Situated on the wild ocean beaches of the Mornington Peninsula, and taking in some natural bushland, the Mornington Peninsula National Park includes London Bridge, Portsea, Sorento and Rye Ocean Beaches, Gunamatta,Cape Schanck, Flinders and Fingal Reserve.
London Bridge
London Bridge provides a great ocean vista and a view of the arched rocked formation. There is one disabled parking bay adjacent to the pedestrian crossing. It is 3.3 metres wide and has the width of the pedestrian crossing for loading and unloading.
The path to the lookout is sealed. The first 40 metres to the top of the cliff has a gradient of approximately 1 in 10. The path then runs along the cliff top and is relatively flat. The final 50 metres to the London Bridge lookout drops away with a gradient of approximately 1 in 8.
There is a path to the beach from the London Bridge Car Park but it is extremely steep with a gradient of approximately 1 in 4. There are no steps but a series of 3 inch wash boards for erosion protection. The path is sealed. There is a lookout point before the path drops away to the beach.
Two accessible toilet facilities are provided. Both have full side and rear grab bars, ample maneuvering room and baby change facilities. The toilet set height is 420 millimetres with wheelchair space beside the toilet. The door is a swing door that opens outward with a vertical “D” type handle. There is a rotating internal lock with a wing handle. The hand basin is on the outside of the building.
Portsea Ocean Beach
Middle Car Park
The middle car park has one 4 metre wide bay at the top end of the parking area.
Accessible toilet facilities are available.
Male and female accessible cubicles are provide within the respective toilet blocks. There is no hand basin within the cubicles. Toilet seat height is 420 millimetres. There is wheelchair space beside the toilet and side and rear grab bars are fitted. The cubicle door is fitted with an internal lock which is a rotating type with wing handle. An accessible shower facility is also available near the toilet block.
Beach access is via the steep access road to the lifesaving club. The cliffs are high here and it is a long way down to the beach below.
Lower Car Park
The lower car park has one designated disabled parking bay, 3.3 metres wide, adjacent to toilet.
The toilet contains a disabled room. The toilet height is 420 millimetres and has space for a wheelchair beside the toilet. There are side and rear grab bars. The toilet sits 300 millimetres out from the rear wall. The flush is on the rear wall and is a rotating type switch with a vertical raised strip as the handle. The hand basin has clear space beneath it and has no exposed hot water pipes.
Beach access is also available here but only via a stepped path.
A paved area adjacent to the car park area does provide a good lookout over Bass Strait.
A link path joins the middle and lower car parks but it is steep.
Upper Car Park
The best observation point at the Portsea Ocean Beach is from the upper car park. Two 2.4 metre wide bays are designated disabled parking. There is one at either end of the car park facing the ocean. The path along the ocean side of the car park is flat and compacted fine gravel giving great views.
There is no beach access from the Upper Car park.
No toilet facilities are available in the upper car park and the link path to the middle car park facilities is steep with gradients in excess of 1 in 10.
Observation Car Park
The Observation Car Park has one 3.3 metre wide disabled parking space. There are no facilities in this car park and no beach access.
Sorrento Ocean Beach
The Sorrento Ocean beach is the best place to gain access to the beach in the Mornington Peninsula National Park. There good views over Bass Straight from the car park and cafe.
Adjacent to the cafe is a short, 40 metre, access ramp to the beach. Its slope is approximately 1 in 12 for the first 14 metres then 1 in 14 for the remainder. The ramp ends with the soft fine sand of the beach.
There is a 4.0 metre wide disabled parking bay next to Cafe and another 3.6 metre wide bay next to the changing rooms. The changing rooms contain one accessible unisex cubicle. There is good maneuvering room within the cubicle and bars at the side and rear of the toilet. There is space beside the toilet for a wheelchair. The flush is operated by two large recessed buttons on the rear wall just above the grab rail. The hand basin has clear space beneath it and no exposed hot water pipes. The internal door lock is a rotating type with wing handle.
The Sorrento Ocean beach is good for a longer duration stay or a full day trip.
The cafe is accessible and has one outdoor accessible table.
There is a second picnic area in the lower car park. The lower car park has two designated disabled parking bays either side of the entry to the picnic area. The picnic area has two square picnic tables with a roll under side for wheelchair visitors. BBQs are also available.
Rye Ocean Beach
The Rye Ocean Beach gives a great view of Bass Strait but provides only stepped access to the beach below. There are two 2.4 metre designated disabled parking bays either side of the observation deck.
The observation deck is timber and fully accessible.
An accessible toilet block is located at the rear of the main car park. Access is via a crushed fine gravel path from the main Car park or from a gravel path from the gravel Car park at the toilet block.
Accessible cubicles available in the male and female toilet blocks. There is no hand basin within the cubicle. The toilet is fitted with side and rear handrails. There is space for a wheelchair beside the toilet and the seat height is 420 millimetres. The toilet is 400 millimetres out from the rear wall which may be an issue for people with little trunk control. The flush is located on the rear wall 400 millimetres above the rear grab rail and is a rotating type with a small raising vertical handle.
Gunnamatta
Gunnamatta has two separate car park areas, first and the lifesaving club. Neither of these car parks have ramped access to the beach only a long set of stairs from the top of the Dune.
1st Car Park
Two 3.6 metre wide designated parking are available either side of the access way to the beach. Both have additional loading space beside them.
Access to the top of the dune and the timber observation deck is via a gravel/sand path. It is relatively steep at approximately a 1 in 12 gradient. The observation deck gives good views over the ocean and is large and level. Access to the beach is via a long set of wooden steps.
Adjacent to the disabled parking bays is an accessible toilet/change room. The room is large inside and divided into two sections. The toilet is inside an inner room. It is equipped with side and rear grab bars and has a seat height of 420 millimetres. There is space for a wheelchair beside the toilet. The toilet is set 300 millimetres forward of the rear wall. The flush is operated by two large flush mounted buttons on the rear wall 400 millimetres above the rear grab rail. There is waste disposal bin within the room. The outer room has a hand basin with clear space under it and no exposed hot water pipes. The tap is a rotating type with a fluted handle.
2nd Car Park
At the lifesaving car park there are no designated disabled parking bays.
The car park has an accessible toilet/change room identical to the one at first car park.
The path to the observation deck and beach steps here is steeper and is more sandy and softer making the first car park the better choice.
Cape Schanck
Cape Schanck offers some great coastal vistas that are accessible as well as the history of the old lighthouse grounds and museum.
Parking
The car park has three designated disabled parking bays adjacent to the pedestrian crossing. Each bay is 3.7 metres wide. The bays give direct access to the walking trails and the ticket office souvenir shop.
Walking Trails
There are two walking track alternatives. To the right of the ticket office is the path leading to the boardwalk to Pebble Beach. This is the longer of the two trails being 350 metres to the lookout over the boardwalk. It is also the steepest with sections of the path reaching an approximate gradient of 1 in 10. It is all downhill from the car park making it a long uphill walk out. There is a good lighthouse viewing point 50 metres from the ticket office, before the path starts its steeper descent.
The path to the Eastern Lookout is shorter at 170 metres with a manageable gradient of approximately 1 in 14 at its maximum. The lookout provides stunning ocean scenery towards Flinders.
There is a path linking the Eastern lookout and the boardwalk lookout but it is narrow and stepped making the round loop not accessible.
Toilet Facilities
Accessible toilet facilities are available adjacent to the car park. It is a large unisex facility that includes a baby changing facility. The toilet is equipped with grab rails on the side and rear.
The seat height is 420 millimetres. There is room for a wheelchair beside the toilet. The flush buttons are large recessed buttons located on the rear wall just above the grab rail. The hand basin has clear space underneath it with no exposed hot water pipes. The tap is a rotating type with a round fluted handle. There is a rubbish bin within the cubicle.
Picnic Facilities
4 picnic tables with a roll under side are available in two locations around the carpark. These tables allow wheelchair users to sit front facing at the tables or allow those needing back support to bring their own chairs.
Lighthouse Grounds.
The lighthouse grounds are accessible by purchasing an entry fee from the ticket office.
There are two types of ticket, entry to the grounds and museum and a full tour which includes the lighthouse.
The path is hard earth and there is a wide entry gate next to the turnstile which will be opened if required. Once in the grounds there is a good concrete path that leads to the museum, the lighthouse and the lighthouse lookout, the latter giving perhaps the best ocean view in the park.
The museum door is standard door width but it has level entry from the outside paving. Inside the museum there is plenty of room to view the exhibits.
The lighthouse has a narrow door and a narrow staircase inside leading up to the deck and light. The area around the light is concrete paved given an excellent view of the building from ground level.
The path to the lookout leads from the lighthouse and is concrete and level. The observation deck is also concrete and a large flat area giving excellent views across to the Cape.
There is a picnic area within the lighthouse grounds that is equipped with 2 accessible picnic tables with roll under sides.
Fingal Picnic Area
The Fingal picnic area offers a secluded and sheltered spot for a day out away from the Ocean.
There are no designated disabled parking spaces within the area, however, parking is available adjacent to the smaller areas and adjacent to the main area and toilet block. Care needs to be taken when parking if loading space is required as all parking is undefined. The parking area is crushed gravel.
Two formed gravel paths lead to the toilet block at the main area. Both of these paths are a fine compacted gravel.
Within the male and female sections there is an accessible cubicle. There is ample maneuvering space within the cubicle and clear space beside the toilet. There is only one side grab bar. The seat height is 420 millimetres and the flush buttons are located on the rear wall at 1.2 metres above ground level. They are large non recessed buttons that require little effort to operate.
All of the picnic tables are the square design with one open side allowing wheelchair users to roll under the table. The main picnic area is level but the surface is natural and can be a little uneven. There is an electric BBQ with a working height of 900 millimetres that is operated with a flush, small, push button. It is located under a shelter and has a large concrete surround.
There is a large grassed area to the north of the main picnic ground. It is accessed via a level earth path making it accessible for inclusive family fun.
Flinders
West Head
The West Head at Flinders offers great ocean views.
There is no designated disabled parking spaces. The car park is road base gravel.
The lookout is accessed via a 50 metre level earthen path from the car park. The lookout platform is raised and is only accessible via three wooden steps at the eastern end or five at the western end. Adjacent to the wooden platform is a small ground level observation area that looks out over the Flinders
Ocean Beach and Mushroom Reef.
Beach access from the West Head is only available vis a steep set of steps.
Ocean Beach Car Park.
Two car parks are available at the Ocean Beach. From an accessibility standpoint the lower car park affords greater opportunities. At the far end of the car park there are two accessible picnic tables. The path to the tables from the car park is flat but consists of some soft sand. The tables are located on a level area of well grassed sand.
Access to the beach and the rocks of Mushroom Reef requires a step of the grassed area onto the beach. The drop is approximately 30 centimetres. There is a short section of soft sand before the hard sand of the beach. Good hard sand walking is available at low tide.
There are no accessible toilet facilities at the Flinders Ocean Beach or West Head. The nearest facilities are in the Flinders Town Centre.
Other Sites with Limited Facilities
Bushrangers Bay Picnic Area
There is a small gravel parking area with no designated disabled parking. This a small level grass picnic area with some shade trees. It has 3 tables of the square design with fixed bench seating on three sides and the fourth open to allow wheelchair users to roll under the table.
There are no toilets or water available.
Main Creek Picnic Area
There is a small gravel parking area with no designated disabled parking. This a small level grass picnic area with some shade trees and an open play area. It has 2 tables of the square design with fixed bench seating on three sides and the fourth open to allow wheelchair users to roll under the table.
There are no toilets or water available.
Baldrys Crossing Picnic Area
There is a small asphalt parking area with no designated disabled parking. This a small level grass picnic area with some shade trees and an open play area. It has 3 tables of the square design with fixed bench seating on three sides and the fourth open to allow wheelchair users to roll under the table.
There are no toilets or water available.
St Andrews Beach
St Andrews has a sealed carpark with no designated disabled parking spaces. There are toilets or beach access but there are good ocean views from the car park.
Koonya Ocean Beach
Koonya Ocean Beach has a sealed carpark with no designated disabled parking spaces. There are toilets or beach access but there are good ocean views from the car park. There is a lookout which is accessed via a short gravel path. The surface is hard packed fine gravel.
