The Cape Schanck Walk is the most beautiful hike I’ve done in Victoria. Just over an hour’s drive south of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula, Cape Schanck is perfect as a day trip from Melbourne.

It’s also one of the easiest hikes I’ve done. I can’t find anywhere online that has the length of the boardwalk trail but I’d guess it’s less than 2 kilometres. It’s rare to find a walking trail that rewards you with such stunning natural beauty for so little effort!

There are several coastal walks and hikes around Cape Schanck, and in the rest of Mornington Peninsula National Park. This one is probably the shortest but must surely be one of the most rewarding – I haven’t seen anywhere like it in Australia.

The Cape Schanck Walk

I’d recommend allowing an hour for the walk if you’re going to take photos – the scenery changes around every corner and it’s so diverse and beautiful, I found myself stopping constantly. It’s a short walk, but it is steep. Half of the trail has stairs, the other half is a steep dirt track.

Stop in at Mornington for lunch on the way back to Melbourne, or for more stunning scenery drop past Safety Beach in Dromana on the way home.

Arthurs Seat Eagle 

On our way back from Cape Schanck, we stopped briefly by the Arthurs Seat Lookout, which is one of the most popular attractions on the Mornington Peninsula. The view is very beautiful, and I imagine even better from the gondolas zipping up and down the hillside.

Murrays Lookout

There are a few other lookouts along Arthurs Seat Road, such as Franklin Lookout and Murrays Lookout. The lookout has beautiful views over Rosebud and Port Phillip Bay.

Have you been to the Mornington Peninsula? What are your favourite things to do in the area?