Baillieu Vineyard, Merricks - the cellar door the Peninsula wine crowd mentions in lowered voices. Not a secret, just genuinely under-visited, and every bit the better for it.
The Chardonnay here earns its place in a conversation that usually starts with Moorooduc and Ocean Eight. It opens quietly, the way a wine should, stone fruit and textured acidity rather than anything that announces itself on entry. Spring is when the vine walk out back comes into its own - new canopy, dappled light through the rows, and nobody else on the property on a weekday morning. The tasting room moves at the winemakers’ pace, not the visitors’. That is exactly what Merricks offers and Red Hill’s busier ridge cannot.
Book a tasting, not just a drop-in. Give yourself ninety minutes minimum. The wines open up in the glass and the conversation is worth having.
Thompsons Lane, Merricks. Bookings essential via the website. Pair with a late lunch at Merricks General Wine Store, five minutes down the road.
Cape Schanck Coastal Track - the cliffs are as good right now as they get all year.
The loop from the lighthouse reserve to Bushrangers Bay runs roughly 7 km return. In October, the cliff-edge scrub is carrying its spring show: guinea flowers, correa, and coastal wattle still going along the exposed headland sections. The track drops to a rocky bay platform mid-loop, the Southern Ocean running hard against the basalt. Arrive before 9am on Saturday or Sunday and you will have the exposed sections to yourself. By 11am the carpark fills. Wear closed shoes - the boardwalk beyond the lighthouse is in good condition but the bay descent is loose in places.
Parks Victoria entry applies to the lighthouse reserve. The full loop takes two to two-and-a-half hours at a walking pace.
Trailhead at Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve, Tara Road, Cape Schanck. No booking. Combine with a coffee stop in Flinders on the way back.
Main Street Mornington Festival, Sunday 18 October - a free street event worth actually attending.
Main Street shuts to traffic from 11am to 5pm and the town turns itself into a market-and-performance strip for the afternoon. This is a proper community event, not a tourism product: stall holders are local producers and makers, the food runs to things you can eat walking, and the crowd is mostly Peninsula residents rather than day-trippers. Go between noon and 2pm for full energy; arrive after 4pm for the tail-end bargains from the produce stalls.
Parking fills fast along the esplanade. Use the Main Street carpark off Tanti Avenue and walk in from there.
Main Street, Mornington. Sunday 18 October, 11am–5pm. Free entry, no booking. Pair with a visit to the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery on Dunns Road - the National Works on Paper exhibition runs until 22 November.
This weekend at a glance
| Venue / Event | Address | Practical | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine | Baillieu Vineyard | Thompsons Lane, Merricks | Book a tasting via website; allow 90 min |
| Walk | Cape Schanck Coastal Track | Tara Road, Cape Schanck | 7 km return; Parks Vic entry fee; go before 9am weekends |
| Festival | Main Street Mornington Festival | Main Street, Mornington | Sunday 18 Oct, 11am–5pm; free; no booking |
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Questions readers actually ask
FAQ
When is Baillieu Vineyard cellar door open?
Baillieu Vineyard is on Thompsons Lane, Merricks. Hours vary seasonally - check the website before visiting and book a tasting in advance. Allow 90 minutes.
Where does the Cape Schanck coastal track start?
The main trailhead is at Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve, Tara Road, Cape Schanck. A Parks Victoria entry fee applies to the reserve. The loop to Bushrangers Bay and back runs approximately 7 km. Go early on weekends.
What is the Main Street Mornington Festival?
The Main Street Mornington Festival runs Sunday 18 October 2026, 11am–5pm along Main Street, Mornington. Entry is free. No booking required.
