The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Port Phillip Bay Coastal Reserve (Com)

Northern Lookout sits within Seawinds Gardens, slightly below Bay Lookout, with open views across Port Phillip Bay towards the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas. It’s a quieter stop on the Arthurs Seat summit circuit, reached by a short connecting path through the gardens rather than a long climb. The lookout works well as a pause between the Bay Lookout, William Ricketts sculptures, and the wider summit walking loop.

Matthew Flinders Cairn marks the spot where Flinders is said to have climbed Arthurs Seat in 1802, leaving a paper record of his ship in a small pile of stones at the summit. The cairn now sits just below Chapman’s Point on the Arthurs Seat Summit Circuit, with wide views across Port Phillip Bay and the Mornington Peninsula. It’s a good short stop for both the lookout and the bit of early exploration history tied to the summit.

Observatory Point Beach is a sheltered bay-side spot with calm waters and beautiful views across Port Phillip. Just a few steps from the track, the beach is a peaceful contrast to the rugged ocean coastline elsewhere in the park. Looking across the bay, you can often see boats passing through the Heads as you enjoy this stretch of shoreline.

From this clifftop viewing area, you get a fantastic view of the limestone rock formation known as London Bridge, shaped over time by wind and powerful ocean swells. You can see across Bass Strait and the rugged coastline, where crashing waves and the dramatic sea cliffs create one of the best viewpoints in the park.

Fort Nepean sits at the very tip of the Mornington Peninsula, where Port Phillip Bay meets Bass Strait, combining picturesque coastal scenery with significant military history. As you explore the historic gun emplacements, tunnels, and fortifications, there are also expansive views across the water and one of Victoria’s most rugged coastlines. Once a key defence post protecting Melbourne, the fort played an important role in both World Wars and remains one of the main attractions in Point Nepean National Park.

Fosters Beach is a small, sheltered bay beach along this stretch of the Mornington coastline, with calm water and a sandy shoreline. The beach sits below the clifftop track, accessed via steps down from the path. Conditions here are typically more protected compared to the more exposed sections further along the coast. This section of the beach also includes a designated dog off-leash area at certain times, making it a popular spot for locals walking their dogs.

Nunns Walk follows the clifftop between Linley Point and Fossil Beach, tracing a narrow coastal path through low vegetation. The track is mostly dirt with uneven sections, steps, and short steeper parts, particularly where it drops down toward the beaches. Views open up regularly across Port Phillip Bay, with the path sitting close to the edge in parts. Access points branch off to smaller beaches along the way, making this section feel more varied than a single continuous trail.

Linley Point is a rocky clifftop lookout at the southern end of Fishermans Beach in Mornington, marking the start of the coastal foreshore track toward Fossil Beach and Mount Martha. The point provides elevated views across Port Phillip Bay toward the You Yangs and Melbourne skyline on clearer days. Below the lookout, the coastline transitions into sandstone cliffs, small coves, and rocky platforms that continue along this stretch of shoreline.