Mornington, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MorningtonMelbourne, Victoria |
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View over Mills Beach in Mornington
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 Mornington
Location in Melbourne
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| Population | 25,759 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 1,908/km2 (4,940/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1850 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3931 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 13.5 km2 (5.2 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Mornington Peninsula | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Mornington | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Flinders | ||||||||||||||
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Mornington is a lovely seaside town in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It's located on the Mornington Peninsula, about 57 kilometers (35 miles) south-east of Melbourne's city center. It's the biggest town in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula area. In 2021, about 25,759 people lived in Mornington.
Mornington is a popular place for visitors. It's known for its beautiful bay beaches and local wineries. The main part of town stretches right down to the beach, which is a great spot for fun and relaxation.
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A Look Back in Time: Mornington's Story
Long ago, the Boonwurrung Indigenous people lived in the Mornington area. The first European settlers arrived in the 1840s. They came for fishing, cutting down trees, and farming.
In 1858, a 46-meter-long pier was built. This pier became a very important link for the Mornington Peninsula, connecting it with Melbourne. The town was first called Schnapper (or Snapper) Point. But in 1864, it was renamed Mornington. This new name honored the second Earl of Mornington.
The Courthouse was built in 1861, and the Post Office followed in 1863. The Grand Hotel opened in 1892. It was first a "Grand Coffee Palace" and didn't serve alcohol. People from Melbourne started visiting Mornington on steamers from the 1860s, making it a popular holiday spot.
The Mornington Railway line opened in 1889. This connected the town directly to Melbourne. However, the railway line closed in 1981.
Who Lives in Mornington?
In the 2016 Census, there were 23,989 people living in Mornington. Most people, about 72%, were born in Australia. Other common places of birth included England (9.8%) and New Zealand (1.7%). Most people (89.3%) spoke only English at home.
Fun Outdoors: Parks and Beaches
The main town area leads right to the foreshore and local beach. Here, you'll find a yacht club, a restaurant, and a park with playground equipment. It's a perfect place for families to enjoy the outdoors.
Mornington's Culture and Activities
Mornington is a great place for shopping. It also has many excellent restaurants and cafes. In the northern part of Mornington, you'll find several horse breeders and stables. The town has a library and many parks, gardens, and old buildings. Some of these historic places are open for everyone to visit.
Mornington also hosts several yearly festivals. Every Wednesday, a market day is held on the main street. This market attracts hundreds of people.
Art and Gardens
The Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery opened in 1971. It's the main art gallery for the whole region. The gallery hosts many big art shows, like the famous Archibald Prize in 2013. Around the gallery, you can explore several parks and the beautiful Mornington Botanical Rose Gardens.
Learning in Mornington: Schools
Mornington has several schools for students. These include Mornington Primary School, Mornington Secondary College, Mornington Park Primary School, St. Macartan's Parish Primary School, and Benton Junior College.
Getting Around Mornington
Mornington is served by three main roads: Peninsula Link (Mornington Peninsula Freeway), Nepean Highway, and Moorooduc Highway. These are all dual-lane roads with speed limits from 80 to 100 kilometers per hour. Several Melbourne bus routes also serve the area, including routes 781, 784, 785, and 788.
The Mornington railway line closed in 1981. However, it reopened in 1991 as the heritage Mornington Railway. The goal is to restore the line for future use.
Sports in Mornington
Mornington has an Australian Rules football team called the Mornington Bulldogs. They play in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.
The town also has a horse racing club, the Mornington Racing Club. They hold about twenty race meetings each year, including the Mornington Cup in March. The Mornington Racecourse also hosts the Peninsula Cup in November and monthly markets.
Mornington has an active Yacht Club, the Mornington Yacht Club, located at Schnapper Point. Golfers can play at the Mornington Country Golf Club on Tallis Drive.
There's also a Field Hockey club in Mornington, known as the Mornington Peninsula Falcons. They compete in the Hockey Victoria Association.
Terri Sawyer, who was 18 years old, won the first ever AUSCAR race in Melbourne in 1988. She lives in Mornington.
Mornington's Weather
Mornington has an oceanic climate (which means it's like a mild coastal climate). Summers are warm and sometimes hot. Winters are mild, and it's very rare for temperatures to drop below freezing.
| Climate data for Mornington | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 40.2 (104.4) |
41.6 (106.9) |
37.4 (99.3) |
30.7 (87.3) |
25.7 (78.3) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
26.1 (79.0) |
29.4 (84.9) |
35.1 (95.2) |
38.7 (101.7) |
41.6 (106.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.0 (77.0) |
25.0 (77.0) |
23.3 (73.9) |
19.4 (66.9) |
16.2 (61.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
13.8 (56.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
18.9 (66.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) |
13.9 (57.0) |
12.9 (55.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
9.1 (48.4) |
7.2 (45.0) |
6.5 (43.7) |
6.9 (44.4) |
8.1 (46.6) |
9.5 (49.1) |
10.7 (51.3) |
12.1 (53.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.3 (45.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
3.8 (38.8) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
3.4 (38.1) |
4.5 (40.1) |
6.6 (43.9) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 44.1 (1.74) |
43.1 (1.70) |
49.4 (1.94) |
62.6 (2.46) |
70.2 (2.76) |
71.2 (2.80) |
69.0 (2.72) |
71.3 (2.81) |
71.8 (2.83) |
69.6 (2.74) |
60.1 (2.37) |
54.3 (2.14) |
736.7 (29.01) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) | 7.1 | 6.5 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 13.8 | 14.7 | 15.3 | 15.6 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 10.6 | 8.6 | 138.4 |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology | |||||||||||||
Famous People from Mornington
- Finola Moorhead
- Brodie Harper
- Terry Denton
Images for kids
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Mornington Mechanics Institute
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Mornington Grand Hotel
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Historic aerial photo of Mornington 1940 looking west
