Drop and flop, or hike and surf; The OHO guide to the beachside resort of Lorne

Words by Richard Cornish
Images Supplied

Halfway between Geelong and Cape Otway, the village Lorne sits on either side of the Erskine river as it flows into Louttit bay.

The town originally survived on fishing and timber logging until the Great Ocean Road was extended in 1922, unleashing a constant flow of caravan-towing tourists seeking seaside frivolity.

More recently the development of luxury apartments draws a sophisticated crowd who break up a day of sunbathing, surfing and fishing with quality coffee and high-end dining.

Use our itinerary below to rediscover the coastal haven of Lorne and surrounds.

Everything you need to know about the MFWF Gippsland takeover

Words by Tehya Nicholas
Images supplied

Each year, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival celebrates the produce and the people that make eating in Victoria great. But it’s not just merrymaking in the CBD. As part of this years Regional Edition, the festival is pitching up in Gippsland’s tiny town of Thorpdale for one weekend of food, fun and wonder.

You may not have heard of Thorpdale. Home to just 180 humans (and a few more potatoes), you’d be forgiven. But when MFWF comes rolling in on Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 November, there’ll be nowhere in the state with as much culinary star power. The grassy hamlet will host two very full days of activities, demonstrations and tastings, with some of the biggest and brightest stars in Victoria and Australia’s culinary scene. So strap yourself in for our full rundown of this weekend of indulgence.

The Village Feast

First stop on this extravaganza: The Village Feast. This is the “umbrella event” from which all good things flow. This ticketed event—purchased as individual day passes via the MFWF website—is almost like a country fair, but with next level food and drink. Punters can stroll through the 19th Century town (which we hear has been given a fresh lick of paint), stop by the various pop-ups, markets, and stalls to fill up their tummies and tote bags with top-tier produce.

An exceptional array of Gippsland food, wines, beers, ciders and spirits will be flowing across the day and across locations. Beloved Argentinian-born, Gippsland-championing chef Alejandro Saravia from Farmer’s Daughters and Victoria will be dishing up his deli classics with a twist. Danielle Alvarez, former head chef of Sydney’s Fred’s restaurant, will be slinging her famous choripan, a decadent hot-chorizo-on-a-bun type situation. Tasmanian chef and How Wild Things Are author Analiese Gregory will be cooking up a storm on the grill. While Trout tartare with Baw Baw wild herbs and gaufrette potatoes will be grilling on charcoal under the guidance of Hogget chef Trevor Perkins.

And that’s just for starters. There’ll be desserts and other sweet treats made by the talented Patti Chimkire from Mali Bakes. Gippsland wines will be poured by the experts at a pop-up wine bar inside the former general store. And some of Thorpdale’s homegrown heroes are set to be baking pies and potato bread at the Thorpdale Bakery.

Of course, no day in Gippsland would be complete without sampling some of the region’s famous dairy. Sallie Jones from Gippsland Jersey is at the helm, accompanied by The Fromagerie by Loch Grocer and That’s Amore Cheese to dole out milkshakes, cheese platters and cannoli.

While you let the food settle, you can head off to one of many Meet the Maker booths dotted around the main drag to learn about the region’s produce from the growers and makers including a paint n sip’ express workshops from acclaimed Gippsland artist Lucy Hersey. Or try your hand at creating a bouquet at a flower market setup by the ladies from Pepperberry Flora and Quite Contrary Flower Farm .

The Community Table, hosted by our very own Richard Cornish, will bring together chefs, farmers and special guests to share their knowledge. Hands-on experiences are encouraged.

Live Music

No country fair is complete without live music, so MFWF has partnered with Always Live to corral a hoard of talented acts to play across the The Village Feast.

Saturday 19th features Grace Cummings, a folk-rock musician whose recent album has earned her a global audience. Her set comes mid-afternoon at 2.15pm. Also featured across the day: avant-garde electronic duo Tim Shiel and Mindy Meng Wang, South Gippsland-born singer-songwriter William Blackley, and epic jazz eight-piece Jazzparty.

The darling of Triple j, Mia Wray, whose powerful voice has seen her indie-pop ballads skyrocket in popularity, is playing a mid-afternoon set on Sunday 20 November. Also on Sunday, Melbourne’s cult band Dorsal Fins, now a trio, are playing their horn-infused funk-pop at 2.15pm. They’re supported by Pirritu, proud Wangaaypuwan mayi of the Ngiyampaa clan, whose songs are stories: sad and sweet. And Australia’s answer to HAIM, Little Quirks, is playing a folk-pop set at 1pm.

The Village Feast Weekender

If all this excitement has got you thinking “I need to book accommodation in Gippsland and stretch this out for a full weekend” you are in good hands. The festival has organised four extra food and wine adventures to max out your weekend. Breakfast, lunches, dinners prepared by the most celebrated chefs are now available to book.

On the evening of Friday 18 November, Embla x Hogget Kitchen is kicking off the feast with a mighty city-country collab in Warragul. Dave Verheul is joining his country cousin Trevor Perkins to create a fresh, flame-grilled, farm-to-table feast. Enjoyed in stand-up, family-style way, this romp will leave your belly full and eager to enjoy the rest of the festival.

The Gippsland Farmers’ Grazing Brunch will ease you into Saturday morning. A general admission ticket will see you enter the Warragul Farmers’ Market at the leafy Civic Park and sample some of the regions spoils at the hot breakfast buffet and grazing tables.

An epic lunch is set to be served at Thorpdale Town Hall on Saturday, with Provenance, Fire & Wine by Alejandro Saravia. The celebrated chef, whose love for Gippsland produce is evident at his restaurant CBD Farmer’s Daughter, is cooking a five-course menu over a campfire. A scrumptious blend of European technique, his Latin American heritage, and the finest Gippsland produce, this is one not to be missed.

Seize the last day of the festival with Wake Up With A Winemaker where wine from A.R.C Wines, Bandicoot Run, Cannibal Creek Vineyard, Fleet Wines and Lightfoot Wines are poured by the winemakers themselves, alongside a European-style breakfast banquet. Arranged by one of Gippsland’s most charming eateries Meeniyan’s Trulli Pizzeria & Bakehouse, there will be fresh pastries, charcuterie, cheese, bacon and egg burgers, breakfast focaccia, yoghurts and fruit.

Tickets for each event are selling fast and accommodation options are also filling up quickly. You can head to Visit Gippsland or Airbnb to find available spaces.


THE DETAILS
WHAT: Village Feast & The Village Feast Weekender from MFWF
WHERE: Gippsland
WHEN: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November
TICKETS: $32 Early Bird price / $45 Full Price 
MORE INFO:
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

We wish to acknowledge the Gunaikurnai people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

The oldest weatherboard hotel in the state opens its doors again

Words by Richard Cornish
Images supplied

It’s the oldest weatherboard hotel in the state and it has re-opened with a glamourous new interior and a brand-new menu. The Cumberland Hotel has stood at the corner of Daylesford- Clunes Road and Creswick-Newstead Road in Smeaton, 22 km west of Daylesford, since 1861.

The single-story pub is cloaked in hand-hewn hardwood weatherboards with sprawling bull-nosed verandas abutting the classic Victorian frontier main building. New owners Caleb Consiglio and his husband James bring a wealth of experience in hospitality to the old pub. The interior has authentic navy blue and gold Victorian wallpaper with emerald green, brass and black colourway in the private dining room.

“Smeaton was a rich gold mining town,” says Caleb. It was a place of vast wealth and opulence and we wanted to capture some of the excess of the era.

The pair are also conscious that The Cumberland servers as a social hub and have made the pub an inclusive place with an outdoor beer garden complete with supplied picnic blankets to take some classic bar dishes outside.

A ploughman’s board could kick off some lightly spiced Buffalo popcorn cauliflower, chicken satay skewers and lemon myrtle calamari with a tangy lime aioli made with Phoenix extra virgin olive oil from the grove a few kilometres away. The kitchen is supplied by local providores such as Tonna’s in Daylesford and Daylesford Meat Co. supplying free-range grass-fed beef for the nearly half kilogram chargrilled porterhouse served with creamy mash and oodles of gravy. The pub doors officially opened on October 20th with bookings open now.


THE DETAILS

What: Historic pub with a classic menu
Where: 3504 Creswick-Newstead Rd, Smeaton
When: October 20 and beyond
Why: History and food
More Info: The Cumberland Hotel

We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Apollo Bay – the eternal beach getaway

Words by Richard Cornish
Images by Michael Peters, Richard Cornish, Andrew Englisch, Lauren Doolan & Jay Dillon

The waves crash endlessly on the arc of golden sand that wraps around this beautiful, bucolic working fishing village, farm hub, and holiday town. With a green backdrop of forest and pasture-cloaked hills rising from the sea, Apollo Bay is as dramatic as it is serene.

We’ve made it easy for you to plan an Apollo Bay adventure with our suggested itinerary below.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Hotel Canberra in Ballarat has once again opened its doors

Words by Richard Cornish
Images supplied

On the main road between Ballarat and Creswick is a grand old hotel dating back to the late 1800s. In 1927 the beautiful old girl was renamed after the nation’s new capital to celebrate the opening of the parliament.

Victorian on the outside but Art Deco on the inside, the pub has new owners and a new offer. The new team is headlined by one of Melbourne’s best-known radio producers and publicists Pete Dillon. A Ballarat local for some time in the 1980s, he is joined by his brother Paul and former Rockpool chef, the Philippines-born Jeris (Jigs) Liwanag.

The Hotel Canberra is opening in three stages. Bobby’s bar opened recently featuring a 100% Victorian beverage, with a commitment to artisan, craft, and hyper-local beer, wine, and spirits.

Next will be The Stables Café & Bar, a seven-day licensed café in the heritage-listed, hundred-year-old stables at the rear of the property. There are a series of individual nooks and crannies where guests can enjoy locally roasted coffee, sweets, and treats from around Ballarat and a contemporary menu offering pre-noon and post-noon menus, as well as some locally produced beers and wines.

And coming soon, Vesta x Jigs, the new dining room, will give former Rockpool chef Jigs Liwanag plenty of opportunity to flex his culinary muscle, drawing on his Filipino heritage and a decade sailing the world cooking on private ships. He’ll be preparing degustation menus celebrating the very best of the state.

The menu will be 100% Victorian produce, with much of it drawn from the local Ballarat region. “I will be challenged by our strict Victorian-only ethos as I am used to using what is available, but I am motivated to find the very best from the region and get really creative with the produce. I am excited to offer guests a glimpse into my heritage as well as the amazing dishes I fell in love with as I travelled the world”.


THE DETAILS

What: Hotel Canberra re-opens
Where: 812 Macarthur St, Ballarat Central
When:
Bar open, Stables Café and Bar and Vesta x Jigs dining room coming soon
Why:
Old pub with art deco interior with Vic food and beverage focus
More info: Canberra Hotel and The Stables Tea Room Ballarat

We wish to acknowledge the Wadawurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

A very French eatery just arrived in Aireys Inlet

Words by Richard Cornish
Images Supplied

Aireys Inlet has a new eatery and it is very, very French. Le Comptoir is a French bar and deli tucked into a group of shops along the Great Ocean Road.

Le Comptoir means ‘counter’ and it refers to the long glass display cabinet packed with the best local and French cheese and local charcuterie and house-made rillettes and parfait. The offer is complemented with a choice of local and French wines from Alsace, The Loire Valley and The Rhone. “Do not forget Bordeaux,” says co-owner Sam Roig. Born in France with Catalan heritage Sam grew up surrounded by a culture rich in cheese, charcuterie and wine.

He came to Australia backpacking and was on his way to Perth when he stopped by Lorne to visit a fellow backpacker. He stayed. Then his eyes fell on local woman Asher Healey. She worked in the pharmacy. “It took me almost two years before my English was good enough to ask her out,’ says Sam with a self-deprecating laugh. The two became a formidable couple and three years ago took over the Lighthouse Tearooms in Aireys.

This winter they took over the shop at 36 Great Ocean Road and gave the modern interior a more classic patina. Two weeks ago Le Comptoir opened its doors. The room is lined with recycled timbers with bentwood chairs at wooden tables and the voice of Serge Gainsbourg purring through the sound system.

You can buy Cantal cheese from near Sam’s hometown or some locally Long Paddock cheese – made in Castlemaine by a fellow Frenchman. Sam and Asher pay homage to the Spanish side of the family with a selection of serrano and jamon pata negra bellota – acorn feed black foot ham. The menu is compact but gives you a few choices of baguettes, salads and cheese plates to sit down and enjoy a glass or two of fine wine. There is house-made parfait made with the livers of Great Ocean Ducks and rillettes made with Barongarook Pork from near Colac. Breakfast is simple French baguette and confiture, pastries, crumpet or muesli. “Our values are quality and conviviality,” says Sam. “It is simple but very good and delicious.”


THE DETAILS

What: French deli and café with great wine and light meals including breakfast
Where: 36 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet
When: 8am-8pm 7 days
More info: Le Comptoir

We wish to acknowledge the Wadawurrung People people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

A unique Ballarat culinary experience comes to Fed Square

Words by Richard Cornish
Images Supplied

Over the past few years, Ballarat has quietly been working on its culinary culture. It wasn’t that long ago that this was a historic city with an equally historic food offering of steak houses and deep-fried Chinese.

Now its food scene is thriving with a raft of wine bars, hatted restaurants and excellent cafes. They work together with food producers in the Goldfields region to offer a broad, locally focused experience. The city itself is a series of remarkably intact mid-Victorian streetscapes with some exceptional cultural offerings such as the Art Gallery of Ballarat and the Foto Biennale. But if you’re too time-poor to make the 90-minute drive or train trip to the city of gold, head to Victoria by Farmer’s Daughter at Fed Square this spring for a taste of Ballarat.

Every season, restaurant chef and owner Alejandro Saravia turns the spotlight of his restaurant onto a particular region so expect some interesting collaborations. On October 29, Dianne Ray from The Shared Table in Buninyong will join in a $110 per person three-course seasonal menu. On Sunday 11 September, Neill Robb from Sally’s Paddock will host a lunch celebrating his vineyard’s 50th birthday producing only red wine. Foxy young Ballarat winebar Renard is taking over the rooftop terrace bar overlooking the Yarra on 6-8 October from 5 pm each evening.

Throughout spring, the menu at Victoria by Farmer’s Daughter will feature produce from around Ballarat and the goldfields while the drink menus will focus on local drops from Mitchell Harris Wines, Red Duck Beer, Aunty Jacks, Kilderkin Distillery and its Larrikin Gin, Eastern Peake and Learmonth Cider. Ballarat’s rich cultural heritage will also be on show with works by Wadawurrung fibre artist Tammy Gilson and kinetic video projection by Ballarat artist Josh Waddell.


THE DETAILS

What: Ballarat Comes to Fed Square at Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters
Where: Ground Floor, Yarra Building Fed Square
When: September-November
More Info: Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters

We wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Take our tour of Werribee, the undiscovered bayside destination for food, history and nature

Words by Della Vreeland
Images Supplied

Located off the M1 between Geelong and the Melbourne CBD, Werribee isn’t often considered a holiday destination in and of itself.  But as one of Melbourne’s bay suburbs, the area really does have quite a lot going for it if you only take the time to delve in.

Whether you’re looking for your next romantic escape or thinking of  taking the Bay West Driving Trail, here are some of our top recommendations for a getaway well spent in Werribee.

Wolf on Watton

Werribee Restauarnt
© Bryony Jackson

Positioned along Werribee’s foodie precinct and with the site having been owned by Werribee’s Salvalaggio family for four generations, Wolf on Watton offers visitors a true inner-city cafe experience. Having originally operated as a fruit and veg store by the current owner’s great-grandfather, the cafe is always bustling and serves up everything from classic brunch options to indulgent pastas, grazing boards and sweets. With staff that are ready and raring to serve you with genuine hospitality, and a vibrant atmosphere that will have you prepped to face the day, Wolf on Watton really has the WoW factor.

Made on Watton

Things to do WerribeeSituated across the road from Wolf on Watton, Made on Watton is a specially curated retail space that oozes elegance, calm, charm and poise. Founded by Liz Reyes, the space opened up following the success of Wyndham City’s innovative pop-up retail space of the same name. Showcasing a plethora of handmade goods from makers across Werribee and the surrounding regions as well as a selection of other Australian-made products, Made on Watton aims to empower creatives and highlight the breadth of talent that exists within regional Victoria. You’ll find everything from bedding to candles, infused sparkling water to jewellery, artworks to locally-designed clothing. Liz also stocks her very own polymer clay jewels from her label Evergreen Collective – so make sure to check out her beautiful range!

Werribee Park Mansion

Places to visit WerribeeThe Werribee Park precinct is perhaps one of the areas which the city is best known for. (Apart from the Werribee Open Range Zoo – which also needs to be on your to-do list).  The sprawling green Victoria State Rose Garden, with its abounding serenity and lush landscape, make it an idyllic space for a spring picnic, while Lancemore Mansion Hotel is the perfect spa and hotel option for your Werribee getaway.

Then there’s the Mansion itself – an exquisite 60-room Italianate chateau built in the late 19th century by two pioneering Scottish brothers. While the building was taken over by the Catholic Church in the 1920s, it went through an extensive restoration process in the 1970s once it was acquired by the state government, reinstating to its former glory.

As you step into the mansion, you’ll be struck by its opulence and majesty. Take a turn about the drawing room, peek in the library room, soak up the panoramic views of the gardens from the balcony, get a feel for what a real butler’s pantry would’ve felt like, and take a stroll to the farm where the rustic outbuildings lay. You’ll truly feel like a character in your own storybook.

Shadowfax Wines

Winery WerribeeAlso located within the Werribee Park precinct, Shadowfax Wines is the absolute perfect spot to stop off for your lunch (or dinner) break. Established in 1999, the menu boasts the finest selection of food and drink to keep you fuelled for the day, including some incredible entrees, share plates or even a chef’s selection (if you can’t decide) each incorporating an array of fresh vegetables and herbs from the restaurant’s established Kitchen Garden. The drinks list showcases Shadowfax’s current releases and museum wines from the cellar, as well as a selection of premium craft beers and spirits from local Victorian breweries and distillers. There’s even a list of delightful non-alcoholic options to keep us non-drinkers appeased!

K Road Cliffs

Things to do WerribeeDown the road from the Werribee Park precinct, the K Road Cliffs are a breathtaking wall of red by day and an even more impressive hue during dusk and sunset when they change colour with the light.

Take in the view of the Werribee River from the clifftops or soak up the natural surrounds on the floodplains as you admire the impressive backdrop of the You Yangs.

A perfect place for birdwatching, hiking or just a meditative afternoon, the cliffs are most certainly one of the region’s acclaimed natural wonders.

Beachside Beauties

Things to do WerribeeLocated just off Port Phillip Bay means there are quite a few spots to check out along the shore during your getaway. The Campbell’s Cove Boathouses should be first on your list. These quaint, vibrant, heritage-listed boatsheds not only make a great photo but provide a rare glimpse into the history of Melbourne’s beach culture – remaining relatively untouched since the 1920s.

(Fun fact: Until 2015, this beach was better known as Melbourne’s closet nudist beach. But don’t fret. It has since closed down).

The Wyndham Harbour also provides a calm space for an afternoon stroll with a beautiful view and some great eateries to boot, while the Point Cook Coastal Park offers a great space to picnic with the family, birdwatching, learn about the wetlands, and enjoy the beach at low tide.


THE DETAILS

WHAT: Werribee and Surrounds
WHERE TO STAY: Various accommodation options
FIND OUT MORE:
Visit Werribee & Surrounds

We wish to acknowledge the Bunurong people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Is Sorrento Victoria’s new dining capital?

Words by Richard Cornish
Images Supplied

Sorrento’s colonial limestone buildings look out over a half moon of Norfolk Island pines onto white sands framing the azure blue waters of Port Phillip. A community of seafarers, surfers, retirees, and tradies who co-exist with weekend and summer influx of visitors, it may be remarkably beautiful, but it has never truly been a dining destination.

While Bistro Elba has punched above its weight for years, offering great wines and excellent meals based on local produce, Sorrento has not otherwise had an overabundance of great food offers.

Come 2022, and the situation has been completely overturned. Sorrento is now almost overburdened by experienced, talented chefs with venues filled with some big culinary names. Scott Pickett opened Audrey’s, his seafood-focused restaurant at the Continental Hotel. Ashley Hicks, who cooked with Tom Aikens in London, moved to Sorrento to open the refurbished Stringers Store. This week the Hotel Sorrento reopens its bar and dining room with a menu overseen by George Calombaris. Down by the water’s edge is modern fine-dining pioneer Paul Wilson who is back in the kitchen at Morgan’s Sorrento.

“I love to fish. I love the beach. I love living in Sorrento,” says Paul Wilson. He is on the pans cooking French-inspired dishes in this historic village near the end of the Mornington Peninsula. Paul led the Brit-pack chef scene in the early 2000s making a name for himself at the Park Hyatt restaurant Radii with a dish of truffled polenta and soft egg. His oyster nights at the Botanical Hotel in South Yarra were infamous, and he bought the dodgy Newmarket Hotel in St Kilda back to a place of culinary worthiness.

Now he’s at Morgan’s Sorrento, a smart casual bistro, flooded with light with an enviable bayside view. “Being down here means I am close to my favourite suppliers,” says Paul. He buys directly from Torello Farm, Hawke’s Farm, Harry from Flinders Mussels, and Mock’s Orchards. To prove a point, he brings out a barley-fed beef rib, braised in stock for six hours, finished in the oven and served with a single slow-cooked carrot. ‘The carrot is from Hawke’s Farm at Boneo,” he says proudly. “I treat it like a good piece of beef and slowly braise it in stock.” He follows this with a stunning tarte tartin made with the bio-dynamic apples from Mock’s at Main Ridge, nestling on a golden buttery puff pastry base.

I have always chosen to open places where I could enrich the community, and I felt there was an opportunity to make a contribution here in Sorrento, close to a great food bowl and wine region. And it is so bloody beautiful.

One of Paul Wilson’s kitchen acolytes is Ash Hicks. He worked with Paul at Circa at the Prince in St Kilda. Now he is Executive Chef for the Darling Group overseeing venues such as Higher Ground and Dundas and Fausset in Albert Park. He is presently in Sorrento supervising the opening of Stringers. Set in the colonial-era limestone building and formerly a store.

Stringers is now a café, pizzeria, and providore set in the clean, lean, cool interior by architect Chris Connell. “I am absolutely in love with the limestone walls,” says Ash. “The courtyard has been opened up, and it is this beautiful limestone encased garden,” he explains. We have put a pizza oven in, Napoli style. It rotates and can do a pizza to perfection in two minutes thirty seconds.” While the bake is fast, the dough takes 72 hours to prove, developing a mass of flavour to underpin Ash’s scant three toppings. His favourite is That’s Amore fresh mozzarella and Mr. Canubi mortadella over a layer of San Marzano tomatoes. “At present it’s breakfast and lunch,” he says. “The offer is simple but very, very good. We are making our own brass die extruded pasta every day. For breakfast come and try the chilli eggs,” he says. This is a dish of folded eggs topped with whipped goats curd and what he describes as a fiery caponata laced with caper brine. “But this is a space for everyone,” he adds. “Like Sorrento, it is beautiful and casual.”

Up the hill is Hotel Sorrento. This beautiful 150-year-old building, with its iron lacework and Italianate tower, re-opened its dining room last week under the careful watch of celebrity chef George Calombaris. The former MasterChef star has teamed up with the Pitt family, owners of the 1872 hotel, to work on the new menu and the opening of a Cantonese-inspired restaurant.

The chef moved to a home in the Peninsula hinterland recently and told the media that he has been welcomed by the Mornington Peninsula community and is focusing on the ‘simple things in life’. While Calombaris is not hands-on in the kitchen, his role as Culinary Director sees a brand-new menu that borrows heavily from the Mediterranean with dishes like porchetta, swordfish, salt cod croquettes, and pub favourites like parma, schnitzel, and cheeseburger. In October, the old downstairs ballroom will open as Shi Hui Shi. At the time of writing, George had not yet finished the Cantonese-style menu, but we are promised an umami-filled offering with loads of old-school favourites given a modern twist.

Another big-name Melbourne chef who has taken digs down the pointy end of the Peninsula is Scott Pickett. He has a house near the newly re-opened Continental Hotel, a venture in which he is heavily involved. “When we first started work on the ‘Conti’, we wanted to make sure there was somewhere in this beautiful old hotel for everyone,” he says referring to the four-story 1875 pub. It was built by George Coppin, who also ran the steamships that bought visitors down the bay from Melbourne in the 1800s. He connected the ferry to the hotel with a tramway. In the 1880s Sorrento was a thriving place for Melbourne’s well-to-do leisure seekers. The historic building recently underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment.

This includes 106 five-star rooms, now managed by the Intercontinental Hotel. Scott worked with property developer The Trenerry Group and Melbourne pub guru Craig Shearer to take on the food and beverage offer that extends to 12 different outlets within the expansive hotel. “I wanted to have an exceptional seafood restaurant but also make sure I could still have a place to go with my mates after a day fishing,” he says.

Downstairs in the public bar you can order pub dishes such as perfect fish and chips and Thai curries while in the expansive Atrium, there are more sophisticated dishes straight from the wood-fired Josper grill in the Atrium. Upstairs is the luxurious Audrey’s, a light-filled dining room looking out over the bay where you can enjoy the luxury of a lobster and caviar tartlet, then a nibble of eel with malt glaze or cured kingfish ham on a rye crisp washed down with a glass of premier crus blanc de blanc Champagne. “Sorrento has always been a place for leisure and holidaymakers,” says Pickett. “With this re-development and others around Sorrento, this beautiful town is regaining the glamour it had in its heyday.”

We wish to acknowledge the Bunurong people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

The Continental launches stunning new accommodation options

Built by 1800s businessman and comic performer George Coppin, the four-story building was hewn from local rock and has been a local institution for locals and visitors for generations.

The latest addition to the multimillion dollar makeover of ‘The Continental’ is a Victorian era inspired seaside resort from architecture studio Woods Bagot.

The accommodation options include an array of luxuriously appointed rooms or one-and-two-bedroom suites, located either in the original 1875 limestone building or within the recently added wing. High-end penthouses will be made available by the end of 2022.

Guests will have access to the Mediterranean-style poolside deck, replete with cabanas, poolside chaises and a view across Port Phillip Bay. For those with a little more energy, there is a fully-fitted gym with 24-hour access.

Chef Scott Pickett and his team are looking after food and beverage across the different bars, restaurants, and room service. Spend the day at the beach, fishing or exploring Point Nepean then head to the public bar in your board shorts for a beer. Or you could dress up and head upstairs to Audrey.

This is a beautiful upmarket restaurant with velvet banquettes, bespoke hand-woven carpets and exquisite commissioned still-life floral photographs by a Japanese photographer. The room looks out over the palm trees, the Sorrento ferry jetty and across the azure blue waters of Port Phillip.

The set menu is seafood focused with little dishes of spanner crab in rich pastry tartlets, a crumpet topped with creamy whipped cod roe, oysters, yellowfin tuna, and local line-caught squid. The brand new rooms offer five-star luxury including top-of-the-range two-level penthouse suites offering a private rooftop terrace, private plunge pool, and separate lounge and dining area.


THE DETAILS

WHAT: InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula
WHEN: Open Now
WHERE: 23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento
MORE INFO: Accommodation bookings.

We wish to acknowledge the Bunurong people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.