Melbourne/Frankston

Beauty Park

Sandsculpting January 2009

Frankston Pier

Frankston Library Mural

Frankston Foreshore

Frankston Skate Park with PARC waterslides in background

Frankston is a city in Victoria, Australia.

Understand

Frankston is a town 40km from Melbourne on the edge of Port Phillip Bay often referred to as the "Gateway to the Mornington Peninsula". Frankston is where the electric train line terminates. If you are a backpacker heading to the Mornington Peninsula, French Island or Phillip Island chances are you're going to go through Frankston. It has a beautiful beach, vibrant street art, many restaurants, bars and shops.

Events

Frankston is home to several festivals;

• Waterfront Festival in January.
• Ventana Fiesta, a Latin American, Portuguese and Spanish festival in March.
• Big Picture Fest, a street art festival in March.
• Pets Day Out in October.
• Festival of Lights in late November.

A Sand Sculpting display runs from December to April.

Tourist Information

• 🌍 Frankston City Council, ☎ 1300 322 322 (local rate), e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Frankston Visitor Information Centre, 7N Pier Promenade, Frankston Waterfront, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Get in

Car

Bus

• 781 bus from Mt Martha via Mt Eliza, Mornington.
• 782 bus from Flinders via Coolart Road, Hastings.
• 783 bus from Hastings via Coolart Road.
• 782/783 combined from Hastings/Flinders via Coolart Road.
• 788 bus from Portsea via Dromana, Rosebud, Sorrento.
• 901 bus from Melbourne airport via Dandenong.
• Frankston and Peninsula Airport Shuttle - a much faster more expensive option than the 901 bus.

Train

• Frankston line from Melbourne.
• Stony Point line.

Get around

• Frankston Taxis, ☎ [phone]. 

See

• 🌍 Boathouse Gallery, 368 Nepean Hwy, Frankston, ☎ [phone]. 11AM-5PM Tuesday-Sunday. 
• 🌍 Cruden Farm, 60 Cranbourne Rd, Langwarrin, ☎ [phone]. Check website for events and open days. 
• 🌍 Dame Elizabeth Murdoch Arboretum, Edward Street, Langwarrin. April to October: Sunday to Friday, 6am–6pm November to March: Sunday to Friday, 6am–8pm. 
• 🌍 Frankston Arts Centre, Davey Street, Frankston, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Frankston Library, 60 Playne St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Books, CD's, DVD's, Kids Storytime, Internet. 
• 🌍 George Pentland Botanic Gardens, Williams Street. Nov-Mar 7am-9pm; Apr-Oct 7am-6pm. 
• 🌍 McClelland Gallery & Sculpture Park, 360 - 390 McClelland Drive, Langwarrin, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm Closed on Mondays and some Public Holidays. 
• Street Art. Throughout Frankston's laneways are significant works of art. Visit the Big Picture Fest website for a map and details. 

Do

BMX

• 🌍 Frankston BMX Club, 101R Old Wells Road, Seaford. BMX Track 
• 🌍 Langwarrin Pump Track, Lloyd Park, Cranbourne/Frankston Road, Langwarrin. BMX Track 

Bowls

Sunset over Port Phillip Bay in Frankston

• 🌍 Barefoot Bowls, Cnr Yuille & William Streets, ☎ [phone]. Every Friday evening at 6.00pm [weather permitting] until dusk, during daylight savings. It’s a fun night for families and a sausage sizzle is included. $8.00 per adult and $2.00 for children. 

Golf

• 🌍 Centenary Park Public Golf Course, 300 Centenary Park Drive, Frankston, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Frankston Golf Club, Golf Links Rd, Frankston, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Long Island Country Club, 165-235 Frankston-Dandenong Rd, Frankston, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, Skye Road, Frankston, ☎ [phone]. 

Skate

• 🌍 Frankston Skate Park, 16 N Cranbourne Rd, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Free. 
• 🌍 Langwarrin Skate Park, 185N Cranbourne-Frankston Rd, Langwarrin. Free. 
• 🌍 Seaford Skate Park, 50R Railway Parade, Seaford. Free. 

Tennis

• 🌍 Bruce Park Tennis Club, Bruce Park, Margate Ave, e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Frankston Tennis Club, e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Overport Park Tennis Club, Corner Overport & Somerset Roads, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Yamala Park Tennis Club, Corner Ithaca Road and Bowes Street, Frankston South, ☎ [phone]. 

Nature Reserves

• 🌍 Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve (Frankston Reservoir), Jeremy Way, Frankston South. Open everyday. Bush walking and cycling. Pedestrian access is available at any time via Jeremy Way, Harry Court, Frankston-Flinders Road, Rinella Bushland Reserve and Lawson Avenue. Vehicle access to the visitor carpark via Jeremy Way, Frankston South, between the hours of 6.00am-9.00pm during daylight hours, and 7.00am-7.00pm in non-daylight savings hours. Free. 
• 🌍 Kananook Creek Reserve, Between Eel Race Road, Seaford and Overton Road, Frankston. Kananook Creek walking track runs for 7.5km parallel to the coastline linking Seaford Wetlands to Frankston Foreshore. The creek reserve is home to many indigenous plants and animals and is one of Frankston's most beautiful natural environments, providing a unique and picturesque place for people to commune with nature in the midst of our urban landscape. Canoe launching sites to access the Creek are located at Riviera Street, Broughton Street Reserve and near McCulloch Avenue. 
• 🌍 Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve. 
• 🌍 Paratea Flora and Fauna Reserve. 
• 🌍 The Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve, toll-free: 13 1963 (domestic). The lookouts in the reserve provide awesome views on the Dandenong Ranges. 
• 🌍 Seaford Wetlands. 261 hectares of predominantly freshwater swamps. It is prohibited to bring cats to the reserve.  
• 🌍 Sweet Water Creek Reserve. 

Parks

• 🌍 Ballam Park, 260R Cranbourne Road, Frankston. Barbecues, basketball ring, playgrounds, flying fox. The Park is home to Ballam Park Homestead, a historic home and museum from the 1850s run by the Frankston Historical Society. 
• 🌍 Beauty Park, Spring St, Frankston. Outdoor fitness facilities. Lake. 
• 🌍 Jubilee Park. Barbecues, basketball ring, cricket nets, playgrounds, wetland area. 

Other stuff

• Cycling. There are several bicycle paths around Frankston. The longest is the Peninsula Link Trail which is 25km. It begins at Patterson Lakes and ends near Moorooduc Station (Mornington Railway), Mt Eliza Regional Park and Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna Reserve. It is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians. It interconnects with the Dandenong Creek Trail and the Frankston-Baxter Trail which follows the Stony Point train line from Frankston to Baxter. 
• 🌍 PARC - Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre, Cnr Cranbourne Rd & Olive Grove (next to Frankston Skatepark), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Pools, water slides, gym. Prices vary depending on time and what services you'll be using. 

Buy

• 🌍 Frankston Sunday Market, Young Street, ☎ [phone]. Sundays 8:00am to 1:00pm. Art and craft, plants, second hand goods, jam donuts. Entry $1.00. 
• 🌍 Seaford Farmers Market, Station Street, Seaford (adjacent to the Seaford Community Centre). The third Sunday of each month from 8:00am to 1:00pm. Fresh produce. 
• 🌍 Wells Street Market, Wells Street. Thursday 9am to 2pm. (updated Nov 2016)
• 🌍 Little Beauty Market (Little Beauty In The Park), Beauty Park, Frankston. 10AM-3PM, one Saturday a month October-April. (updated Apr 2018)

Eat

There are several food courts located within the shopping centers offering a wide range of food such as Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Italian, not to mention all the regular fast food chains. Pizza, Fish and Chips there is no shortage of choices.

• 🌍 Beach 162, 160-162 Beach St, Frankston, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Boathouse Restaurant, 366-368 Nepean Hwy, Frankston, ☎ [phone]. 12PM-10PM Tuesday-Thursday, 12PM-11PM Friday-Sunday, closed Monday. (updated Apr 2018)
• 🌍 Kasturi Indian Restaurant, Shop 5, 20A Beach Street, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Dinner: 5pm to 10.30pm 7 Days, Lunch: 12pm to 2.30pm Thur and Fri. 
• 🌍 Sofia, Frankston Pier, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Waves On The Beach, 2/1N Long Island Drive, ☎ [phone]. 7 Days, 11am till late. 

Drink

• 🌍 The Cheeky Squire (formerly Davey's Bar), 510 Nepean Hwy, ☎ [phone]. Daily 11am-11pm. Craft beers and quality pub food. 
• 🌍 The Deck, 2-4 Davey St, Frankston, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 12PM-late, closed Monday and Tuesday. 
• 🌍 Flanagans, 508 Nepean Highway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Epiphany nightclub, 480 Nepean Highway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Grand Hotel, 499 Nepean Highway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Humdinger, 101 Young Street, ☎ [phone]. Closed Monday. Tuesday to Thursday 12pm to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm to 12am, Sunday 12pm to 9pm. 
• 🌍 JDs Poolroom and Bar, 82 Wells St, ☎ [phone]. Pool tables, juke box, and drinks. 
• 🌍 Pint & Pickle Tavern, 448A Nepean Highway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Robin Hood Tavern, 506 Nepean Highway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Strike Bowling Bar, Wells St, ☎ 1300 787 453 (local rate). 10am-late. Ten Pin Bowling. Thursday's Drink 2 Bowl deal offers a free game with any drink purchased. 
• 🌍 TwentyFirst Century, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

• BIG4 Frankston Holiday Park, 2 Robinsons Road (Cnr Frankston-Flinders & Robinsons Rds), ☎ [phone]. Camp site for two adults $33 - $39. 

Connect

• Free internet at shopping centers and Frankston library. (updated Nov 2016)

Go next

Frankston station serves as a transit hub for bus and train services.

• Dandenong - by Bus
• Flinders - Bus 782 Frankston - Flinders via Coolart Road, Hastings.
• Melbourne - by train
• Melbourne Airport - 901 Bus or Airport Shuttle - a much faster more expensive option than the 901 bus.
• Mount Martha - Take the 781 bus via Mt Eliza and Mornington.
• Portsea - Take the 788 bus via Dromana, Rosebud and Sorrento.
• Stony Point - Take the train to Stony Point, where ferries leave for French Island and Phillip Island.