- Duration
- 1 day, ~230 km by car (≈ 8 h 50 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- Everyone
- Transport
- drive
- Start
- Brighton bathing boxes
- Finish
- Peninsula Hot Springs
- Pace
- moderate pace
- Best time
- Weekdays are quieter; a sunset soak at the springs is a treat: especially in winter
- Budget per adult
- ≈A$97–127 per adult: gondola return A$36.50 + hot springs A$60–90; the bathing boxes and lighthouse grounds are freePrices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Go by car. The peninsula is a driving day.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Brighton bathing boxes~45 min at the stop
A rank of brightly painted Victorian bathing boxes on Dendy Street Beach. Melbourne's most photographed sand.
Worth knowing: The boxes have stood on Dendy Street beach since the 19th century, when sea bathing needed a private changing hut. They are still privately leased.
Tip: Morning sun hits the box fronts straight on: the best light for photos.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 55 min · 62 km
2. Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola~1 h 30 min at the stop
Gondolas glide over the forest to the Arthurs Seat summit: all of Port Phillip Bay spreads out below, Melbourne on the horizon.
Tip: Return family ticket A$97 (2 adults, 2 kids). Under-4s ride free but still need a gondola ticket.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 25 min · 24 km
3. Sorrento village lunch~1 h 15 min at the stop
A limestone seaside village. Site of Victoria's first European settlement (1803) and the peninsula's best lunch stop.
Tip: Book a table in summer. The town fills when the ferry comes in.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 30 min · 28 km
4. Cape Schanck Lighthouse (1859)~45 min at the stop
An 1859 limestone lighthouse at the peninsula's southern tip; a boardwalk drops to the basalt point and the churning Bass Strait.
Tip: The boardwalk is windy even in summer. Bring a shell jacket.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 15 min · 14 km
5. Peninsula Hot Springs~2 h 30 min at the stop
Geothermal pools across the hills: a cave pool, amphitheatre, bathing gully, hammam and saunas, topped by the Hilltop Pool with 360° peninsula views. The Bath House is open to all ages.
Tip: Price: Bath House A$60–90. Book ahead: earlybird and twilight sessions are cheaper.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.