Mount Martha and Mornington holiday homes

Mount Martha and Mornington are about an hour's drive from the Melbourne CBD, which makes them the easiest part of the Peninsula for a Friday night arrival. Mount Eliza sits just to the north and is a little closer again. All three face Port Phillip Bay, so the beaches are calm, and many homes on the hills look straight across the water to the city skyline.

Mornington has the biggest main street on the Peninsula, with cafes, restaurants and shops, a Wednesday street market and a pier that is good for an evening walk. Mount Martha is quieter, with a small village, colourful beach boxes along its beaches, and the boardwalk around the Balcombe Estuary.

The Briars in Mount Martha has walking trails and a wildlife sanctuary that kids enjoy. Red Hill wineries and Peninsula Hot Springs are each about 20 to 30 minutes' drive. Arthurs Seat is close, with the chairlift and lookouts over the bay.

Being close to Melbourne, this end of the Peninsula is good all year: beach days in summer, and in winter a home with a fireplace or an indoor pool. It is also the easiest place to stay for a short break or a midweek escape.

Mount Martha is where we look after the most homes. They range from three-bedroom houses for a family to seven-bedroom homes that sleep 14, many with pools, spas, saunas and bay views. Use the grid below to see them all.