Arthurs Seat Scenic Park is located on Victoria's Mornington Peninsular. The area was named by Lieutenant John Murray during the first exploration voyage around Port Phillip Bay in 1802 and was reputedly named after Arthur's Seat near Edinburgh Scotland an area that Murray had likened the Victorian coastal area to.

The mountain park at Arthurs Seat offers visitors spectacular views and a range of activities. The Seat has Victoria's largest chairlift and the 74 seat lift will take visitors to the mountain summit on a wonderful 20 minute ride. At the summit, there are a range of sites to explore including scenic walks to Flinders Lookout - named after explorer Captain Matthew Flinders' historic walk to the top of the mountain - and the magnificent views of Port Phillip Bay and the Mornington Peninsular.

Natural Attractions

The Mornington Peninsular is a relatively small geographical area but offers a diverse landscape, as a result a wonderful variety of flora and fauna can be seen in the area. Bandicoots, koalas and small marsupials are quiet common in the dry heathland of the Frankston and Cranbourne areas, while the tall lush forests of found between Red Hill and Main Ridge is populated by sugar gliders, king parrots and the brushtail Phascogale.

In Spring, Arthurs Seat is transformed into a wonderful garden filled with a colourful array of beautiful wildflowers. Waterfall Gully and King's Falls in Point Nepean Park, Arthurs Seat Indigenous Garden and Greens Bush are some of the main areas in the Seat where a spectacular range of native flowers and animals can be seen. There are many wonderful walking trails around Arthurs Seat, many also offer BBQ and picnic facilities, and a Fauna Park within the Seat offers visitors the chance to meet friendly birds and native animals.

Two Bays Walk starts at the Junction of Latrobe Parade and Bunerong Drive, and joins the Kings Waterfall Walk. This magnificent walk takes in a number of the Seat's most beautiful views including Seawinds Botanical Garden. Other walks within the Seat include the T.C. McKellar Reserve which takes visitors on a delightful walk underneath tree canopies to join up with the Two Bays Walk; Eatons Cutting Walk which tours the area from Eatons Cutting to Boundary Road and the pleasant walk from McLear Road to Caldwell Road.

Seawinds Botanic Gardens is a 34 hectare property situated near the summit of Arthurs Seat. Seawinds commands a breathtaking view of Port Phillip Bay and the Mornington Peninsular and enhancing the beautiful Seawinds gardens are a number of superb sculptures by noted Sculptor William Ricketts. While at Seawinds, visitors can also enjoy picnics and BBQs.

At the top of Arthurs Seat is the Old Viewing Tower, here visitors can experience the magnificent sights of Port Phillip Bay, Bass Strait and the picturesque sights of the Mornington Peninsular. The Tower originally built in 1934 has been fully renovated and includes a souvenir store and kiosk.

The Echidna Route is a scenic tourist route that takes motorists through the beautiful orchard and vineyard countryside of Arthurs Seat and Red Hill, while exploring the area, visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful attractions and diversions.

Arts and Museums

There are many wonderful arts and craft attractions within the Arthurs Seat area, many housed within beautiful historic cottages while others combine spectacular views with delightful tea houses.

Manna Gum Cottage was originally a farm cottage and today this charming little building is home to a collection of arts and crafts. Manna Gum, located opposite the base of the chair lift features displays of pottery, painting, weaving and cottage crafts.

Arthurs Craft Cottage is located on top of the mountain within a quaint historic cottage. The Cottage features a wide range of pottery, Aboriginal artefacts and an extensive range of Australiana . The Attic at the Arthurs Seat also offers visitors a delightful collection of early Australian Bric-a -Brac and collectables.

At Red Hill, the original Post Office dating back to 1871 is now one of area's most fascinating art galleries. This beautiful building now features a collection of pottery and paintings as well as a range of jewellery and hand made toys. Noel's Gallery offers visitors pleasant rural surroundings and a wide range of contemporary and traditional paintings. The Gallery also has an extensive collection of pottery, studio glass, jewellery and antiques. At Heggies Pottery visitors can experience a working pottery studio and browse among a huge collection of finished pottery pieces as well as silver and ceramic collectables while the White Hill Gallery features a number of collections including exhibitions by Silk and Ceramic Artists.

The Giddy Bullfrog Gallery and Tearoom in Red Hill South offers visitors a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy quality artworks and delicious home baked goods, jams, chutneys and preserves.

Pine Ridge Car Museum, Gallery & Tearoom offers visitors an unusual collection of over 40 cars, motor bikes, model cars and other motor vehicle memorabilia. The tearoom provides visitors with wonderful Devonshire Teas and light meals and tractor rides and a playground will keep children amused.

Nursery and Farms

Arthurs Seat has a number of lovely nurseries and farms to explore. Red Hill Protea holds over 150 varieties of protea and Leucadendron while Evans and Sons specialises in Old Fashioned Roses, Perennials and Cottage Plants.

Austplant Native Nursery has 5 acres of display gardens for visitors to enjoy and carries over 500 plant varieties and amidst 25 acres of natural bush, Kallara Garden has a brilliant variety of plants and a range of garden art pieces. Paths weave through Kallara's wonderful rose gardens and coastal plants while a playground complete with duck pond provides entertainment for children.

An interesting garden attraction within the Arthurs Seat area is the Ashcombe Maze. Ashcombe is a large hedge maze with 1km of pathways within the maze are extensive rock and woodland gardens and a rose maze with over 1200 roses. Tearooms at Ashcombe offer a wonderful selection of light lunches and refreshments.

Arthurs Seat is also the location of Australia's largest strawberry farm, at Sunny Ridge visitors can pick their own berries and buy freshly picked peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines when in season. While at the Drum Drum Farm visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the Bellarine Peninsular, sample organic blueberries grown on the farm and delight in a huge array of dried flowers. Drum Drum Farm has the peninsula's largest selection of dried flowers and offers wonderful garlands, swathes, baskets and arrangements, pottery is also a feature of this delightful farm complex.

Wineries

Arthurs Seat offers a diverse range of wines. Vineyards on the higher slopes produce wines with a wonderful fresh character while the lowlands offer wines of a more rich and complex nature. There are a number of vineyards in the area which offer cellar door tastings and sales and the vineyards picturesque gardens and patchwork countryside offer spectacular views. Wineries to visit include the Dorma Estate, Main Ridge Estate and Port Phillip Estate. Local wines can also be purchased from a wide selection at Arthurs Restaurant.

Other Attractions

The Arthurs Seat area offers visitors a range of restaurants and accommodations which take advantage of the area's spectacular scenery. Arthurs has a superb view of Port Phillip Bay and offers visitors a variety of options providing the ideal venue in which to enjoy a drink and admire the views to a-la-carte dining. A particular treat that visitors can enjoy is a delightful picnic basket packed by Arthurs to be enjoyed in the parklands of Arthurs Seat or Seawinds. Arrangements can also be made for visitors to travel from Arthurs in a delightful horse drawn carriage.

Poffs Restaurant occupies a spectacular site overlooking a vineyard filled valley and Western Port Bay. This magnificent glass walled restaurant offers an international menu and also has an outdoor flower-filled terrace dining area.

Arthurs Seat also offers a range of recreational activities including bushwalking, golf and horse riding. Purves Road Riding Stables offers riders from beginner to experienced, scenic trail rides in the magnificent rolling countryside of the Arthurs Seat area and Western Riding Shows can also be arranged.

Events

The first Saturday of every month Arthurs Seat comes alive with a Community Market at the Red Hill Showground. The markets take on almost a carnival atmosphere and a wide range of fresh produce and variety of arts and crafts are on sale. During the first week of March the Ashcombe Maze hosts an annual Sculpture Exhibition.

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