The Yurt by the Sea

Eventually the yellow fields by the highway leading from Melbourne turned to ocean. On this coastline, the water sits flat and blue beside the road as you pass the quiet seaside towns. Tootgarook, our destination, is one of these, a small suburb of sleepy streets no matter the time of day.

A gated path leads you to the secluded yurt, surrounded by an orange tree, water features and a garden. It feels like magic when you lower your head through the small door and are greeted by an open room of white fabric, floorboards, intricate wooden rafters and walls of lattice—all the features of a traditional Mongolian yurt. The weather was rough during our stay with the sound of wind and rain hitting the fabric, but there were no complaints, this only emphasised the feeling of a cozy retreat the yurt gives! It made it a genuine challenge to venture outside away from the huge bed, but with the beautiful beaches and national park surrounding, we pushed ourselves to find the motivation to explore. This traditional yurt (all of it’s parts are actually from Mongolia) has all the modern amenities including a heater, a beautiful bathroom just outside as well as a kitchen, bbq, coffee machine and dining table. Plus there’s a herb garden with surplus parsley and rosemary.
...

Things We Did

  • Food & Drink
  • Beach
  • Walk
  • Lookout
Our go-to place for coffee and breakfast and it’s only a short drive from the yurt. With an interior of boutique furniture and large windows right across from the beach it’s a beautiful way to start the day....
  • Photo 1 for undefined
  • Photo 2 for undefined
  • Photo 3 for undefined
    Just down the end of the street the Tootgarook beach is a calm spot perfect for a seaside picnic....
    The boardwalk is just left of the lighthouse and its stairs lead down the colourful cliffs to the rocky beaches below. This coast is beautiful in all weather and the boardwalk offers the most amazing views....
    • Photo 1 for undefined
    • Photo 2 for undefined
      Located in the Mornington Peninsula National Park the walking track to this beach leads through a mix of tall trees and low-lying scrubland. This is the rougher side of the coastline, but it’s a beautiful spot covered in walking tracks of varying difficulty....
      A twenty-minute drive from the yurt this lighthouse is a must visit, but if you want to go inside know it’s only open on weekends. It’s also surrounded by coastal walking tracks you could spend a whole day exploring....

      Our Adventure Map

      Where we stayed
      Things we did

      We've plotted our adventure on the map below. Select the map icons to discover more details.


      Share The Love

      Add this story to your bucket list or gift it to someone you think deserves it!

      Gift this

      Book Our Adventure

      Book through this story to receive our itinerary and extra tips to help you live your adventure to the fullest.

      What are Riparide Stories?

      Riparide Stories are authentic experiences shared by real travelers (who are handy with a camera). It's like reading your best friend's travel journal - packed with photos, honest reviews and visual itineraries.