The History of Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Sitting to the west of Port Philip and south of Melbourne is the beautiful and historic city of Mornington. This region in Victoria is home to over 150,000 people known for their hospitality and warm-heartedness. In addition to its picturesque and natural landscape, this area is widely known for its steady and persistent growth in agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and business.[1] The vibrancy of Mornington Peninsula’s economy transcends the lively streets and scenery — it has also demonstrated astonishing capabilities in producing top quality wines and mouthwatering dishes. These features explain why large numbers of tourists visit each year to treat themselves to the area’s wineries, beach houses, and water sports events. To fully appreciate the beauty of this city, the history of Mornington Peninsula is a great place to get started — it will paint the picture of this coastal city from a new perspective and show how this famous and industrious city was created.
Mornington Peninsula was formed around 10,000 BC after the bay of Port Phillip was flooded. After the flood dried out between 800 BC and 1000 AD, Australian natives, specifically the Mayune-bulluk and the Boonwurrung clans settled in the area alongside other clans that lived along the coast of the Werribee River. In total, six clans settled in the region before the arrival of the Europeans.[2]
The Arrival of the Europeans to the Mornington Peninsula
Upon their arrival at the Mornington Peninsula, the Europeans established the Sullivan Bay settlement, which served as a penal colony in 1803. This was over 29 years before the famous Lieutenant-Colonel Collins founded Melbourne. Historians tell tales of how lush the vegetation in the region was in 1803 when the European settlers controlled the area.
A significant part of the Mornington Peninsula was adorned with oak trees creating large forests. However, their existence was cut short by lumbering activities.
The forest provided wood for the rapidly growing Melbourne city. However, despite the rapidly disappearing forests, the landscape still maintained its great orchards.
The Peninsula still possesses scenic natural vegetation, giving life to the Green Bush area — the greenery extending to the Western Port Bay and the Bass Strait on the coastal border. Today, the Green Bush forms part of a national park in Mornington Peninsula.
As the country embraced civilization and the city took a more modern look, much of the agricultural activities in the area were reduced, and the Peninsula was taken over by people who only had an interest in preserving the aesthetic of the bushland and not the elements of food production.
With this development, the bushland area attracted a host of native species like koalas and became known for its sustainability practices. Today, the region is recognized and applauded for its extensive grazing areas, gardens, and orchards.
Mornington Peninsula’s Historical Sites
The geography of the Mornington Peninsula is a dazzling sight to behold. Arthurs Seat is its highest point standing at 305 meters above sea level, overlooking the beautiful shoreline in the south, the largely flat northern region, and the over 109 km coastline.
However, the mangroves and mudflats are not the only attractions in the region. Mornington Peninsula is also known for its rich history. The city is adorned with historic buildings and landmarks like the Clamber Lighthouse, whose history can be traced to the 1850s.
The historical sites spread across the peninsula date back to the Coolant Homestead constructed in 1895, the McCrae Homestead constructed in 1844, and the Tallis Family Summer House built in 1863. What makes most of these buildings an essential part of Mornington’s history include but are not limited to the classical designs, the display of architectural shrewdness, rich gardens, and vintage finishings. But that’s not all.
Other landmarks include the iconic Mulberry Hill, which was once home to the Lindsays, and the Point Napean, which played a crucial role in the city’s defenses during the first and second World Wars.[3]
Mornington Peninsula’s Wine
With the tourism rate climbing as high as 20% in 2017, Mornington Peninsula ranks third among Victoria’s most visited tourist locations. Another fantastic side of the Peninsula is its wineries.
The suitable climate of Mornington is the primary driver of the wine industry in this region. Even though the climate is favorable to different varieties, Pinot Noir is the most cultivated grape variety. Expert winemaking methods contribute to the high-quality wines produced in over 50 wineries in Mornington Peninsula. Many of the wineries host tastings and have their own restaurants.
The Mornington Peninsula is also renowned for its apple production, most of which makes its way to the ports where they will get exported after satisfying the local demand. There are also a number of orchards and gardens where cherries and berries are produced, in addition to organic farms where organic beef is produced.
On this day
July 7, 1971— A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Mornington Peninsula in 1971. Even though the Peninsula experienced several minor earthquakes annually, this is regarded as the last major earthquake that hit the region. Its epicenter was traced to Flinders at the Tyaab fault.
December 1, 1975 — Sitting on a 10.4 square mile expanse of land, the Mornington Peninsula National Park was established in 1975. It is among the area’s protected heritage alongside the Arthurs Seat State Park. The thriving wildlife, alongside other fun activities like nature walking and horseback riding, makes the park an impressive attraction.
Want to learn more about Australia’s wine history? Check out these books!
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