The Briars - Eco Explorers Autumn Sessions
Council-run wildlife and bushland programming for families, tucked inside 230 hectares of wetlands, forest, and a working historic homestead. Free, underpublished, genuinely good.
The Briars is the Mornington Peninsula Shire's flagship bushland reserve and one of the most under-published family assets on the Peninsula. 230 hectares of wetlands, forest, and a working historic homestead that most visitors drive past on the way to the Hot Springs without stopping.
The Eco Explorers programme runs three to four times a year during school holidays - ranger-led walks for kids 4-10, typically free with booking, usually midweek mornings. For Autumn 2026 the sessions run 13-15 April, covering wetland birds, bandicoot habitat, and the reserve's regenerating forest.
Book through the council Activities page. Allow 90 minutes for the session plus an hour for the homestead and the wildlife sanctuary at the back of the reserve. Pack proper shoes - the trails are real bush, not a concrete loop.