Rosebud

Fondly called "The Peninsula" by most Melburnians, Mornington boasts numerous tourist spots and many of these are situated on its western and northern end. These include Portsea, Dromana, Sorrento, McCrae, and Rosebud, a resort town by the sea which happens to be very popular among tourists owing to its shallow waters and sandy beaches.

Rosebud is actually one of several suburbs making up the locality of Arthur’s Seat, considered as the highest peak in Mornington Peninsula. The other suburbs include McCrae, Dromana, Main Ridge, and Red Hill, the tiny rural community famous for its abundant vineyards and orchid galleries amidst a backdrop of gentle rolling slopes.

Rosebud, however, is acknowledged as the second biggest town in the entire peninsula and is strategically placed between two historic Victorian sites, namely, Arthur’s Seat and Port Philip Bay. Originally called Banksia Point, the town started out in 1850 as a small fishing village and derived its name from a cargo vessel that got washed over to the sandy beach of the town sometime in 1855.

Commercial growth was slow for Rosebud as it previously had no road access to more urbanized areas like Melbourne. In 1888, however, the needed road was built via Arthur’s Seat set between the town and nearby Dromana. Two centuries later, camping became a popular endeavor on the shorelines of Rosebud, eventually reaching its peak after the war and sparking great curiosity in the potential of the town as a tourist haven.

In the 1960s, Rosebud became a fully developed town complete with numerous shopping areas amid completely paved highways and teeming with activities of various kinds. The sandy beaches, though, have remained, along with the shallow but crystal-clear waters of the nearby sea. These eye-friendly sights naturally attract tourists from all over the globe and are considered as landmarks in Rosebud.

Additionally, the town still enjoys immense popularity as a camping ground, with tourists known to set up camp during the hot summer months, enjoying the area that has been lined with tea trees, sheoal and banksias. Nearby places like Red Hill are also popular holiday destinations because of their many freshly produced goods like berries which tourists can sample at any of the numerous berry farms located in and around the area such as Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farms and Ellisfield.

Rosebud Plaza, the commercial centre of the town, plays host to several prominent retail stores like K-Mart, Target, Coles and Safeway so travelers need not really worry on where they can get the basic necessities in life while enjoying the many wonderful sights of Rosebud. A second shopping centre, the Rosebud Centro, can also be found nearby, just a few steps away from Rosebud Cinemas.