A weekend in the Mornington Peninsula is an incredible experience with an antique trail to follow around Victoria’s glorious southeast – wining, dining and finding has become the road trip du jour.
Heading out along the back roads that snake across this narrow stretch of land jutting out into seas of shimmering blue, Tyabb, a sharp inhale towards the west of Mornington, is the epicentre of antiques and home to Australia’s largest antique and collectable store – The Tyabb Packing House.
This place is literally packed and you need good trawling skills to find the treasures, but if you do, this intriguing diorama of discard tells a fascinating story of the region too. Items date back to the first European Settlers in 1803, including modest tools and equipment believed to have felled the giant native She Oaks to make way for the fruit orchards that now populate the Peninsula. The Packing House is an antique in itself, paying homage to its history as an apple storage facility, and is located next door to the Tyabb Grain Store, which together formed the platform of the incredible food bowl that the Mornington Peninsula is famous for.
With seven antique stores in Tyabb alone and What’s Not Antiques and Oldwares in Rosebud and Marlene Miller Antiques in the main street of Sorrento are all well worth checking out. The search was an enjoyable journey that ducked and weaved through coastal and country villages, criss-crossing the Peninsula to end in Flinders, where another four antique shops were found along Cook Street, a sleepy little hamlet overlooking the moody waters of Western Port Bay.
Antiquing is indeed a pleasurable pastime, especially when you combine the hunt with time to meander through the stunning seaside villages fringing Port Phillip Bay. The region boasts breathtaking views and cafes serving excellent coffee and cake – particularly the Old Bank Cafe on the pier end of Mornington – and more than 50 cellar doors, offering everything from the award-winning Pinot Noir at Paringa Estate to the Gamay being nurtured at Eldridge Estate Red Hill.
The Mornington Peninsula is an easy drive of just over an hour from Melbourne. Oaks Hotels & Resorts have seven centrally-located hotels across Melbourne with buses and trains connecting to the Mornington Peninsula as well as plenty of trails, tours and operators our friendly reception staff can assist you with.
Book online at www.oakshotels.com with promo code RETIRE to get a further 10% discount or phone 13 62 57.
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