A short selection
Insider Picks
Places and experiences worth a closer look
Insider Picks is a short selection of places, experiences and discoveries, with a reason for each recommendation. A new edition appears when a fresh selection is ready. Each carries its publication date; check venue hours and booking details before making plans.
Recent selections
- Georgie Bass, the Olivers Hill loop, and Commonfolk's Sunday roast ritual - Flinders' all-day breakfast kitchen at spring pace, the Olivers Hill clifftop loop above Port Phillip, and Commonfolk Coffee's single-origin filter bar before the weekend crowd arrives.
- Moke Dining in Flinders, the Bushrangers Bay boardwalk, and the Hill & Ridge Market - Michael Cole's five-course set menu in Flinders, the Bushrangers Bay boardwalk track at spring peak, and the Hill & Ridge Community Market at Red Hill Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
- Red Hill Brewery's hop garden, the spring wildflower window on Arthurs Seat, and Peninsula Hot Springs Sunday Sessions - Red Hill Brewery pours from its own estate hop garden, Arthurs Seat's Seawinds Garden hits peak spring bloom, and Peninsula Hot Springs launches its Sunday Sessions series in Fingal.
- Rye Hotel's beer garden, the Cape Schanck clifftop, and National Works on Paper at MPRG - A sprawling foreshore pub hits its spring stride, Cape Schanck's clifftop track opens up in the wildflower window, and Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery's National Works on Paper runs until 22 November.
- The Red Hill Baker in Balnarring, the Greens Bush orchid flush, and the Hill & Ridge Market - Artisan bread in Balnarring, spider orchids along the Greens Bush track, and Saturday's Hill & Ridge Community Market at Red Hill Recreation Reserve.
- Foxeys Hangout, the Bushrangers Bay cliff path, and Arj Barker at The Conti - Foxeys Hangout's biodynamic sparkling flight in the spring sun, the Bushrangers Bay cliff path at its wildflower peak, and Arj Barker live at Barlow on Wednesday night.
- Dromana Hotel deck, wildflower heathland at Greens Bush, and the Dromana Community Market - The Dromana Hotel's bay-view deck in first-spring warmth, the spider orchids peaking along Greens Bush, and Saturday's Dromana Community Market before the crowds.
- Main Ridge Dairy, Seawinds Gardens, and Pt. Leo's sculpture park - Build a spring day around Main Ridge Dairy's goat cheeses, the short paths at Seawinds Gardens, and sculpture at Pt. Leo Estate.
- Jetty Road's spring seasonals, the Western Port wildflower heathlands, and NWOP at MPRG - Jetty Road Brewery's rotating spring taps in Dromana, the heathland wildflower bloom along the Coolart Wetlands boardwalk, and National Works on Paper 2026 at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery before November.
- Portsea Hotel's beer garden, the Point Nepean orchid flush, and Red Hill Truffles' last hunts - The Portsea Hotel deck in first-spring warmth, the native orchids peaking along Point Nepean's Number 2 Rifle Range track, and the final truffle hunts of the season at Red Hill Truffles in Main Ridge.
- Kerri Greens in spring, the Olivers Hill bluff walk, and VIRAL Food Festival this weekend - Kerri Greens' single-vineyard Pinot at the Merricks cellar door, the Olivers Hill coastal bluff at peak wildflower, and VIRAL Food Festival at Mornington Racecourse from Friday.
- Insider Picks: 16 September 2026 - Barragunda Dining's spring farm menu at Cape Schanck, the clifftop wildflower walk from Bushrangers Bay to Cape Schanck, and the National Works on Paper 2026 exhibition at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery.
Planning a particular weekend?
Peninsula This Weekend is the dated weekend edit. Use the What's On calendar to choose other dates and browse events.
Go deeper
The Journal is our library of guides and stories. The Insider Note is one occasional email with selected recommendations and reading, sent when there is something worth knowing.
How Picks are made
Picks are editor-selected, grounded in research and local information. Coverage is not bought or traded.