DRINK - Jetty Road Brewery, Dromana
Jetty Road’s spring seasonal taps are the reason to visit right now rather than on any other weekend. The head brewer uses the rotating list to take risks - expect a dry-hopped lager or a single-hop pale built around a new-season Australian hop variety, the kind of thing that won’t appear in cans. The taproom is the most considered fit-out of the bayside breweries: polished concrete, a generous deck that catches the afternoon north-westerly, and a kitchen running wood-fired flatbreads that hold up against the hoppier pours. Ask the bar staff what came on this week specifically. The seasonals move fast and a Friday afternoon tap can be gone by Sunday. Allow two hours minimum if you want food. No booking required for walk-ins, though the deck fills by 1pm on a warm Saturday. Pair the afternoon with a stop at Small Stone Pantry in Dromana for provisions on the way home.
Jetty Road Brewery · 12-14 Brasser Avenue, Dromana · Open daily; check jettyroad.com.au for current hours
WALK - Coolart Wetlands boardwalk, Somers
The heathland around Coolart is doing what it does for about four weeks every spring, and this is the middle of it. Spider orchids are flowering along the path edges between the car park and the boardwalk entrance. The boardwalk itself skirts the edge of a freshwater wetland where Pacific black ducks and royal spoonbills are actively nesting right now. The light is best in the first two hours after sunrise, when the mist sits over the open water and the grey teal are moving. The loop from the car park to the far hide and back takes 45 minutes at a steady pace, longer if you stop at each hide. Bring binoculars. Wear closed shoes - the gravel path is fine but the heathland sections either side are damp from recent rain. Entry is free. Pair a Coolart morning with lunch at the Balnarring Bakehouse, twelve minutes north on Bittern-Dromana Road.
Coolart Wetlands and Homestead · Lord Somers Road, Somers · Open daily, no booking required
DISCOVERY - National Works on Paper 2026, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery
NWOP is the longest-running acquisitive works-on-paper prize in Australia, and the 2026 edition runs at MPRG until 22 November. The show is worth the trip specifically because it resists easy categorisation: drawing, printmaking, gouache, and collage are all in the same room without a curatorial thesis forcing them together. This year’s finalists include several works that use relief printing in ways that read differently up close than in reproduction - the texture of the paper matters, and you cannot get that from a screen. MPRG keeps the hang tight. The gallery spaces here are well-proportioned and the show never feels crowded, even when the main gallery is full. Allow 90 minutes to do it properly. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm. Free entry. No booking required. Pair the gallery visit with coffee at Commonfolk on Main Street before or after.
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery · Civic Reserve, Dunns Road, Mornington · Tue–Sun 11am–4pm · Free entry · Runs until 22 November 2026
This weekend at a glance
| Venue | Address | Key practical note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drink | Jetty Road Brewery | 12-14 Brasser Avenue, Dromana | Open daily; ask about rotating spring taps |
| Walk | Coolart Wetlands boardwalk | Lord Somers Road, Somers | Free; 45-min loop; best light at dawn |
| Discovery | Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery | Dunns Road, Mornington | Tue–Sun 11am–4pm; free; closes 22 Nov |
Something wrong on this page, or is this your business? Tell us what to fix and you get a case reference back. corrections@peninsulainsider.com.au reaches the same desk.
Questions readers actually ask
FAQ
When is Jetty Road Brewery open, and where is it?
Jetty Road Brewery is at 12-14 Brasser Avenue, Dromana. It currently opens Monday to Wednesday 12pm-9pm, Thursday and Friday 12pm-10pm, Saturday 11am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-7pm. Check jettyroad.com.au for current hours.
Where is the Coolart Wetlands boardwalk, and how long does it take?
Coolart Wetlands and Homestead is at Lord Somers Road, Somers. The main boardwalk loop takes around 45 minutes. Open daily. No booking required. Free entry to the wetlands.
When does National Works on Paper 2026 close at MPRG?
National Works on Paper 2026 runs until 22 November 2026 at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Civic Reserve, Dunns Road, Mornington. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am–4pm. Free entry.
