Arthurs Seat State Park – A Unique Bush Playground Near Melbourne

Away from the beloved beaches of the Mornington Peninsula, on Bunurong Country in Victoria, Arthurs Seat State Park is a little slice of bushland that offers something for every Explorer.

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the <insert name of Aboriginal group> people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview

With views of the beaches of Dromana and McCrae from the 314m summit, miles of trails, chairlifts, and even zip lines through the trees, Wonga / Arthurs Seat State Park is a pocket of the Mornington Peninsula that’s definitely worth exploring. There’s even a nice seat at the top where you can rest. Just don’t tell Arthur you took it.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

About Arthurs Seat State Park

Whether you want to soak up the serenity of its bush tracks and gardens or hurtle downhill on mountain bike trails, Arthurs Seat State Park, just a little over an hour from Melbourne, has something for trail runners, hikers, thrillseekers, and nature lovers of all kinds.

If you’re new to this part of the world, then it might seem counterintuitive to drive down the Mornington Peninsula (a well-known beach destination) only to head inland and away from the water. But once you start that climb, you’ll get it.

Arthurs Seat State Park History

Wonga / Arthurs Seat is on the land of the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation and has been an important meeting place long before European settlers arrived. The modern name of Arthurs Seat was given by John Murray, who sailed into Port Phillip Bay in 1802, and thought the hilly region resembled Arthur’s Seat in his native Edinburgh.

Throughout the park, you’ll find commemorative plaques and cairns telling the history of Arthurs Seat. The most noticeable is the Matthew Flinders Cairn, commemorating the first recorded climb of Arthurs Seat by a European.

How to Get to Arthurs Seat State Park

By Car

From Melbourne CBD, head south, and take the Mornington Peninsula Freeway all the way down to Dromana. Once you see the signs, turn off onto Arthurs Seat Road and begin the climb.

This drive takes around 1-1.5 hours depending on whether you take the toll roads or not, and is always busier in summer.

By Public Transport

Public transport on the Mornington Peninsula is notoriously fickle. So if you’ve chosen this option, then you’re not in for a short trip, but it is doable.

Catch the train to Frankston and then look out for the 788 or 887 bus from the station. Grab the 887 if you can, because it’ll run you straight down the Peninsula Link without stopping, and take half the time.

After this two hour journey, get out at the Information Centre in Dromana. From here, you’ll have to shoulder your pack and walk around 2.5km to the base of Wonga / Arthurs Seat. You can either get onto the Two Bays Walking Trail or catch a gondola up to the summit from there.

Where to Stay at Arthurs Seat State Park

One of the best places to camp in the Arthurs Seat State Park vicinity has to be the Lightwood Creek Camping Area on the Two Bays Walking Trail. The sites are free, and although bookings aren’t required, campers are advised to call Parks Victoria to check availability. This is a walk-in campground, so be prepared to shoulder your pack and bring in everything you need with you.

If you’re visiting between October and April and willing to plan ahead, then why not try for the Rosebud and McCrae Foreshore Camping Area? It’s one of Victoria’s most popular camping spots, and every year families move down for the summer, so you’ll need to secure your booking if you plan to stay here.

For those looking for a little more luxury, you’ll find ample hotels, motels, B&Bs, and fancy resorts to stay at both in and around Arthurs Seat State Park and throughout the Mornington Peninsula.

Where to Eat in Arthurs Seat State Park

If you want to eat without leaving Arthurs Seat, then you’ll find BBQs and picnic tables around the summit for a BYO picnic. The old cafe is closed, but the Arthurs Seat Eagle cafe promises ‘real Aussie’ fare, including meat pies and chips.

At the foot of Arthurs Seat, Dromana will give you plenty of options for takeaway, eating in or self-catering. For fine dining, and a cellar door with views, there’s Main Ridge Estate. If you want the best coffee to fuel your Arthurs Seat adventure, then head to Laneway Espresso in Dromana.

Things to Do in Arthurs Seat State Park

• Spot the city or gaze at Port Phillip Bay from one of the many lookouts
• Mountain bike over 20km of trails
• Head out on the hiking trails
• Go for a run with friends or sign yourself up for the gruelling Two Bays Trail Run
• Take to the trails at a slower pace and spot some wildlife
• Get lost in the maze or try tree surfing at Enchanted Adventure

Essential Gear for Arthurs Seat State Park

Your packing list will depend on the adventures you want to do. It’s a year-round destination so sunscreen and bathers (for the nearby beaches) will be needed in summer, with beanies and boots needed for winter.

At a minimum, you’ll want:

• Comfy shoes for all that walking
• Water and snacks
• A phone or camera
• First aid kit

Read more: Day Hike Packing List

What it’s Like to Visit Arthurs Seat State Park

Hiking in Arthurs Seat State Park

Tear yourself away from the views at the main Arthurs Seat Lookout (I promise, there’ll be more) and head out on one of the walking tracks, leaving the hub of activity at the summit lookouts behind.

The 26km Two Bays Walking Track runs between Dromana and Cape Schanck, and can be joined from a number of points within Arthurs Seat State Park.

If you find yourself on it, you’ll be treated to varied scenery. Close to the summit, the paths all hug the clifftops, while the Two Bays Walking Track meanders away into the forest. Amongst the dry, rattling casuarinas, the trail is well-trodden.

In this section, it’s mainly granitic sand and mud, cut by some stone steps. Follow the trail markers with the blue wren to stay on the track.

Groups go by with their coffee cups or picnics, making their way to the many lookouts, but as you leave those sea-glimpses behind you might find yourself wandering silent paths alone, the call and response of bellbirds your only company as the trail rises up to grassy woodland areas, or dips into green and shady gullies. 

A banksia might remind you of the sandy soil below, and you’ll round a bend, sunlight glinting off water through the trees ahead. 

The trail continues to twist and turn and rise and dive. It’s far from straight uphill one way and straight downhill the other, until, suddenly, it is. You’ll cover 621m of elevation gain if you take the whole trail, and your calf muscles will know it!

Wildlife in Arthurs Seat State Park

A wattlebird and a noisy miner watch me eat. A currawong regards me as I huff and puff my way along the trail. Kookaburras chorus on the distant hillsides.

Read more: Why Birdwatching Will Improve Your Next Adventure

Arthurs Seat State Park is home to Southern brown bandicoots, koalas, Lace monitors, and Wedge-tailed eagles. Several years ago a community campaign successfully protected Wonga / Arthurs Seat from a proposed 94 acre quarry development, meaning the remnant bushland could remain an essential wildlife corridor for the region.

If you’re heading up to Arthurs Seat State Park to watch the sunset, then you’ll want to be in the grassy open areas of Seawinds Garden at dusk when the mobs of Eastern grey kangaroos come out. Just remember to watch out for those same roos on the road if you’re driving in or out in the afternoon or evening.

Mountain Biking in Arthurs Seat State Park

If mountain biking is your thing, then you’ll soon be shredding gnarly descents (or whatever it is you mountain bikers do) on over 20km of trails.

The Arthurs Seat Road car park (called Arthurs Seat MTB Park South Entrance on Google Maps) will give you access to a number of easy, enjoyable trails, including Loop Trail, Wonga, and Slippery Gypsy.

For those searching out a black run, head to the Boundary Road car park at the Hillview Community Reserve in Dromana at the base of Wonga / Arthurs Seat. Here you’ll find toilets, drinking water, a bike maintenance station, and challenging trails like the competition-level Gunn Barrel.

More trailheads can be found at the Seawinds Gardens car park.

Read more: How to Learn to Mountain Bike Without Breaking Yourself

Take to the tracks on two wheels… or one. As I wandered into the car park to stroll one of the popular sections of trails on a sunny afternoon, a friendly mountain biker nodded in greeting, and I realised half his bike was missing. Mountain biking on a unicycle. Apparently it’s a thing.

Trail Running in Arthurs Seat State Park

For the trail runners, the Two Bays Trail Run offers two distances. There’s the 28km run that cuts across the Mornington Peninsula from Dromana to Cape Schanck, or the 56km ultramarathon between Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, for those who just can’t get enough of the trail.

Other Activities in Arthurs Seat State Park

For incredible views over Port Phillip Bay, catch the Arthurs Seat Eagle to the summit.

This is a much snazzier version of the old Arthurs Seat Chairlift that operated between 1960 and 2006, when it was closed due to… well, some unfortunate safety issues. But don’t let that put you off. The new gondola has been operating safely since 2016.

You can catch the Arthurs Seat Eagle one-way from the base or the summit, or book a return trip if you’re using this as your main way up and down Wonga / Arthurs Seat. Mountain bikers also have the option to purchase a half or full-day pass.

Still within Arthurs Seat State Park, and less than a kilometre from the summit car park, you’ll find Enchanted Adventure, with fun for the whole family.

Try your skill in the giant hedge maze, race down the tube slides or have a go at tree surfing – a two-hour high ropes course adventure set amongst the trees with zip lines back to the ground.  

Tips for Visiting Arthurs Seat State Park

• Summer will always be busier for a destination like this, but that’s no reason not to visit
• Plan (and book) well ahead if you want to stay locally, and to take all the gear you need for your favourite activities

Arthurs Seat State Park FAQs

How long is the Arthur Seat ride?

The Arthurs Seat Eagle, which is the gondola to the top of Arthurs Seat near Melbourne, is a 14-minute ride.

How much does it cost to go on Arthurs Seat?

The gondola ride to the top of Arthurs Seat, AKA the Arthurs Seat Eagle, costs $22.50 for an adult one way or $29 for a return ride. For kids it costs $15 one way and $19 return.

Looking for more adventures close to Melbourne?

• Explorer’s Guide to Yarra Valley & the Dandenong Ranges
• You Yangs Regional Park Guide
• Bikepacking French Island
• The Bass Coast is Victoria’s Most Underrated Coastline