Did you know Little Frock of Sheep is based in Mornington? As there will only be an online shop (apart from a pop-up shop in Melbourne for 2 weeks in September), if you are interested in the range & are coming down to the Mornington Peninsula, send me an email (suzanne@littlefrockofsheep.com) & we can tee up an in-store experience for you.Sooo.. here are 10 of my favs:
1. COMMUNITY SPIRIT
I didn’t end up taking a photo of the community spirit, but I could have. It’s everywhere, from people taking pride in their homes, or bringing your bin in if you’re away (you don’t even have to ask!), to strangers shooting you a smile or a hello as they pass you in the street. I ended up in a conversation with a lady walking her dog as I was taking the photo of the beach box reflections below, who was interested to ask if I was an artist preparing for a painting. A nice chat about this & that followed, & then we went our separate ways feeling all the better for the interaction. The people are friendly & interactive around here – it’s nice!
2. WALKING FROM A TO B
It’s pretty enjoyable walking from A to B around Mornington. There are quiet suburban streets, and many green corridors/paths to choose, such as this creek crossing on my walk today.
3. FRANK’S BAKERY
One of my favourite destinations when leaving A is Frank’s Bakery. Deeeelicious bread. My favourite loaf is the stone ground wholemeal, as they seem to have perfected the crust & body of that loaf, but they have a fantastic selection & charming staff & it’s well worth a visit in the morning when the bread is still warm. It’s just a doorway on the street, & no wider inside, so you have to keep your eyes peeled for the menu door shutters as you’re walking along Main Street.
4. THE BEACH
The beach at Mornington is fabulous: it’s not too busy, the water’s clear, & the sand’s soft & clean!
5. NICE PLACES TO CHILL OUT
There are so many nice places to take 5. This one’s on a little track joining two beaches, overlooking the harbour, but there are plenty of places along & near the foreshore that are well worth relaxing at & soaking in the scenery of. The council has been good enough to place seats & tables just where you would have wanted them to!
6. THE HARBOUR
The harbour at Mornington has a lot of activity & it’s a really nice place to be. The sailing club is popular & busy; people are often lined up along the pier fishing, which I think is delightful; and there are a couple of eateries there also. One of my favourite things to do is have a drink or a meal at The Rocks, & overlook all of the activity below.
7. THE MORNINGTON CINEMA
The Mornington Cinema has all the latest movies & also a taste of the good ol’ days – but with more comfortable seats. The cinema is run by a lovely couple who may well make your night before you even sit down! It has a real small town feel to it.
8. THE BLACKBIRD CAFE
My fav cafe in town is the Blackbird Cafe. Their coffee is a bit hit & miss for my tastes (luckily more hit than miss), but their food is consistently delicious & hearty, made from real, fresh food.
9. THE CLIFFTOP / BEACH WALK
The clifftop walk might come in as my absolute fav. One reason may be that it takes me to the beach, but other reasons include the lovely views across to Mornington, Melbourne, & Mt Eliza; you can watch people fish & kayak & sail as you walk; & the undulation makes for a varied walk.
10. MORNINGTON GOLF COURSE
I didn’t play golf today, but have done on the Mornington course & part of my walk today was alongside. I would just like to note that there hasn’t been much leveling going on on this course, so it’s even if your drive does land on the middle of the fairway, it wont stay there for long! Luckily, this is offset by gorgeous views from some of the holes across the bay, & it really makes you feel like you’re getting away from it all.
That’s it from my walk from today! Mornington’s well worth a visit for lots of reasons. It has the Archibald Portrait Prize on exhibition at the moment. There’s a Farmer’s Market on once a month, in the park at the end of Main Street. There are plenty of walks, activities, cafes / restaurants / bars to keep you amused if you come for a visit.