Cape Schanck Lighthouse

The basics

The Cape Schanck Lighthouse precinct includes the lighthouse itself, a museum, and the home where the lighthouse keeper used to live, but tours run only occasionally. Many travelers simply walk the boardwalk with spectacular ocean views or the 1.5-mile (2.5-kilometer) Bushrangers Bay Track. Cape Schanck is also a great place to spot dolphins while migrating whales pass through during Australia’s winter. A few Mornington Peninsula tours include a stop for a walk at Cape Schanck, but many travelers visit independently.

Things to know before you go

• Cape Schanck Lighthouse is an excellent choice for photographers, hikers, and nature lovers.

• The nature reserve is free to enter, but you must pay to join a lighthouse tour.

• The site has picnic tables and bathrooms but no drinking water or stores.

• High waves and rip currents make the beaches unsafe for swimming.

• The Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve has a wheelchair-accessible bathroom. There is step-free access to the picnic tables, the museum, and two lookouts: paths are smooth but have some inclines.

How to get there

The Cape Schanck Lighthouse sits on the southeastern corner of the Mornington Peninsula, about a 65-mile (105-kilometer) drive south of Melbourne. There’s no public transit, so your only way to get here is to drive or join a tour.

When to get there

The Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve is open daily from 6am–6pm. To enter the lighthouse and museum, check their Facebook page for upcoming tours, which run on some weekends.

Getting back to nature in the Mornington Peninsula

Most travelers visit the Mornington Peninsula for its spectacular produce, from wineries, breweries, and distilleries to cheese and chocolate makers. But wildlife-spotting opportunities extend from koalas on French Island to swimming with dolphins from Sorrento. At the same time, Point Nepean National Park offers military history and rugged landscapes on a single day out.