Eat: Green Olive at Red Hill
Spring Sunday lunch at Green Olive follows a logic that makes sense from the first bite. The kitchen gardens are producing again after winter, and the wood oven has been running all season. The wood-fired lamb is the reason to come this week specifically - the spring shoulder is on now, and the estate olive oil that goes with it is the current harvest pressing, noticeably greener and more peppery than what you had in June.
Sit outside under the olive grove if it is above 16 degrees. The tables beneath the trees are where the property makes its full argument. Order the lamb, a plate of whatever the garden has pushed up this week, and finish with the house oil on good bread. The by-the-glass Sangiovese suits the food better than anything imported.
Book ahead for Sunday lunch - weekends are filling fast now the season has turned. Allow two hours minimum. Green Olive at Red Hill, 65 Red Hill–Shoreham Road, Red Hill.
Pair it with a walk through the grove before the meal; the morning light through the fruit trees is worth arriving early for.
Experience: Bushrangers Bay Track, Cape Schanck
The Bushrangers Bay Track is a different walk in the first week of September than it is at any other point in the year. Whipstick wattle is in full flower along the ridgeline between the lighthouse car park and the bay, and the coastal heath - matted flat by winter southerlies - is just beginning to lift. The light over the basalt platforms comes in low and sharp before midday.
The track runs 3.6km return from the Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve car park down to the beach at Bushrangers Bay. The descent through the tea-tree is steep enough to make you work, but the bay at the bottom is worth every step. Go at low tide - the rock platforms open up completely and the blowholes are active if there is any swell running. Do not attempt the beach scramble in high heels or thongs.
Allow 90 minutes return. Trailhead: Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve, Boneo Road, Cape Schanck. No booking required. Parks Victoria parking fees apply - check current rates on their website.
Pair this walk with an early lunch at Barragunda Dining; book well ahead, it is ten minutes by car from the lighthouse.
Discovery: Hill & Ridge Community Market, Season Restart
The Hill & Ridge Market returns to Red Hill Recreation Reserve this Saturday, 5 September, after its winter break. This is not the same market it was before COVID reshuffled the Peninsula calendar. The Saturday slot has been running since 2022, and the stallholder list has sharpened considerably - the best reason to arrive at 9am is the Red Hill Cheese table before the supply runs out, followed by whoever is selling the first-of-the-season bay olive oil. The baked goods stall at the north end of the reserve tends to sell out of the sourdough by 10:30.
This is the first market of the spring and summer run, which means several growers who took the winter off are back. It is worth walking the whole circuit before buying, as the best produce tends to sit at the back rather than near the entrance. Bring a canvas bag and cash as backup.
Free entry. Saturday 5 September, 9am–2pm. Red Hill Recreation Reserve, Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill. No booking required.
Pair the market with a coffee at the Red Hill kiosk and a drive along Shoreham Road to see the orchards coming into blossom.
This Week at a Glance
| Name | Location | Practical | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eat | Green Olive at Red Hill | 65 Red Hill–Shoreham Road, Red Hill | Lunch Thu–Sun; book ahead |
| Walk | Bushrangers Bay Track | Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve, Boneo Road, Cape Schanck | Open daily; 90 min return; no booking |
| Discovery | Hill & Ridge Community Market | Red Hill Recreation Reserve, Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill | Sat 5 Sep, 9am–2pm; free entry |
Questions readers actually ask
FAQ
When is Green Olive at Red Hill open, and do I need to book?
Green Olive at Red Hill operates lunch service Thursday to Sunday. Bookings are strongly recommended for spring Sundays - the outdoor grove tables fill quickly. Book via their website or call the restaurant directly.
When does the Hill & Ridge Community Market run and where exactly is it?
The Hill & Ridge Market returns Saturday 5 September 2026, 9am–2pm, at Red Hill Recreation Reserve, Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill. Entry is free. It runs monthly from September through to its summer schedule.
Is the Bushrangers Bay Track accessible from Cape Schanck in winter and early spring?
The track is open year-round but the first half of September is prime timing: whipstick wattle is flowering along the ridgeline, the coastal heath is low after winter, and offshore swell tends to be cleanest early in the week. Allow 90 minutes return. The trailhead is at Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve, Boneo Road, Cape Schanck.