Flinders is one of the Mornington Peninsula’s most charming villages, with a historic streetscape shaded by broad verandahs, excellent eateries, gourmet produce stores, boutique shops, galleries, antique outlets, a famous golf course and coastal walks. This pretty seaside village was first settled in 1854 and is named after the explorer Captain Matthew Flinders.
Flinders fronts onto the calm waters of Western Port in the west with a small yacht club and a 250m long pier popular for fishing. Monuments dedicated to George Bass and Matthew Flinders who were the first explorers in the area overlook the pretty sheltered beach and offer spectacular views across Western Port to Phillip Island. Many locals are regular players at the local Golf Club, an institution of more than 100 years that is perched on top of the cliffs. A badly aimed ball may just end up on the beach, but the extraordinary views and fresh sea air are significant compensation. Several accommodation options exist, including B&Bs and hotel-motel style accommodation.
On the southern side of West Head, the ocean breaks over the basalt rocks of Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary which is home to one of Victoria's best intertidal and subtidal rock platform reefs, popular for beachcombing, diving and snorkelling. It borders the Mornington Peninsula National Park that offers a rugged coastline of cliffs and ocean beaches from Flinders to Cape Schanck along its southern frontage onto Bass Strait. To the west of Flinders, just off Boneo Road, is The Blowhole which includes walking tracks along the rocky coastline and over huge basalt boulders.
Flinders is approximately a 1 hour 25-minute drive (100 kilometres) south of Melbourne.