The best walks on the Mornington Peninsula

The peninsula is easy to get around by car, but on foot it opens right up. Within a short drive of most of our homes you can climb a bushland ridge for a view across the whole bay, follow an old railway line through farmland, or walk out to the forts at the tip of the peninsula, where the bay meets Bass Strait.

Two things to know before you lace up. Dogs aren't allowed in Arthurs Seat State Park, Mornington Peninsula National Park or Point Nepean National Park, so check the rules before bringing yours. And carry water: there are no taps along the longer trails.

Arthurs Seat Summit Circuit

The short walk with the big view. The 1.8 km loop starts at Seawinds Gardens and takes about an hour, past lookouts, the Matthew Flinders cairn and the William Ricketts sculptures. From the 314-metre summit on a clear day you can see the Melbourne skyline, the You Yangs and Mount Macedon. Parks Victoria calls it a great short walk for most visitors, though the track is moderately difficult in places, with some steps.

Bring a picnic: Seawinds has a picnic area with a playground, toilets and electric barbecues. Or finish with a coffee at the Eagle Cafe at the summit station of the Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola.

Two Bays Walking Trail

The big one. Two Bays runs 26 km from the Dromana foreshore on Port Phillip to Cape Schanck on Bass Strait, climbing over Arthurs Seat and through the bushland of Greens Bush before it meets the ocean at the end. Parks Victoria allows 8 to 10 hours one way. It's a popular two-day hike, or you can walk it a section at a time.

• Start: the Dromana foreshore on Point Nepean Road, up the stepped track to Latrobe Parade. The climb to the Arthurs Seat summit is the hardest part of the whole trail.
• Finish: the car park at Cape Schanck, beside the lighthouse reserve.
• Way-finding: follow the Blue Wren markers.
• Staying overnight: Lightwood Creek Camping Area has five walk-in sites, no bookings and a two-night limit. Parks Victoria suggests calling 13 1963 to check there's room.
• Water: there are no taps on the trail, so carry all you need.

Near the end, a detour down about 100 metres of stairs reaches Bushrangers Bay. It's a beautiful, wild beach, unpatrolled and not for swimming.

Point Nepean National Park

Walk to the very end of the peninsula, where forts and gun emplacements built to guard the bay still look out over the water. The tracks wind through Moonah woodland, with views across Bass Strait, from the old Quarantine Station to Fort Nepean by Coles Track or Defence Road. Visit Mornington Peninsula lists a 12 km circuit through the park that takes about four and a half hours.

Before you go, check Parks Victoria's alerts. As of October 2026, part of the Engine House walking track is closed after a landslip, and the steps down to The Bend beach are closed after storm damage, so walkers heading for Fort Nepean along the bay use Coles Track from Observatory Point instead. There's no drinking water past the Quarantine Station.

Red Hill Rail Trail

An easy-going country walk along an old railway line between Red Hill South and Merricks, about 6.5 km each way. It's unsealed and shared with cyclists and horse riders, and dogs on a lead are welcome. Look out over Western Port to Phillip Island and the Nobbies as you go.

From Merricks the trail climbs steadily for about 2 km, so start at the Red Hill end for a downhill walk. There's parking at both ends, and Merricks Store at the bottom for lunch. The Shire calls it the Merricks Trail, so you'll see both names on signs.