Mount Eliza is a bustling seaside village nestled between Frankston and Mornington. It is approximately 62kms and a 56 minute drive using the M1 or M3 freeways from Melbourne CBD. The town centre is known as Mount Eliza Village and is the main shopping area.
The coastline around Mount Eliza consists of jagged cliffs featuring scenic walking tracks above stretches of secluded sandy beaches in small bays and coves below. Access to most of the beaches along the coast is via residential streets which offer small car parks at their end points. Those residential streets feature upmarket dream homes and weekend retreats, many of which have spectacular views along the coast.
The attractive commercial centre of Mount Eliza is located about one kilometre inland along Mount Eliza Way and Canadian Bay Road, and features supermarkets and a number of specialty shops.
Median house price in Mount Eliza is $1,600,000.
Australian entrepreneur and aviator Sir Reginald Ansett called Mt Eliza home for years. He would travel from there to his city office by helicopter each day.
In 1928, the independent girls school Toorak College was built and is one of the oldest independent girls schools in Victoria.
Prior to large scale subdivision, Mount Eliza was mainly a location for holiday homes. This began to change in the early half of the 20th century when many old estates were subdivided. One such subdivision was Ranelagh Estate, designed by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin in 1924 in tandem with the surveyors Tuxen and Miller.
Mount Eliza Post Office opened on 15 November 1920.
The Mount Eliza Regional Park, accessed via Two Bays Road, incorporates the former Moorooduc Quarry and offers views across the surrounding plains. At the southern end of the park is a lake with picnic areas and a playground. The Mornington Tourist Railway, which offers steam train rides, has its Moorooduc station located adjacent to the Mount Eliza Regional Park.
There are several beaches and bays located in Mount Eliza, which include Canadian Bay, Daveys Bay, Half Moon Bay, Moondah Beach, Ranelagh Beach and Sunnyside North Beach.
Daveys Bay was named after James Davey who constructed a jetty in the 1840s to ship his produce to Melbourne. In 1909 the Daveys Bay Yacht Club was established, and winds its way to a walking track overlooking Mt Eliza Beach on the shores of Canadian Bay, which was named after three Canadians who owned a sawmill in the area.
Adjacent to Sunnyside beach sits a historical property Morning Star Estate which has also been in a number of films, including a three-month location shoot around the mansion for the movie Partisan, starring French actor Vincent Cassell occurred in 2013-2014. The mansion was the location for the Kath & Kim movie spin-off Kath & Kimderella.
The population of Mount Eliza is 18,734. (2021)
Coffee Safari
Freshly brewed coffee is a must-have for weekends. Here are a few places to check out when you’re in this beautiful part of the world.
Velos Mazeh Musette
76 Mount Eliza Way
Quaint, cool, quirky coffee shop with an owner brimming with character. Coffee is some of the best in town and made with passion and flair.
The Corner Pantry
1/70 Mountain View Road
Often referred to as a hidden gem, the perfect place to escape awaits, serving quality fare and coffee made by experts in a vibrant setting that aims to bring the community together.
Pop’s Cafe
34 Ranelagh Drive
Enjoy scrumptious breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a full bar menu. Relax in the sunny courtyard while friendly staff serve you a creamy latte and bacon benny any time of the day.
What to do
The coastline around Mount Eliza consists of jagged cliffs featuring scenic walking tracks above stretches of secluded sandy beaches in small bays and coves below. Access to most of the beaches along the coast is via residential streets which offer small car parks at their end points. Mount Eliza boasts cafes specialising in breakfast and lunches and some fantastic restaurants. Known for its upmarket dream homes and weekend retreats, you will find many Mount Eliza properties have spectacular coastal views.
Photos Yanni
