Arthurs Seat Eagle
Soar Like an Eagle on This Great Day Out in Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula
Experience the best seat in the house at Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula on the Arthurs Seat Eagle, a swiss made aerial gondola ‘’flight’’ suitable for all ages and abilities.
‘’Hello!’’ my kids yelled out in unison to the passing gondola. ‘’Hello!’’ came the echo back from a waving, excited little girl as we passed each other high up in the air.
They sat down and waited for the next one. The gentle breeze tickling my face through the bars of the gondola was divine, a breath of fresh on a scorching Melbourne day. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. But only for a brief second, as the views were exceptional and I didn’t want to miss it.
From the highest point of the Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondola ride, the views stretch from Port Phillip Bay and The Mornington Peninsula across to Melbourne City and beyond.
The serenity was broken by my kids once again, this time yelling, ‘’Mum, look there’s a kangaroo!’’
Don’t Forget to Look Down as Well!
I shifted my gaze away from the view to peer down and sure enough, bounding below in the state forest were three kangaroos. After six or so massive leaps of the kangaroo kind, they stopped to graze. Despite seeing many kangaroos in my own backyard over the past few years, I never tire of seeing them in their natural environment. Seems my kids are still enthralled too.
Unfortunately, the kangaroos had moved on by the time we made the return trip, but we were lucky enough to spot not one, but two Wedge Tailed Eagles soaring the skies, and countless other birds flittering about. Although none as majestic as the eagles in which the gondolas are named after.
The ‘’Arthurs Seat’’ part of the name comes from the hill it’s built upon, named Arthurs Seat Hill by the first British explorers who entered Port Phillip Bay in 1802. It was named due to its resemblance to Arthurs Seat Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Captain Matthrew Flinders, the first European to scale Arthurs Seat left his ship’s name on a scroll of paper, in a small pile of stones at the top of the peak. This was a British tradition of creating a stone cairn that marks a historical location. The Matthew Flinders Cairn has since been enlarged and can be viewed via an easy walk from the Eagle Summit Station.
The Gondolas …
Arthurs Seat Eagle is a Swiss-made aerial gondola system which is supported by cables from above.
The flight travels at a pleasant 5.4 km per hour so that guests can enjoy the views in a leisurely fashion. Each gondola holds up to 8 people and the flight takes around 15 minutes for a one-way trip.
The best part?
The gondolas are all-inclusive and cater to the disabled, elderly, frail and young children. It is wheelchair and pram friendly with a combination of enclosed and open cabins.
Accessibility features include level access, enclosed gondolas for comfort in colder weather, level accessible parking, ramped access throughout, accessible observation decks and accessible toilets.
Arthurs Seat Eagle in Three Different Ways … You Choose YOUR Way!
A Fun Family Friendly Excursion (to Wear Out The Kids)
Board the gondolas at the base station and enjoy the stunning 15-minute ‘’flight’’ up to the summit station. The kids can participate in an ‘’I Spy’’ game, but only if you remember to grab your free map with a checklist at the kiosk before you board. Encourage the kids to look out for kangaroos, birds and the You Yangs.
Disembark at the summit station and enjoy morning tea at the Eagle Cafe. Delicious food is their speciality with pies, salads, sandwiches and wraps, as well as ice creams and sweet treats.
Walk 10-minutes over to the Enchanted Adventure Garden, where the kids can have fun ziplining, tree surfing and tube sliding. There are also fun hedges and indoor mazes on offer.
Alternatively, stroll along the walking tracks to Seawinds Garden to view the William Ricketts sculpture collection and experience indigenous and exotic formal gardens. There are some great picnic spots around here.
After your tribe is suitably worn out, take the leisurely ride back down to the base station, enjoying the views of Port Phillip Bay and the Mornington Peninsula across to Melbourne City and beyond one last time.
Explore the Mornington Peninsula Region
Begin your day from the base station at Arthurs Seat Eagle and take ‘’flight’’, disembarking at the summit station. Enjoy either a healthy or indulgent morning tea at the Eagle Cafe before riding back down to the base station.
There are a lot of great things to see and do on the Mornington Peninsula so spend the rest of the day exploring the region.
Take a drive over to Mount Martha and visit The Briars, a beautiful 230-hectare conservation park steeped in flora, fauna and local history. Then join in a farm tour and settle in for lunch at Main Ridge Dairy, a rustic farmhouse, cheese factory and goat dairy located in Main Ridge.
Photo Credit – Arthurs Seat Eagle
After lunch, head to the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery and experience one of Australia’s leading regional art galleries. Finally, finish off the afternoon at Mills Beach with some Fish ‘N’Chips.
Enjoy a Morning or Afternoon Out With a Pop-Up Picnic Package
For those of us who like the idea of a picnic, but relish the idea of someone else doing all the hard work, the Pop-Up Picnic Package at Arthurs Seat Eagle makes for a great morning or afternoon out.
Begin at the base station, and take in the great views as you soar to the summit station. After popping up the top, pick up your pre-ordered picnic basket from the Summit Cafe and head down one of the multitude of walking paths in the Arthurs Seat State Park for your own private picnic.
The picnic package is designed for 2 adults and as such, includes a return gondola flight for two adults. Don’t forget to book extra tickets for the kids! Please see the Arthurs Seat Eagle Picnic Package webpage for more information on how to book.
Fun Facts on Arthurs Seat Eagle
- The Eagle has 34 gondolas
- Each gondola can hold eight guests.
- The summit is 314 metres high
- The flight takes approximately 15 minutes each way
- There is 120t of steel in the towers
- Each gondola weighs 785 kgs
- Over 2km of steel cable is used overhead to transport the gondolas
- The gondolas were manufactured in Switzerland
- The tallest tower is ‘Number 9’ – it’s 22 metres from the ground to rope level
How to Book a Ride on the Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondolas
A one-way ticket cost $17.50 per adult, and $11 per child aged 4 – 16 years.
A return ticket cost $24 per adult, and $15 per child aged 4 – 16 years. Children under four get to soar free but still need a ticket. Concession tickets are $15 one way and $21 return.
See the Arthurs Seat Eagle website for more information and booking.
We highly recommend booking your ticket online as online ticket holders have direct boarding access. Otherwise, you will need to queue twice…nobody likes doing that!
I Really Want to Ride The Gondola … How do I Get There?
Arthurs Seat Eagle is located in the premier spot of the Mornington Peninsula … at the highest point! You can begin the gondola ride at either the base station in Dromana, or the summit station at Arthurs Seat.
Driving Yourself?
Google Maps will help you find it easy peasy … Just type in ‘’Arthurs Seat Eagle’’ and choose from either the base station or the summit station. It takes around an hour from Melbourne City.
There is FREE parking at the Arthurs Seat Eagle Summit and Base Stations with an overflow area in the adjacent State Park areas.
Taking Public Transport?
Jump on the Frankston Line Train to Frankston Station. From there, catch the Portsea Passenger Service Bus (Bus #788) to the Mornington Peninsula to the Domana Visitor Information Centre. The Base Station is a 15-minute walk from there.
YouTube Clips of Our ‘Flight’ on Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondolas
Looking for more awesome family holiday inspiration?
Browse our Victoria page for more information on visiting Victoria with kids, or head on back to the home page for inspiration on destinations worldwide.
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Resources for booking a getaway to Victoria with kids
Flights and getting around
- Get a great deal on flights to Melbourne on Trip.com.
- Compare car hire across major brands with Discover Cars.
Accommodation
- You can’t go past the Langham Hotel in Melbourne City. It’s upmarket, in a great location with great restaurants, and has an old-school sophistication that’s hard to beat.
- In West Gippsland, Erica Caravan Park is a top holiday spot with both cabins and camping.
- East Gippsland travellers should head to the Dargo River Inn in the high country for cabins and camping. The Big4 Waters Edge is great for families at Lakes Entrance.
- In South Gippsland, Yanakie Caravan Park (it has cabins as well) has the best views over the ocean at sunset and is located just 5 minutes from the entrance to Wilsons Promontory.
Activities and tours
- Legoland Discovery Centre – Get your tickets here.
- Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium – Get your tickets here.
- Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondola Ride – Get your tickets here.
- Puffing Billy Steam Train – Get your tickets here.
