Mount Eliza

Pioneer Mornington Peninsula settler James Davy might have been a cattleman first and foremost, but he also enjoyed the finer things in life. When the time came to house the family he built on a rock commanding 180 degree views over Port Phillip Bay.

Many of the affluent Melbournians who have trailed Davy to the attractive seaside town of Mount Eliza have followed his lead by building dream homes and weekenders on the cliff top overlooking Canadian Bay.

Today Mount Eliza remains an upmarket residential beachside area serviced by specialty shops. The Canadian Bay walk offers gentle exercise spiced with fine views, while you can stop and smell the roses and take Devonshire tea at Lintons gardens.

Mount Eliza, which is in comfortable range of the chain of Mornington vineyards, was catapulted to silver screen fame in the late 1950s when Hollywood superstars Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire strutted their stuff on location for the Stanley Kramer film version of the Neville Shute novel On The Beach.