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Introducing Mornington Peninsula National Park
The peninsula’s tip is marked by the stunning Point Nepean section of the Mornington Peninsula National Park (13 19 63; www.parkweb.vic.gov.au; Point Nepean Rd, Portsea; 9am-5pm, 9am-dusk Jan), originally a quarantine station and army base.
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Point Nepean visitor information centre (03-5984 4276; Point Nepean; adult/child/family walk or bicycle admission $8/4/18, one-way transport incl admission $11/6/26, return transport incl admission $13/8/34, bike hire per 3hr $15; 9am-6pm Jan, 9am-5pm Feb-Apr & Oct-Dec, 10am-5pm May-Sep) will give you the low-down on the park. You can walk or cycle to the point (12km return), or take the Point Explorer, a hop-on, hop-off bus service. There are plenty of trails throughout the park and at the tip is Fort Nepean, which was important in Australian defence from the 1880s to 1945.
On the southwestern coastline of the peninsula are beautiful rugged ocean beaches. It’s possible to walk all the way from Portsea to Cape Schanck along them (26km, eight hours). However, swimming is dangerous at these beaches so it’s advisable to keep to the lifeguard-patrolled areas at Gunnamatta and Portsea during summer.
Cape Schanck Lightstation (03-5988 6184; adult/child/family museum only $11/8/27, museum & lighthouse $12/10/33, parking $4; 10am-4pm), built in 1859, is a photogenic limestone lighthouse, with a kiosk, museum, information centre and regular guided tours.
Last updated: Sep 22, 2008
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