guide separates the destination rounds from the club names, and the public-access standouts from the private mythology.

Insider Edit   10 min

### [Best Spas on the Mornington Peninsula - The Tier Guide](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/best-spas-mornington-peninsula/>)

14 April 2026

The Mornington Peninsula is Australia's most serious wellness destination. This is the tier-ranked guide to hot springs, resort spas, and day spas - which to book, and for which kind of day.

Insider Edit   7 min

### [The Peninsula Pub Guide: Five Hotels That Still Know What a Pub Is For](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/the-pub-guide/>)

10 April 2026

Not a gastropub ranking. Not a beer list. A guide to the five Peninsula pubs that still operate as the social centre of a town, where the food is good, the beer is cold, the rooms are clean, and nobody is trying to be anything else.

Insider Edit   7 min

### [The Seafood List: Where the Fish Comes Off the Boat and Onto the Plate](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/the-seafood-list/>)

10 April 2026

The Peninsula is a wine region that happens to be surrounded by water. The seafood story is quieter than the pinot story, but it is arguably the more honest one - and the best of it is very, very good.

Insider Edit   7 min

### [The Sunset Drink: Where to Watch the Light Drop on the Peninsula](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/the-sunset-drink/>)

10 April 2026

The bay side goes gold at about five. The ocean side goes pink at about half past. You need a glass in your hand for both versions, and these are the seven places that understand the assignment.

## The Insider Note

The Peninsula worth knowing. An occasional email. What's on, where we'd go and what's worth knowing next.

Independent editorial. Sent when there is something worth knowing.

Unsubscribe any time  [Privacy](<https://peninsulainsider.com.au/privacy/>)
