Our annual girl’s weekend this year was at Mornington Peninsular, a not too long a drive south of Melbourne, along Port Philip Bay.
We stayed at the holiday house of one of my friends at Mt Martha, a rambling old house set high on the hill with magnificent views over False Bay and the shipping channels leading into Melbourne’s docks.
But I get ahead of myself. First stop was lunch at the McClelland Sculpture Park, 4kms east of Frankston at Langarrin. The Park is a wonderful maze of walks through the bush with sculptures tucked around each bend in a path. Visitors are encouraged to touch, feel, climb on and explore the sculptures, and we indulge accordingly.
Next morning we walk Cape Schanck’s lighthouse reserve, a wild part of coastline to the south west of the Peninsula. Then it’s lunch at Montalto’s Vineyard, with delicious gourmet pizzas and local pinot. And yet more sculptures in their extensive garden.
After that several other vineyards (without sculptures but with many fine wines), and luckily I’m not driving so I can taste all there is on offer between sitting in my friend’s convertible with the seat heaters on and cruising down tree-lined lanes.
Next day it’s Point Nepean; walking to all the world war fortifications and looking across the Bay at the lighthouse on the other side. I look at the beach where Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared in 1967. It’s wild and I can only imagine that he must really have wanted to disappear permanently.
After a long walk along the coast it’s lunch at the Portsea Pub overlooking the bay with the winter sun shining in on our faces.
Another wonderful girl’s weekend – full of laughter, exercise and possibly a bit too much wine!
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