DRINK - Foxeys Hangout, Red Hill
The deck at Foxeys faces north and catches the first real spring warmth before most of the Peninsula knows the season has turned. This weekend is the right moment to be sitting on it. Chris Strickland’s sparkling wines are the thing to start with: order the sparkling flight before you commit to a full bottle. The biodynamic program has been building something coherent across these wines for years, and tasting them side by side on a September morning is the clearest way to see it. The Blanc de Blancs in the current release is particularly taut right now, a good sign for where it goes over the next twelve months. The cellar door is unpretentious, the team pours without theatre, and the wine is worth the drive on its own terms. Allow ninety minutes minimum. Walk-ins are usually fine mid-morning, but book a deck table if you want to guarantee the outside spot - check foxeys.com.au.
Pair the visit with a detour to Eldridge Estate on the same road for a single-clone Pinot comparison.
WALK - Bushrangers Bay Track, Cape Schanck
The wattle on the Bushrangers Bay Track is at full bloom in the first two weeks of September. That is the specific reason to go this weekend rather than in a fortnight, when the yellow has already gone green and the coast wind picks up. The track leaves from the Cape Schanck Lighthouse car park and drops through scrub and coastal tea-tree to the bay: 5 km return, around ninety minutes at a relaxed pace. The section between the boardwalk junction and the final descent to the beach is where the wattle is thickest. The basalt platform at Bushrangers Bay itself is exposed at lower tides, worth timing if you can. Go early - by ten on a clear Saturday the car park fills. No booking required. Parks Victoria parking fees apply at the Cape Schanck car park off Boneo Road.
One practical note: the track is uneven in the last 400 metres to the beach; closed-toe shoes, not sandals.
DISCOVERY - Hill & Ridge Community Market Spring Restart, Red Hill
The Hill & Ridge Market at Red Hill Recreation Reserve takes a winter break and the 5 September edition is its spring restart, which matters because the producer lineup is not static. The first market of a new season reliably brings back stallholders who sat out the cold months: small-batch preserves, cut flowers from the ridge farms, and the bread and cheese producers who do not bother with the larger Peninsula markets. The market runs 9 am to 2 pm, entry is free, and it is genuinely local in a way that the more trafficked Mornington and Dromana markets have outgrown. The Recreation Reserve is on Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill. Arrive before ten if you want the bread before it sells. No booking, no entry fee - just show up.
Pair the morning with a post-market stop at Avani Wines, a short drive up the ridge, where the skin-contact white is worth asking about while spring stock is still available.
Quick Reference
| Name | Address | Key Practical Info | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRINK | Foxeys Hangout | Red Hill–Shoreham Road, Red Hill | Weekends + public holidays; book a deck table at foxeys.com.au |
| WALK | Bushrangers Bay Track | Cape Schanck Lighthouse car park, Boneo Road, Cape Schanck | 5 km return, ~90 min; Parks Vic parking fees apply; no booking |
| DISCOVERY | Hill & Ridge Community Market | Red Hill Recreation Reserve, Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill | Saturday 5 September, 9 am–2 pm; free entry; no booking |
Questions readers actually ask
FAQ
When does Foxeys Hangout cellar door open and do I need to book?
Foxeys Hangout on Red Hill–Shoreham Road is open weekends and most public holidays. Walk-ins are often fine mid-morning, but a booking secures a deck table in spring when the first sunny Saturdays bring a crowd. Check foxeys.com.au for current hours and to reserve.
Where does the Bushrangers Bay Track start and how long is it?
The track starts at the Cape Schanck Lighthouse car park off Boneo Road, Cape Schanck. The out-and-back to Bushrangers Bay is roughly 5 km return and takes around 1.5–2 hours at a comfortable pace. No booking required; Parks Victoria parking fees apply at the car park.
What time does the Hill & Ridge Community Market run on 5 September?
The Hill & Ridge Market runs 9 am–2 pm at Red Hill Recreation Reserve on Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill. Entry is free. The September date is the season restart after the winter break.