Clifftop, beach and fort walks from Sorrento to the tip of Point Nepean. Distances and times are from the walk notes; today's sunset and tide are at the top.
Data age
Forecast
Bureau
Light and tide today
Forecast06:05 to 20:03Open-Meteo sunrise and sunset for the forecast grid cell, issued 10:01 Sun 8 Nov.
Officialslack water 14:08from BOM tidal stream, The Rip (VIC_TS001); then -4.7 kn ebb, out through the Heads, for Sun 8 Nov only.
Officialhigh water 11:33, 1.36 mfrom BOM tide predictions, Point Lonsdale (VIC_TP009), valid to Sun 15 Nov.
Before you go
Parks Victoria prohibits dogs in Point Nepean and Mornington Peninsula national parks. Assistance dogs are welcome, though entry requirements apply.
On walks marked "Go near low tide": part of the route is on sand that a high tide covers.
Recent walker reports on track conditions are on AllTrails, another site; this page has not checked them.
Walks are grouped by how long they take. Distances, times and grades come from the walk notes (walks-map.html); none has been re-walked for this site or checked with a land manager yet, so check conditions and closures with Parks Victoria before you set out.
About 1 hour
1 hour · Ocean side, open to Bass Strait
Coppins Lookout & Sphinx Rock
A short clifftop walk above Bass Strait out to Coppins Lookout and the Sphinx Rock sea stack. You come back the same way.
2.0 km, there and back
45 to 60 min
Grade: Easy
Starts at Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club, Ocean Beach Rd.
Along the way: Coppins Lookout, Sphinx Rock.
Good at sunset: see today's sunset time above.
No dogs (national park).
Facilities: Toilets and All Smiles café at Sorrento Ocean Beach.
Take care, reported, not checked: The ocean beach isn't patrolled in September and has strong rips, so don't swim. Stay back from the cliff edges.
A clifftop track past two lookouts to the London Bridge rock arch. Rock pools form under the arch at low tide.
3.5 km, there and back
About 1 hr
Grade: Easy to moderate (sand, steps)
Starts at Portsea Surf Beach car park.
Along the way: London Bridge Lookout.
Good at sunset: see today's sunset time above.
Go near low tide.
No dogs (national park).
Facilities: Toilets and drinking water at the Portsea Surf Life Saving Club.
Tide: Only come back along the beach around low tide. Tides on the ocean side don't match the bay tide times given in the guide, so check the signs or a tide app.
From the 1850s Quarantine Station buildings out to Observatory Point, the old cattle jetty and views over the dolphin sanctuary. Coles Track is an alternative way back, closer to the bay.
3.9 km, there and back
About 1 hr
Grade: Easy, flat
Starts at Quarantine Station car park, Point Nepean.
Along the way: Observatory Point.
No dogs (national park).
Facilities, reported, not checked: Toilets, drinking water and the Information Centre (open from 10am) at the Quarantine Station. Parks Victoria lists a coffee cart there from September to April.
Take care, reported, not checked: The steps and track at The Bend are closed, and swimming off the bay beach isn't advised (strong currents).
The best clifftop walk close to town. Signs along the way explain the area's history, and the track passes the small Diamond Bay beach on the way to a 360° view from St Paul's Lookout. Come back the same way.
5.7 km, there and back
About 2 hrs
Grade: Easy to moderate
Starts at Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club, Ocean Beach Rd.
Along the way: Diamond Bay, St Paul's Lookout.
No dogs (national park).
Facilities: Toilets and café at the start only.
Take care: Steep steps down to Diamond Bay. No swimming, and stay back from the cliff edges.
Mostly beach and foreshore walking on the bay side, past Point King and the big Portsea houses, finishing at Portsea Pier and the Portsea Hotel.
5.0 km
1.5 to 2 hrs (about 3 hrs if you walk back)
Grade: Easy
Starts at Sorrento foreshore, near the pier.
Along the way: Point King, Shelley Beach, Portsea Pier.
Ends at Portsea Hotel.
Good at sunset: see today's sunset time above.
Go near low tide.
Dogs: check before you go. This route crosses land with more than one manager, and the shire's dog controls changed on 12 December 2024. The boundary has not been verified, so check rather than assume.
Tide: Some stretches are on the sand and easier near low tide.
Getting there, reported, not checked: Getting back: bus 788 runs every 40 to 60 min on weekends, and not every service goes to Portsea (check the PTV app). Otherwise take a taxi or walk back (about 10 km return).
Out to the tip of the peninsula: Cheviot Hill lookout and the Harold Holt memorial, the gun emplacements and tunnels at Fort Nepean, then back past Eagles Nest.
6.5 km, a loop
2 to 2.5 hrs with fort time
Grade: Easy to moderate (steps and tunnels in the fort)
Starts at Gunners Cottage car park, Point Nepean.
Along the way: Cheviot Hill, Fort Nepean, Eagles Nest.
No dogs (national park).
Facilities: Visitor guides list toilets at Gunners Cottage and Fort Nepean. There's no drinking water past the Quarantine Station.
Getting there, reported, not checked: A hop-on hop-off shuttle runs every 30 min, 10:30am to 4pm. It's an all-day ticket bought from the driver (card or cash).
Take care, reported, not checked: Engine House is closed (landslip).
The whole park in one loop: Quarantine Station, Observatory Point, Gunners Cottage, Fort Nepean, Eagles Nest, Cheviot Hill, the Range Area Walk and the Monash Light tower.
11.2 km, a loop
3.5 to 4 hrs with stops
Grade: Moderate (distance)
Starts at Quarantine Station car park, Point Nepean.
Along the way: Observatory Point, Gunners Cottage, Fort Nepean, Eagles Nest, Cheviot Hill, Range Area Walk, Monash Light.
No dogs (national park).
Food and water: Carry water, because the Quarantine Station is the last place to fill up.
Access, reported, not checked: Cars can enter from 6am to 6pm and leave any time.
Take care, reported, not checked: Engine House and The Bend steps are closed.
Back beach to front bar: Diamond Bay to Portsea Hotel
West along the ocean coast: Coppins Track to Sorrento Ocean Beach, Coppins and Websters lookouts, stairs down to Portsea Surf Beach, the Farnsworth Track to London Bridge, then down to the Portsea Hotel.
9.9 km
3.5 to 4 hrs
Grade: Moderate (sand, clifftop)
Starts at Diamond Bay, Sorrento.
Along the way: Sorrento Ocean Beach, Portsea Surf Beach, London Bridge Lookout.
Ends at Portsea Hotel.
Go near low tide.
No dogs (national park).
Facilities: Toilets at the Sorrento and Portsea surf clubs.
Tide: The Portsea Surf Beach stretch is on sand. Do it away from high tide.
Getting there: Get dropped at Diamond Bay. Afterwards, take bus 788 (not every service goes to Portsea) or a taxi.
Take care: No swimming (rips). Stay back from the cliff edges.