Melbourne Independent Travel Day6｜Mornington Peninsula One-Day Tour: Rainbow Beach Boxes, Cable Car, Winery and Hot Springs Experience

On April 30th, the second-to-last day of our Australia free-and-easy trip, our itinerary brought us to the less commonly visited but scenically beautiful Mornington Peninsula. This tour was quite niche, so in the end only 7 people signed up, making it a super small group. The guide even said we could be picked up directly from our hotel, and for us, having already rushed through several days of activities, we finally got to sleep in a little later that morning — truly the most relaxed start we'd had in days.

One-Day Trip to Mornington Peninsula Stop 1: Dromana Bathing Boxes, the perfect match of beach and colorful huts Our first stop is the Rainbow Huts (Bathing Boxes) located on Dromana Beach, a row of huts facing the sea, each painted in a variety of vibrant colors. Although not as famous as the bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, this spot has fewer crowds of tourists and more of a relaxed, local atmosphere.

Most of these cabins are used as private storage spaces or resting spots, but no one is allowed to actually live in them. Interestingly, while we were taking a group photo here, a foreign tourist suddenly jumped in to join the picture, and everyone burst out laughing — it became one of the most joyful little moments of the day.

The beach itself is very clean, and the sea water is crystal clear all the way to the bottom. Many people come here to play in the water and fish — it's a great place to just relax and let your mind wander.

Stop 2: Eagle Cable Car — A Short Ride Through the Clouds Next we went to the Arthurs Seat Eagle cable car. This part was an optional, self-paid activity at AUD 22 per person. All seven of us joined and rode the cable car all the way up from the foot of the mountain to the summit.

But after the ride, we felt the experience was quite mediocre — if you're on a limited budget, this part is honestly worth reconsidering. After getting off the cable car, our guide let everyone go off on their own for lunch, but seeing that the restaurants in the tourist area were pretty pricey, we decided to go for a walk instead of eating. In the end, we unexpectedly wandered up to the Matthew Flinders Cairn monument — a historical landmark overlooking the whole of Port Phillip Bay. Honestly, the view there was even more worth seeing than the cable car ride.

Stop 3: Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens — the surrounding area also makes for great photos Our third stop was the Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens in Shoreham. The main attractions here are the lavender garden and the hedge maze, with entry costing around 20 AUD per person (varying slightly by season), but our guide said it was totally optional whether we went inside. Since we weren't particularly interested in the maze to begin with, and the ticket price didn't seem all that appealing, we decided to just stroll around the outer area instead. To our surprise, we found a grove nearby full of autumn-coloured leaves, and with the slightly chilly weather, it made for a really atmospheric photo shoot — so we ended up going straight into full "photo model" mode (haha).

Nearby there was also a space that looked like a greenhouse, which we also used as a backdrop for photos. Although we didn't pay to enter the park, we still had a really great time at this stop.

Stop 4: Pt. Leo Estate Winery, Where Wine Tasting Dances with Art Our guide gave a special introduction to this winery — Pt. Leo Estate is one of the Mornington Peninsula's most famous attractions, boasting a vast contemporary art sculpture garden outside the winery that's said to be incredibly photogenic. However, the estate charges an entry fee, and anyone who passes through the ticket gate has to pay, which left us hesitating for quite a while.

In the end, we gave up on walking into the sculpture garden and instead chose to go into the bar area inside the winery's main building to rest. We happened to see fellow group members doing a tasting, and learned that there was a premium tasting set for 20 Australian dollars, where you could sample five specially selected red wines from the winery — we joined right away!

The wine has distinct layers of flavor and a long, lingering finish, especially that 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir, which absolutely amazed me — I immediately bought a bottle to bring back to Taiwan, which came to 77 AUD after the discount. I hope it still tastes just as good when I open it back home! Stop Five: Cape Schanck Lighthouse After leaving the winery, we arrived at today's most spectacular stop — the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. Built in 1859, this lighthouse is one of the few nineteenth-century lighthouses in Australia still in operation today. Sitting right by the sea, it offers a breathtaking view over the Bass Strait.

Stop 6: Peninsula Hot Springs — The Perfect Ending to a Day of Relaxation Here comes the highlight! In the evening, we arrived at today's most anticipated destination — Peninsula Hot Springs. This hot spring facility is huge, divided into multiple zones, with hot spring pools of all sizes, wellness trails, cave hot springs, and even a stage pool where you can watch performances.

We were originally worried our phone might get splashed with water, so we hadn't planned on taking photos. But seeing so many people confidently taking pictures to check in, we followed suit and went back to the car to grab our phone, starting to record this relaxing time.

The hot spring's average temperature is on the mild side, not like Taiwan where it's often over forty degrees — the hottest area is only about 40–42 degrees. The water isn't very hot, but the surroundings are peaceful and the air is fresh, so as you soak, you feel all the fatigue in your body just melt away.

An imperfect tour guide experience, but a perfect dayIt's just that the distance between the attractions isn't that close, so if you want to travel independently, driving might be more convenient. We suggest travelers weigh whether to join a tour group or hire a private car. Night back in Melbourne: familiar flavors and a perfect ending We returned to Melbourne in the evening, and to bring things to a perfect close, we decided to eat our favorite spot for the third time — Daweiwei Mala Tang! This time each of us ordered our own pot, choosing our favorite meatballs and meats, averaging about 20 AUD per person. We consider it the ultimate value-for-money king of Melbourne.

On the way back, I unexpectedly came across a bar that was still open, so I quickly rushed in to buy two local beers recommended by netizens: Victoria Bitter and Melbourne Bitter. One sweet, one bitter, different styles, but both worth a try.

Paired with potato chips, chatting about the trip while drinking — this really is the most authentic and relaxing way to wrap things up. A quick reminder about the tax refund process We flew home on 5/1 and got to the airport early to handle the tax refund. Here's a simple step-by-step: The night before, fill out your information online in your room to get a QR Code. At the airport, go to the basement level to find customs and get it stamped. Once that's done, go to the counter to check in your luggage. Finally, after passing through customs, go to the tax refund counter and scan the QR Code to officially get your refund.

Remember to do your homework in advance so you can complete your tax refund smoothly! With that, this 10-day self-guided trip to Australia takes a bow and exits the stage. See you again~